Biocentric Lighting is a lighting concept developed by BrainLit that mimics those important characteristics of daylight that entrain the circadian rhythm. These include wavelength, intensity, direction, duration, and timing of the light. The aim of Biocentric Lighting is to support a healthy circadian rhythm, based on our body's natural day-night rhythm.
The influence of light on our biorhythm
Light is more than just visibility, it affects our energy, mood and sleep. When we get too little or the wrong kind of light, such as cool light in the evening or little sunlight during the day, our biorhythm is disrupted. This can lead to complaints such as fatigue, concentration problems or a reduced mood.
What is Biocentric Lighting?
Biocentric Lighting (BCL®) goes beyond Human Centric Lighting (HCL). While HCL primarily simulates the variation of the colour temperature of daylight, BCL® adjusts lighting according to the natural function of the circadian rhythm, actively supporting users’ biorhythms. BCL® considers five essential factors:
- Wavelength of light
- Intensity
- Direction
- Timing
- Duration of exposure
How Biocentric Lighting works
The Biocentric Lighting system from BrainLit automatically adjusts the spectrum, colour temperature and light intensity throughout the day, and effectively the Melanopic EDI. A well-known example is refreshing, bright light in the morning and warmer light in the evening. This mimics the natural progression of sunlight, even in indoor spaces without daylight.
This dynamic adjustment provides the right circadian stimulation at any time of day, helping to improve sleep quality, concentration and overall health.
Two types of luminaires for one biocentric lighting environment
Within BCL®, various types of luminaires with different colour temperatures are often combined, such as LED panels for general illumination and downlights for accent lighting. These so-called 'room sets' create a balanced, dynamic lighting environment that supports circadian rhythms and provides visual comfort. This creates a single integrated lighting concept that does not require additional lighting. The colour temperatures of the different types follow their own curves and are designed to match.
The combination of cooler and warmer light groups also makes it possible to achieve high circadian performance. Whereas the WELL Building Standard currently requires a mEDI value of 250, integrative lighting solutions such as BCL® can achieve values of up to 1300 mEDI.
Who is Biocentric Lighting intended for?
Biocentric lighting is increasingly being used in environments where people work or spend long periods of time indoors, such as:
- Offices and meeting rooms
- Hospitals and care centres
- Educational buildings
- Hotels and hospitality
- Industrial working environments without daylight
Biocentric Lighting at Illuxtron
Illuxtron is collaborating with BrainLit to integrate this innovative technology into our luminaires, such as LED Panel B. In this way, we combine our Dutch innovations with Swedish techniques to support health, well-being and comfort in projects.