Natural lighting through artificial lights

LUX Solutions d'ÉclairageArticles by: Philippe Gauthier
white room lit by natural light

Summer is now over. The days will become shorter and shorter, and our exposure to sunlight will also gradually decrease. At this time of the year, when our mood is sometimes gloomy, many people try to recreate natural lighting to feel better.

What are the benefits of natural lighting?

The circadian rhythm

The circadian rhythm is often referred to as the internal clock of the human body. It is this biological rhythm that sends signals to your body, notably, to get you to sleep and eat. Your daily exposure to light has a direct impact on the circadian rhythm because it adapts to it. If, for example, you have a night shift or work in a dimly lit area, it is possible that your internal clock becomes unbalanced, which can have a negative influence on your well-being.

The circadian rythm

When winter arrives, do you usually feel that your mood is diminished? This is the case for many people, and the phenomenon is well documented, bearing the name of seasonal depression. This period of the year means that the hours of sunlight during the day are reduced, which in a way disrupts the circadian rhythm. Depressed mood, loss of interest and fatigue are some of the symptoms of seasonal depression.

A light for every moment of the day

Secondly, did you know that the type of light has an important influence on your energy? You have probably been advised not to look at a screen for at least 1 hour before going under the covers. The reason is quite simple, screens expose you to blue light. This type of light gives us energy. Therefore, it is good to be exposed to it during the day, but in the evening, a warm light should be favored to imitate the colors of the sunset. This way we are more in a state of relaxation to go to bed.

the different colours temperature

Imitate natural lighting

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to take full advantage of the sunlight with the advent of cloudy days and the winter season. Also, with the trend of working from home having increased drastically over the past year, you may now find yourself working in an office that does not let in enough sunlight. What can you do to compensate for this lack? It is simple, you must reproduce natural light!

The possibilities of LED lighting

Today, technology has advanced to meet this need. With LED lighting, it is now possible to adapt the color of the light according to the time of the day! For example, some LED strips allow to navigate between cool white and warm white. Combining this technology with an automated lighting control system, would allow to have a lighting very similar to natural light. The cold white would be used in the middle of the day, while the warm white would be used in the evening and morning.

False skylights

Skylight that reminds natural lighting

Then, what better way to imitate natural light than with a false skylight. Indeed, this new type of lighting is now available! These products, working with LED technology, make it possible to admire the bluish color of the sky in the room of your choice. It is even possible to perceive a false sun through the well! Here is an original solution to brighten up your room!

Multiply the sources of light

The light produced by the sun has the capacity to illuminate a given space much more easily than a single artificial light source. The reproduction of this light must absolutely pass by using several sources of lighting. To ensure uniformity of the room, do not hesitate to use wall lamps, luminaries, or spotlights on rails.

Modern appartment with natural lighting

The photometric study at your service

Finally, in order to have a real knowledge of your room’s lighting needs, a photometric study could be in order. It allows you to calculate the necessary lighting in a room and to precisely determine the quantity, the strength, and the location of the lighting sources to be installed. This way you will know exactly how to proceed to reproduce the natural light in your room.

Find out more about this service we offer here.

Natural light has an important influence on the well-being of everyone. Plants as well as human beings. Being able to reproduce it can offer considerable benefits on our mood, our sleep and much more. To achieve this, several options are available to you, contact us to find out which one is right for your project!

Growing flowers in a greenhouse

Producing more with less energy

In recent years, many farmers have opened their doors to LED for their agricultural lighting. Although the commercialization of LED technology is relatively new, it is already considered by many as the alternative of choice to traditional lights. The growing popularity of this type of lighting can be seen among farmers to improve their energy efficiency and production. With the size of farm buildings, the cost of energy consumption for lighting is a significant expense for farmers.

Indeed, the main advantage of LED lighting is of course the energy saving. Although LED lighting products are more expensive, the savings on electricity costs are not negligible. If we compare this kind of lighting with traditional incandescent bulbs, the energy saving with LED lighting is about 70-90%. In addition, another advantage of this type of lighting is the durability of the products. LEDs last on average 15 times longer than traditional light fixtures. Therefore, it is certain that LED lighting costs more, but the longevity of the products and their low energy consumption generally pay back the investment very quickly.

