In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we take a look at how lighting is supporting critical infrastructure and keeping populations safe and healthy.
By Harry Verhaar, Signify
In the campaign to defeat COVID-19, governments across the world are rightly prioritizing the supply of personal protective equipment, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and food as ‘essentials’. Next to these though, are other crucial sectors such as lighting.
Artificial light is important in times of crisis. We’ve all heard the expression, “keep the lights on.” It’s a euphemism for keeping things going at a basic or fundamental level but we need functional lighting to keep hospitals, test facilities, distribution centers, supermarkets and highways running, day and night.
It’s not just the visual property of light that’s making a difference right now. Ultra-Violet (UV) light is playing a vital role in disinfecting hospitals and medical equipment. UV-C radiation, at a wavelength of 253.7nm, is known to break down the DNA of bacteria, viruses and spores and render them harmless. UV-C is also able to purify air and water.
Here are some other ways that light doesn’t just improve quality of life but adds essential value during these difficult times.
Healthy at home
When night falls, try reading a book at home with your lights off. In fact, try doing anything with the lights off. Within seconds you’ll realize how we all take light for granted, even though it’s one of those fundamentals, along with air, water, food and warmth.
With a wave of social isolation policies sweeping the globe introduced to curb the spread of COVID-19, millions of people are now confined to their homes. As a result, mental health and wellbeing concerns are surging. The World Health Organization Europe has set-up a dedicated webpage and a collection of materials to help people cope at this challenging time.
Along with regulating our sleep-wake cycle, light motivates us and helps structure our day. Even before this crisis, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory around 90% of our time was spent indoors which limits our exposure to daylight
From bright functional light to keep you energized and up your concentration levels, to warm light for creating a cozy ambiance helping you unwind in the evening, the right light makes us see, feel and function better.
Food security
Another application of light is in food production. Artificial lights make it possible to grow a host of crops in northernly latitude countries throughout the year, reducing the distance from farm-to-fork and lessening our dependence on carbon-hungry imports. Research by the BBC suggests that the global value of the vertical farming market, which relies heavily on artificial lighting, will rise to about US$6.4bn by 2023, equivalent to a nearly 16 fold increase in a decade.
This is changing the way we farm. In days like these, when supply chains are being tested, food security is more important than ever.
Keeping our streets safe and secure
Most drivers and pedestrians recognize the requirement for well-lit streets. A fact backed up by studies that reveal good quality street lighting can reduce accidental injuries by 30%. Yet, well-lit streets don’t just mean safer streets. Any police officer will tell you that light deters crime. Indeed, research from the UK shows that improved street lighting can help reduce crimes such as burglary and theft by as much as 21%.
It’s true, we take lighting for granted. But we shouldn’t. Light is essential to all of us, especially in times of darkness such as these.
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About the author
Public and Government Affairs, Signify
Harry Verhaar, is the Global Head of Public & Government Affairs for Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), the world leader in lighting. Harry has over 20 years of experience in the lighting industry. He is responsible for the strategy, outreach and stakeholder management on energy and climate change, resource efficiency and sustainable development, with a key focus on the role of the LED lighting revolution.
Signify is a member organisation of UN-SPBF
The information, views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum or the United Nations Environment Programme.
Featured image: Photo by Artur Tumasjan