Tunable White Will Be The Lighting Game Changer of 2015

Tunable White

JP Bedell

LED keeps evolving. Six or seven years ago no one thought that LED was bright enough or cost-effective enough for general purpose lighting. Then efficacies improved, colour got more consistent, costs came down, and now specifiers and end-users want LED first, everything else as a second option. LED has arrived and there’s really no questioning it now.

That said, the industry is still changing and the technology keeps getting better and better. What makes LED fundamentally different from incumbent lighting technology is that it’s digital versus analog. Which means changes to the quality of the light can be driven by software as much as hardware. We’re already seeing that in smart buildings where LED fixtures are paired with digital lighting controls for task tuning and scripted automations. The next wave is already here. It’s tunable white light and it will be the next game changer in LED lighting.

What is tunable white?

USAI’s BeveLED 2.0 is available with colour select. This tunable white technology lets your recessed down lights transform the tone of a space.

Tunable white essentially describes a fixture’s ability to shift from “cool” white light to “warm” white. Currently most LED fixtures come in a fixed tone of white light; typical CCTs are often 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4000K, and 5000K. Tunable white fixture offers the ability to shift the tone of the white light. So no fixed CCT is required.

There are several key advantages to this capability:

Eliminate the problem of guessing what CCT the client wants

I happen to like 3500K in a lot of applications, but what difference does that make? It’s my client that ultimately needs to love the light I’ve provided them. Some people love warmer tones, others want the “whiter” whites of 4000K and 5000K. Tunable white takes the guesswork out of that problem.

Vary colour temperatures within a given application

Imagine a retail location that displays leather in one case and silver jewellery in the next. With tunable white, you can “warm up” the leather in one case, and make the silver extra brilliant in the other.

Tunable white would allow you to shift the tone of the white light for each of these shelving cubes, finding the perfect tone for the product you’re displaying. There is a growing body of research that says that cooler colour temperatures of light enhance our alertness and ability to focus, while warmer tones relax us. Imagine an educational environment where you want the students awake and alert for their first class, but a little more mellow after recess. Or imagine an office environment where you want to boost productivity during the workday, but also host social events in the evening. Tunable white offers this variation.

An example from my event lighting days

The ability to make LEDs change color isn’t necessarily a new one. But in 2015 we’re seeing more and more manufacturers offer it as a standard option. Here’s an example from my event lighting days of the power of tunable white light.

Here’s the “Icy White” the client wanted. Dialled in at the swipe of a slider.

I was commissioned a few years ago to design the lighting for the Wired Magazine Pop-Up Store in Times Square. It was a huge space needing light to cover not only signage and walls but all of the latest electronic toys of the day. I was given the design direction that the space needed to feel like an “icy blue white light.” Well what exactly does that mean? I know what it meant for me, but it was the client I was concerned about. I opted to light the space with a colour-changing LED fixture rather than a conventional halogen. This enabled me to tune the white light, rather than ask our union electricians to get up on ladders and change theatrical gel on hundreds of fixtures. When my client walked in the door. I asked them for a second to review the lighting. Then moving one slider I was able to add a little more blue to the white light until it was the perfect blue/white tone for them. We locked it in, and they were thrilled.

If you’re specifying LED take a minute and consider tunable white. It’s an option that could make the difference between merely pleasing your clients and thrilling them. 


 

JP Bedell is a Lighting Guy from New York City. Sales rep and blogger for SDA Lighting.Stan Deutsch Associates, founded in 1962, is dedicated to offering specification-grade lighting products to the local design community. SDA offers quality lighting solutions to commercial, retail, hospitality, institutional, healthcare and educational markets; http://www.sdalighting.com.

 

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • Contact Delage Announces New Partnership with Zilux

    Contact Delage: New Representation Agreement – Zilux

    Contact Delage is pleased to announce a new partnership with Zilux for the representation of their products in the regions of Montreal, Laval, Estrie, Lanaudière, Laurentides, and Montérégie. Specializing in the design of aluminum lighting and urban furniture, Zilux, a Quebec-based manufacturer, combines innovation and durability to enhance your outdoor design projects. Their expertise in… Read More…

  • Mac’s II Agencies Announces Jamie Capell as the New Sales Manager for Lighting Specification

    Expanding Expertise: Mac’s II Agencies Strengthens Lighting Division

    Mac’s II Agencies is pleased to announce the expansion of its lighting division with the addition of Jamie Capell as the Sales Manager for Lighting Specification. Jamie brings 25 years of experience in the lighting and electrical industry, most notably serving as the Director of Sales for a local lighting agency in British Columbia. With… Read More…


Design

  • Light ARchitect Is Revolutionizing Lighting Design for Architects & Designers

    Light ARchitect Is Revolutionizing Lighting Design for Architects & Designers

    Traditionally, lighting design could be a tedious process, often involving physical mockups, time-consuming calculations, and static renderings using multiple software tools. With advancing technology, these traditional methods are giving way to more sophisticated tools that enhance precision, speed, and visualization. On the downside, many of the new tools are not particularly intuitive and the learning… Read More…

  • Project Story: Sainte-Thérèse High School Outdoor Lighting Upgrade

    Project Story: Sainte-Thérèse High School Outdoor Lighting Upgrade

    August 6, 2024 Built in 1980, the building that houses Sainte-Thérèse high school, in Quebec Canada, was looking a little worse for the wear. Renovation work began with two major projects: introducing a multidisciplinary sports centre, as well as redesigning the parking lots.  The employee and visitor parking lots were completely reconfigured during phase 1… Read More…


New Products

  • Magic Lite: New 5-Channel High-Performance LED Amplifier

    Magic Lite: New 5-Channel High-Performance LED Amplifier

    Designed for professional-grade LED systems, the 5-Channel High-Performance Amplifier delivers precision, scalability, and reliability. Using advanced MOSFET technology and high-speed 10Mbps optical couplers, this amplifier ensures robust power output and flawless signal transmission across large-scale, synchronized LED applications. Whether expanding capacity for PWM controllers or enhancing system stability, this amplifier simplifies complex lighting designs while… Read More…

  • Eureka: Lattice – 3D Printed Ceiling Suspended Fixture

    Eureka: Lattice – 3D Printed Ceiling Suspended Fixture

    Lattice is a one-of-a-kind 3D metal printed fixture. Layer upon layer of intricately braided aluminum branches meld into one of three comprehensive shapes. The result is a stunning glowing light fixture that will add a luxurious feel to ambient environments. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE ON DEMAND. Read More…