Scientist using purple LED light for growing plants

Control of the photoperiod

Photoperiod is the ratio of day to night duration and is the most important environmental factor in synchronizing physiological changes in animals. In other words, the photoperiod plays a determining role in the reproductive cycle of animals. With the help of LED lighting it is now possible for farmers to reproduce natural light and automate it in their buildings. This way, it is easy to ensure that the animals are exposed to the perfect amount of light and darkness during the day. It is even possible to literally simulate sunrise and sunset!

For example, research has shown that lactating dairy cows exposed to 16 to 18 hours of light (150 to 200 lux) and then 6 to 8 hours of darkness increased their milk production by 8 to 10%. In order to still be able to work in the barn while the cows are sleeping, red LED lighting is sometimes used, as this light is slightly detected by the cows and then allows workers to move around safely, without having to disturb the animals’ sleep.

The importance of agricultural lighting for greenhouse production

Canada is exposed to little natural light throughout the year. Especially in winter, this lack of ambient lighting is affecting greenhouse production. Currently, many greenhouses are lit with high pressure sodium lamps or HPS lamps. This type of lighting is not optimal for greenhouse production, because these lamps consume a lot of energy, make it difficult to control the direction of the lighting and give off a lot of heat, which can damage plants that reach a height close to the lamp’s height. LED lighting would be a good solution for greenhouses, as LEDs give off very little heat, do not consume much energy and offer a lot of flexibility to light all areas. Canadian researchers have even found that certain types of light emitted by LEDs can even promote the health of plants!

agricultural lighting in a greenhouse

Often, with the size of farm buildings, the cost of lighting is a significant expense for farmers, and they would have much to gain with the implementation of better and less expensive LED lighting. This new lighting technology offers many significant benefits to farmers and looks very promising for the future!

If you would like to learn more about how LED lighting can help your farm business, contact us and we will be happy to help!

Lighting pollution of a city

However, the impacts of light pollution on our environment are real. The awareness of this issue is relatively new, so it remains mysterious for many people. In this article, you will learn about light pollution and possible solutions to minimize its impacts.

A brief definition

Light pollution is the projection of artificial light into the sky, making it difficult or impossible to see the stars at night. Did you know that 80% of the world’s population lives under a sky polluted by artificial light? For Europeans and Americans, this percentage even reaches 99%! Furthermore, most human beings will never be able to contemplate the Milky Way or the Zodiacal light. These luminous phenomena which are visible in the night sky, can only be observed in the most isolated areas of the globe, where light pollution is absent or very low.

Light pollution is increasing at a rate of 2.2% per year worldwide and causes all sorts of problems, such as economic, ecological and astronomical.

The impacts of light pollution

Since light pollution is relatively new, we are only beginning to understand its impacts on ecosystems. Notwithstanding this fact, many specialists and researchers have started to sound the alarm to ask governments to put in place measures to limit the damage of light pollution.

A disoriented migration

Fauna is strongly affected by artificial lighting at night. For nocturnal animals for example, predators use the darkness to hunt and prey use it to hide! As a result, the environment of these animals is severely influenced by humans, as their nighttime activity period is now shifting to daytime due to the amount of lighting present.

Illuminated city of Vancouver producing light pollution

Migratory birds are also severely affected by this type of pollution. When night falls, these birds must orient themselves with the light of the moon and the stars. The nighttime light from cities attracts birds to a dangerous environment of illuminated skyscrapers. In Toronto, light pollution is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of birds per year, according to the Fatal Light Awareness Program.

Light pollution also affects the migration cycles of these birds. Indeed, these birds use seasonal indicators to predict their migration and their perception of these indicators is biased by light pollution, so they do not migrate at the right time and miss the right weather conditions for their reproduction.

The economic cost of light pollution

Often, the excessive use and the misuse of lighting cause us to direct light towards the sky for no reason, which makes us waste energy and financial capital. In Quebec, it is estimated that it costs $45 million per year to light the sky. Light pollution has then an important economic weight in Quebec, if we consider that this amount could be reinvested for a better and more environmentally friendly lighting. For the United States, the cost of light pollution is $7 billion per year!

A significant impact on science

Astronomy is a science that is directly affected by light pollution, because the stars are much more difficult to study near large cities where light pollution is strong. This is why astronomical observatories are located relatively far from these cities. Finally, the fact that the stars are less and less present in the night sky near the cities, makes that there are fewer and fewer amateur astronomers. Already in 2003, the British government recognized that there is a link between the lack of interest in astronomy and light pollution.

telescope with the milky way

How is light pollution produced?

