Archetech Issue 20 2015 | Page 90

Lighting The Way To A Healthier Working Environment DURABLE has revolutionised the task lighting arena with the launch of LUCTRA®, a revolutionary LED lighting system proven to enhance wellbeing and productivity within the workplace by harnessing the biological effect of light. Using the highest grade of materials and designed in conjunction with the latest scientific research, the LUCTRA® range consists of four floor and table lamp models in two modern, minimalistic designs and three stylish colour finishes. The range endorsed by Dr Dieter Kunz, a sleep researcher and chrono-biologist features superior quality cold white and warm white LEDs that produce an illuminance of up to 1,000 lux. LUCTRA® also features an extremely high colour spectrum between 2,700 and 6,500 Kelvin, which provides an intensity and colour that closely replicates daylight. The natural colour of daylight stimulates the production of melatonin and serotonin that controls the circadian rhythm in the human brain. Lack of exposure to daylight can result in fatigue and at worst depression. The effective targeted changes of light colour provided by the LUCTRA® family of lamps are able to remedy this deficit by stabilising the human biorhythm, ensuring individuals are able to sleep well and feel more rested when carrying out their daily tasks. A study conducted by INTELLUX GmbH in cooperation with the research group “Sleep Research and Clinical Chronobiology ” has also demonstrated that melatonin – a chemical hormone that makes us feel sleepy – is able to be suppressed with the use of the LUCTRA® lamp. The study, conducted from July to August 2014 and supervised by Dr. Dieter Kunz at the St. Hedwig Hospital in Berlin, found that significant melatonin suppression emerged with the mixed light and cold white settings. The warm white LED lighting showed hardly any differences on the time course of melatonin secretion when compared with the dim light setting. The warmer light was preferred by users in a questionnaire, making it the preferred lighting setting during the evening to prevent the disruption of melatonin secretion in the evening. A summary, together with the complete study can be downloaded free of charge from www.luctra.co.uk. Archetech - Issue 20 [Page 90] The VITACORE® electronic system offers users intuitive access to LUCTRA® functions and the ability to control the brightness and