Sustainable Lighting Design

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Professor Kevin Houser, a renowned expert in lighting and human factors at Oregon State University and the chief engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.Join us for an enlightening conversation as Kevin takes us on a journey through the fascinating world of anthropogenic light at night. Discover how human-made lighting affects our environment and health, and explore the intriguing Jevons Paradox, where advancements in lighting technology paradoxically lead to greater overall light consumption.We also dive into the ethical dimensions of using light to influence human behavior and health, offering thought-provoking insights that will leave you rethinking the role of lighting in our lives.Professor Kevin Houser’s expertise shines a light on the critical need for sustainable and ethical lighting practices, emphasizing their importance for our well-being and the planet.Don’t miss this captivating episode filled with valuable perspectives and inspiring ideas!Enjoy!

In this episode we talk with Martina Frattura - a visionary lighting designer, researcher, and PhD student at the University of Bologna in Architecture and Design Cultures. Join us for an inspiring conversation with Martina Frattura as we delve into the intersection of aesthetics and sustainability. In this episode, Martina shares her insights on the concepts of beauty and soft fascination, highlighting their crucial roles in creating sustainable spaces. We also discuss the importance of fostering a sense of belonging in architecture and modern office design. Additionally, Martina reveals findings from her research project, “A Beautiful Light,” which took her to ten different countries to explore how to reproduce the state of soft fascination in the built environment. Her insights offer a compelling look at how beauty can transform both spaces and emotions. Enjoy! 

In this episode, we talk with Associate Professor Tarek Rakha to explore the nuances of net-zero versus net-positive buildings and address the role that electric and natural lighting have when aiming to achieve energy efficiency. Further, we discuss how specific research and tangible data serve as critical allies for vulnerable communities to face the impacts of climate change and inequality.  Additionally, Professor Rakha introduces us to his pioneering startup, Lamarr.AI, which utilizes advanced drone technology and artificial intelligence to analyze building structures. An initiative that aims to enhance energy efficiency in existing buildings and promote decarbonization efforts, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future. This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Isabel Villar and Maha Shalaby.

In this episode we talk with Dr. Franz Hölker, head of the "Light Pollution and Ecophysiology" research group at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries and Assoc. Prof. (PD) of Zoology at the Freie Universität Berlin. Since 2009, Franz has been investigating the effects of artificial light at night on a wide range of biological processes, from gene expression to ecosystem functioning. Franz has also been head of the research platform "Loss of the Night" and chair of the European COST Action "LoNNe" (Loss of the Night Network). This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Isabel Villar & Maha Shalaby.

In this episode, Maha and Isabel give a summary about the outcomes and main findings of the “Sustainable Lighting Design” project and review the reasons that led them to start the project. The project, funded by Bertil & Britt Svenssons Stiftelse, aimed to deep dive into the different factors that would contribute towards having healthy living environments with minimal environmental impact from the interdisciplinary perspective of a lighting designer and a daylight and environmental design specialist. By focusing on four main key areas; energy efficiency, health and well-being, light pollution, and circularity, all of which are important to consider during the building’s design process, the project has produced and compiled the information using different formats useful for architects, engineers, specialists, and other project stakeholders. In this episode Isabel and Maha look back at the inspirations and challenges along their journey, from the very beginning of the project, through the podcast and up to the publication of the book. They also talk about the project continuation, their future plans and share how the project has been perceived by the public. The full outcome of the project has been published in a book format and is available for free online on the project’s website. This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Maha Shalaby & Isabel Villar.

In this episode, we talk with Lisa Heschong, architect and founding principal of the Heschong Mahone Group (HMG), a building science consulting firm, where she led groundbreaking research showing the relationship between daylight and student test scores, retail sales, and office worker performance. Lisa is also the author of the renowned book Thermal Delight in Architecture, and the most recently published book Visual Delight in Architecture, along with many groundbreaking technical publications about daylighting and energy efficiency in buildings. In this episode we will talk with Lisa about some of the topics that she covers in her last book, such as the importance and the value of having a view out, as well as how views can be evaluated. We also discuss the benefits and challenges of considering both daylight and electric light when designing buildings, and conclusions from the various research that she has led throughout her career. This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Maha Shalaby & Isabel Villar.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Till Roenneberg, President of the World Federation of Societies for Chronobiology, and former President of the European Society for Rhythms Research. He has initiated and directed several large national and international research networks and received several international research prizes and has been named “Ambassador of Sleep” by the German Sleep Foundation. Till has published more than 200 papers that have been cited more than 21,000 times and has written two books, “Internal Time” and “The Right to Sleep”. We discuss with Till our biological needs for light and darkness, the causes and consequences of Social Jetlag, Daylight Saving Time, and what key features a building should have to support our circadian rhythm. This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Maha Shalaby & Isabel Villar. 

In this episode, we talk with Naomi Miller, lighting designer, and Senior Lighting Research Scientist at the United States Department of Energy - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Naomi's work focuses on bridging the gap between technology and application. She works with clients and stakeholders to overcome the hurdles facing the adoption of energy-efficient lighting products, raising awareness of the importance of lighting quality and the impacts of light on humans. We discuss with Naomi how lighting standards and certifications can be drivers for good lighting design, the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations between academia, practice, and the lighting industry, as well as her latest research on flicker and circadian lighting. Naomi recently served as a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society's Board of Directors and is both a Fellow of the IES and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Maha Shalaby & Isabel Villar.

In this episode, we talk with Sebastian Knoche, leader of Trilux lighting research team and an active member of the European Repro-Light research project.  Repro-light is a European research project that aims to support the European lighting industry in moving towards a more sustainable and competitive future. We discuss with Sebastian the outcomes of Repro-light, the lessons learned, as well as the myths and truths that every person working with lighting should take into consideration when having sustainability in focus. This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Maha Shalaby & Isabel Villar.

Pete Strasser is the Technical Director of the International Dark Sky Association, IDA. IDA is a non-profit organization,  whose mission is to “preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.   In this episode we talk with Pete about how artificial lighting at night is impacting our environment, what we can do as lighting designers and users to revert this, and what available technical solutions and tools are at hand to help us protecting the dark sky. This podcast is part of a research-in-practice project on sustainable lighting design by Maha Shalaby & Isabel Villar.