Now that we know the impacts of the phenomenon of light pollution, it’s important to know how this is produced. The first cause is the lighting directed towards the sky. In fact, many street lamps and other light sources direct light inefficiently. They should direct the light only to the area in need of light.

Quebec is a major emitter of light pollution in Canada, for two reasons. First, the very low cost of energy means that people and businesses in the province can afford to install more artificial light. Second, there are currently very few government regulations governing artificial lighting in Quebec. Some regulations are in place near astronomical observatories, but it seems that these are very little respected.

Rethinking our lighting

With all these problems that light pollution creates, a question arises: is it possible for governments to ensure safe and useful lighting for the population while limiting light pollution? Yes, it is!

Smart Lighting

First of all, intelligent lighting could prove to be an effective solution in the fight against light pollution. Indeed, programming night lighting with intelligent control systems would ensure that only the amount necessary for the city’s safety and operation would be on during the night. For example, an intelligent street lighting system would ensure that street lights would only be activated when cars are on the portion of the road to be lit, and would remain closed when they are not.

Street lamps that respect the environment

Light up more efficiently

As mentioned earlier, many street lights do not effectively redirect light. Ideally, streetlights should be able to direct light properly so that it is not wasted. In addition to reducing light pollution, these streetlights would limit the intrusive lighting that disturbs those who live near roads. To do this, investing in lighting sources that effectively direct artificial light to the areas to be lit would greatly reduce the amount of light projected toward the stars.

We can help you reduce your ecological footprint!

To function it is sure that the cities cannot do without artificial lighting. It ensures the safety of the population and allows them to remain in activity during the night. With the impacts that this form of pollution plays on the environment, the need for cities to rethink their lighting systems is increasingly considered.

Offering a range of specialized products and services, LUX Lighting Solutions has the expertise for all your smart and environmentally friendly lighting projects. Please contact us to learn more about how you can give back the stars to the night!

LED ribbons embedded in black wall

LED strip lights, a multitude of possible uses

In fact, the LED strip lights can be used to light up just about anything. The only limit is your creativity! Here are 10 original ways to use them to inspire you!

1. The Closet

The wardrobe or walk-in closet is usually an area of the house with very little light due to its isolation from natural light. Being mostly in a windowless space, the use of artificial light sources is the solution of choice for lighting your clothes. The flexibility of LED strips is advantageous for this, as it allows you to illuminate the most difficult areas. Using rods with a built-in molding for LED strip lights will allow you to illuminate the room in addition to your hanging clothes. These can also be used for shelves, in drawers, or even on the ceiling to make sure you light every nook and cranny!

Walk-in illuminated with LED strips

2. The staircase

Never before has it been so easy to highlight the staircase with LED strips. Like closets, natural light sometimes has a hard time getting to the stairs. That being said, it is important to have a well-lit staircase to ensure the safety of the individuals using it. LED strips lights are ideal for this purpose, as they can easily be installed on handrails and underneath steps to create an indirect lighting effect. This is a good solution to make your staircase both safe and beautiful.

staircase illuminated with led strip lights

3. The aquarium

Aquariums are now being used more and more as a decorative element in a room. In recent years, they have gained popularity among aquarium enthusiasts for several reasons. The possibilities that some LED strips lights offer in terms of color control and lighting intensity is great for aquarium enhancement. Other advantages are the low heat generation and low energy cost of this type of lighting.

Aquarium containing a small goldfish

4. The gaming room

The video game industry has a growing number of enthusiasts around the world. Often, these enthusiasts are eager to enjoy their favorite hobby in an illuminated room that is bright with vivid colors from all over. LED strips are perfect for indirectly lighting the computer table. Some of these strips can even be installed in the computer power supply which can add color to the computer itself! Color control is something that is highly desired for video game rooms, to create color schemes that match their keyboard for example.

gaming stands backlited with led strip lights

5. The cellar

Wine lovers usually like to have a wine cellar in their home to store their favorite bottles of wine. It can be difficult to see the products in the cellar because of the shadows created by the bottles and shelves. The LED strips lights make it easy to illuminate all the compartments, so you don’t have to search too long for the perfect wine to accompany your meal. You can even program them to light up only when the cellar doors open!

