Human Factors in Lighting, Third Edition

Book excerpt: The availability of electric lighting has changed the lives of people the world over, yet as a major user of electricity it has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. This scrutiny has focused largely on the environmental consequences, with little consideration of the benefits of lighting. Human Factors in Lighting, Third Edition restores some balance to the discussion by examining the ways in which people interact with lighting. These interactions influence the ability to perform visual tasks; the perception of people, objects, and spaces; human comfort and behavior; as well as human health and safety. It is only by understanding how to use light to achieve these ends that lighting can be provided effectively and efficiently to the benefit of all. See What’s New in the Third Edition: New chapters on the non-image-forming system, lighting for pedestrians, light pollution, and lighting and electricity use Revision of all other chapters to update them to take into account the advances that have been made in our understanding of the effects of light on people over the last decade Integration of the combined effects of light via the visual and non-image-forming systems on performance and perception The book covers both the visual and the non-visual effects of light on people as well as the benefits of lighting and the costs it imposes on the environment. It details the consequences of exposure to lighting or lighting technology and the role of exposure to light on such basic functions of the body as circadian rhythms. The author combines information from many different sources and integrates them into a coherent overview of lighting practice that can be used to develop better lighting solutions at a lower environmental cost.