Light & Learning in elementary schools - a case study at Herstedlund School in Albertslund

A systematic literature review on the topic light and learning in schools demonstrate that there is a tendency on focusing on the quantitative factors such children’s performance when validating lighting in schools. There is a lack of knowledge on how to solve the complex issue of understanding the users and how lighting affects them in different learning context.

In this project it is explored how a mixed method approach combining anthropological, architectural and technical methodologies can be useful in the complexity in analyzing, designing and evaluating dynamic lighting in schools and thereby improve the learning environment.

The project is part of the Interreg project Lighting Metropolis. A triple helix partnership has been set up with representatives from Aalborg University, Albertslund Municipalicy, Zumtobel Group and The lighting designers Sweco and the architectural consultants AI Arkitketer. The project is running over two years. During 2016 new design and evaluation parameters are defined based on data collection and analysis of existing classrooms. These parameters are used in the design of the lighting and renovation of the classrooms. During 2017 the design will be implemented in 6-8 class rooms at a public school in Albertslund in Denmark and the parameters will be used to validate how dynamic light is affecting the learning environment.

Problem statement
To challenge the complexity in validating a good learning environment it has been questioned how mixed methods can be applied to investigate the learning environment and the needs for dynamic lighting. In this regard sound has been identified as a parameter that is measureable and at the same time indicates behavior of the users. We know that sound has an important effect on the learning environment (ref.). Therefore the correlation between light, noise and behavior is investigated in the analysis of the classrooms.