Restaurant cellar with LED ribbons

6. The Mirror

Mirrors have always gone hand in hand with lighting. We have all seen mirrors framed by large spherical bulbs. Used extensively in the show business industry, illuminated mirrors are also interesting for people who like to make themselves beautiful in the morning. Many mirror manufacturers are now integrating LED strip lights directly into their products. If you don’t have this type of mirror, you can always put them on the back of it to get indirect lighting. The use of LED with mirrors is a new trend that will gain even more popularity in the next few years, as this technology is easily integrated into this type of product.

Modern bathroom with backlit mirror

7. The shower

Another original way of using LED strips is for the shower. Shower lighting is sometimes forgotten in bathroom renovation projects. It can be interesting to install lighting on the ceiling and floor of your shower. LED strips are perfect for this purpose, as they can easily be recessed into these surfaces with the help of moldings. Install your shower lighting with a motion sensor! This will cause the shower to light up when you step into it!

Industrial style shower with decorative LED ribbons

8. Plants

From a practical rather than decorative point of view, do you know that LED strips are also widely used for growing plants? If you want to have a small vegetable garden in your house to start your seedlings or grow vegetables in winter, LED strips might be of interest to you. Indeed, on a larger scale, LED technology is increasingly used in greenhouses around the world. Some studies are even emerging on the benefits of this type of lighting on plants!

Flowers and LED light

9. The flowerbeds

Still in line with the garden center, another very original idea for using LED strips is in the backyard! Indeed, they are perfect to mark the flowerbeds in the gardens or to be embedded between concrete tiles to illuminate a path. In addition to making your outdoor installations more aesthetically pleasing, your backyard would also benefit from new discreet lighting sources!

Facade of a restaurant with exterior lighting

10. The RV

Do you have a RV or a minivan that you have converted into a motor home? On rainy days, travelers have to lock themselves in the car to spend the evening or part of the day. Therefore, having a good lighting in the car is essential for this moment. Dimmable LED strips are perfect for this kind of use, as they do not consume much energy and the lighting is discreet. When we are in a small space, the lighting should not be too bright or intrusive. Insert LED strips on the sides of your bed base to enjoy pleasant light all evening, without worrying about the charge level of your car battery!

Camping-car dans la nature pendant la nuit

The use of LED strips lights offers a ton of possibilities for any lighting project, and new ways of using them will emerge in the future. Stay on top of the latest trends! So, don’t hesitate to be creative, try new ways of using them and take advantage of the control systems of LED technology to make your projects even more unique! Do you have a lighting project to which you would like to add LED strips? Contact us and our team of specialists will advise you on the right lighting to make your project shine.

lighting history timeline

In the 21st century, artificial light has been widely used in several spheres of our societies for many years. Lighting is an essential factor in the proper functioning of cities and businesses. That being said, the need for man to light his environment is not new. In fact, we have to go back to prehistoric times to find the first lighting methods developed by man in the lighting history.

A history that starts with fire

The invention of the first method of lighting goes back a long way. Most historians even agree that fire was used for 250 000 to 300 00 years! The domestication of fire by Neanderthal man had a decisive impact on his way of life. This source of light was now going to allow them to keep predators away, to facilitate the working of certain materials, to keep warm, to cook food and to illuminate their environment once night fell. Still today, fire is used for lighting and has been the main source of light for humans for several hundred years.

Fire on a black background

Around 30,000 B.C., Homo sapien decided to burn animal fat and plant resin at the end of a branch to create the very first portable lamp, the torch. With this invention, prehistoric man could now venture into caves where natural light did not reach. By using other types of fuel to light with flames, man opened the door to the discovery of a host of new lighting options. Indeed, over 15,000 years ago, the first oil lamp was invented. This lamp was a reservoir of vegetable oil in which a wick supported by a spout was dipped. 10,000 years later, the candle made its appearance. Indeed, by surrounding a wick of animal tallow, it is possible to obtain a light source which will last longer. The disadvantage of burning tallow is that the odor and smoke are not pleasant.

Oil lamp carved in rock

Derived from the candle, it is in the Middle Ages that the candle as we know it today was born. Mainly made of beeswax, these lamps were very expensive and therefore mainly used by the clergy and the lords. It was not until the end of the 15th century that the more affluent citizens were able to start replacing their tallow candles with wax candles. It was not until the 1820s that candles regained popularity with the development of stearic acid, a new material that replaced animal tallow for candle production. This advance made candles more affordable and less intrusive, and it was from this point on that tallow candles became less common.

