Mood Lighting in Schools!

[Paul]

Epsom and Ewell School have installed a new lighting system to help pupils in class! The system has 4 different settings, from calm to 'focus' where the system regulates the amount of red light in the room based on whether the pupils need to be concentrating hard on their work or taking things a bit easier! Studies have shown that the more red light in the visible spectrum from lighting can induce a more relaxed state and if this is removed, a more heightened state of concentration is achieved. Saw this on the BC news this morning - it's not April 1st is it?!

[SuperSix]

Well if that's true then perhaps halophosphate tubes would be better for classrooms as the red output is rather poor! I know that higher colour temperatures around daylight and higher suppress some hormone that makes you sleepy so it would make sense. I'm not sure how fast acting it would be though, surely you couldn't just have a dimmer switch on the wall to crank up the concentration!?

[sailormoon01uk]

I too thought it was a Joke come on Claire Phillips from Philips Lighting anyway here's the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13046121

I wonder how long the dreaded Electronic Ballasts will last befor they need replacing

All the Best

Colin

[Kev]

What a load of crap. Good to see that schools are spending our money wisley when no one has any! I wonder how they get the different colours?

Could something as simple as changing the lightbulbs, lead to a dramatic improvement in exam performance and behaviour in the classroom?

Yeh nice statement something as simple ay i bet this is around the 6k mark for these light fitted and everything! Its really just changing the bulbs isnt it!

[sailormoon01uk]

I agree, I bet all they are are Cool White (6000 deg K) and Warm White (2700 degK) Tubes being slowly changed over via Electronic Gear, where the tubes are both lit you get your Neutral White Lighting at 3500/4000 deg K

[Jack_T]

My school doesn't win any awards for lighting. Terrible T5s and buzzing ballasts, we've got the worst lighting department on earth!

[sailormoon01uk]

Ok I left School 26 years ago, but I remeber the Fluorescent Lighting fitted, they were Preheat SRS or Semi Resonant Start, which heated the tube ends for a few sseconds before they struck, the Tubes were 5ft T12's 65/80w Tubes, they lasted for years not like modern HF or Electronic Junk these Days

All the Best

Colin

[Paul]

Thanks sailormoon! Just made me realise how long ago I left school! 19 years ago now My school had 5ft SRS fittings too, not sure what make they were but they were almost indentical to Thorn Atlantics but had a black body...!?!

[sailormoon01uk]

the lights my old school had were Thorn Format 2SM Fittings with 2 x 65/80w Fluorescent Tubes

When I was in Primary School they were in the Dark Ages the Classrooms were lit with 300 watt Filament Lamps in large Acorn Glass Fittings,

[robtdci]

Hi Colin,

Was the school you mention with the 300w filament lamps situated between Hugh Baird College and the Strand shopping centre if you don't mind me asking? I used to sometimes pass a school with clear 300w lamps in the classrooms in the early 90s when I was a Student at the college.

P.S. - I remember you saying you lived in Bootle near Bedford road on LG, where there was once a 10w SOX illuminating the railway subway.

Rob

[leslielamp]

well in the main hall at my school (where the revision and exams are done) there's LED low bays that have: warm, cool, neutral, blue, red, and a yellowish colour. BUT there really dim and any student can go to the light switch and change the colour.

[Kev]

If you check out the gallery I only install proper lighting in the schools I look after!

[MetalHalideHater]

In the rooms I sit my exams at college, there's either T5 HF dimmable fluorescents (which dim very well and no failures to speak of) or Switch start T8s with 35s. To be honest, I probably prefer sitting under the 840 T5s, despite the sentiment on this site regarding HF.

[LinearSLI-H]

So a warm light colour switches on your sleep hormone then?
That explains why I was always tired in PE, our sports hall had 32, 250watt SON!!

[Kev]

I know of exam halls that were lit with SON before I changed them to MH