Although oil lamps had already existed for a long time, it is towards the end of the 18th century that this mode of lighting became trendy, with the development of new processes. In 1782, the engineer Aimé Argand developed an oil lamp with a lateral reservoir and double air currents that was 10 to 12 times more powerful than a normal candle. Later, the French pharmacist Antoine Quinquet refined Argand’s invention and marketed the Quinquet oil lamp, which was widely used until the advent of kerosene in 1853. This light oil obtained from the distillation of crude oil became the main fuel for indoor lamps for several decades and completely replaced oil lamps.

Antoine Quinquet and his oil lanterne, an important man in lighting history
Credit: Detroit Institute of Arts

In those same years, a new type of lighting arrived on the market: gas lighting. At that time, the world’s major cities, in desperate need of modernizing their public lighting, decided to follow the lead of gas lighting in order to replace oil lamps. At the time, gas lighting cost a quarter of the price of oil, which made it very popular in Europe and America. By the mid-1840s, almost all of London and half of Paris were lit by gas! This new type of lighting was relatively dangerous, however. When used indoors, it was common for buildings to be set on fire because of the operation of this type of lamp. They raised the temperature of the rooms and had to be lit with a long stick at the end of which was a flaming cotton ball, which was relatively dangerous, not to mention the risk of explosion. In addition, gas lighting also seemed to be harmful to the environment because of gas leaks in the pipes. A safer lighting solution was now required.

Kerosene lamp

The transition to electricity


On August 15, 1881, Paris, the City of Light, hosted the very first International Electricity Exhibition. A young American inventor came to present a product that would revolutionize the lighting industry forever: Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulb. At that time, only a handful of prestigious buildings were lit with electricity in Paris. Specifically, it was with arc lamp technology, an electrically powered lighting system that was commercialized in the late 1860s. With his invention, Thomas Edison presented the general public with an invention that could democratize electric light. As early as 1881, Edison’s Company, which later became General Electric, was already manufacturing complete lighting systems including bulbs, wires, dynamos and bases.

In the midst of industrialization in Europe and North America, such a lighting system would allow industrial buildings to be lit efficiently and easily. The advantages of the incandescent bulb are numerous. It is safe, inexpensive, easy to install, can be turned on immediately with a switch and the light output is higher than gas lighting. In the years that followed, propelled by the development of electricity and the lighting needs of industrialization, incandescent bulbs gained drastically in popularity, eventually replacing gas lighting in large cities. Still present today, the incandescent light bulb has been lighting up our daily lives for over a hundred years, although it has undergone several improvements over the years.

The incandescent light bulb of Thomas Edison
Credit photo: Pinterest / Archive.org by Edison Electric LIght Company

The first half of the 20th century marks the arrival of 2 new types of lighting: the neon and the fluorescent tube. The neon will be widely used for commercial signs, because this type of lighting can be shaped to obtain writings or forms. The fluorescent tube will have a more traditional function of lighting. It is in the 1930s that the marketing of fluorescent tubes will begin. This new technology offers a white light that is close to daylight. The benefits put forward by the manufacturing companies are the low heat production, the long life, the light output and the simplicity of operation.

In 1959, a variant of the incandescent lamp was born. It is the halogen lamp. Working in the same way as the invention of Thomas Edison, the halogen lamp is equipped with a quartz glass bulb that can withstand high temperatures in which have introduced halogenated gases at high pressure. These gases increase the efficiency and life of the tungsten filament that produces light when exposed to electric current.

Open sign made out of neon

It was in 1962 that the first visible spectrum light-emitting diode (LED) was invented. The invention of this diode was made by Nick Holonyak, a young American engineer. For several years the LEDs were available only in red, yellow and green. In the 1990s, two Japanese researchers have developed a diode of blue color of high brightness. This invention will then allow to adapt the colors of the LED to obtain a white color that will be widely used in the design of TV screens. This invention will also reveal the potential of LED as a lighting device. Indeed, having an interesting lighting efficiency and having a very low energy consumption, this new technology will start to replace quietly the more traditional lighting devices. Today, LED lighting is available in many forms and its use is becoming widespread for public, residential and corporate lighting.

City lit by LED lights

A history that is still being written

Man has always needed to illuminate his environment in order to function well in society. Depending on the availability of technology, he has had to develop his lighting methods, starting with fire and ending with LED lighting. Lighting is an industry that will continue to develop over the coming decades to meet the growing needs of consumers who are now looking for aesthetic, functional and energy efficient solutions.

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