Optimizing Lighting Design for Hospital Wards by Defining User Zones

Studying Standard and recommendations for lighting in hospital environment its often suggest a uniform light distribution to facilitate the needs of the staff. At the same time the standards recommend a lighting design supporting the patients feeling a homely and pleasant atmosphere, and point out that the light should not be disrupting the patients wellbeing. These two approaches are not necessarily consistent because the right quality and quantity of light in wards is highly depending on the functionality of the space and the wished and expected lighting atmosphere of the space, and a comparison of lighting design in private and public settings are often not similar. The purpose of this article is therefore present a approach dividing the hospital ward in 3 user zones for patients, staff and visitors. The main user of the zone should be in control of the light scenario and thereby a refining of lighting design, so it has the ability to support the different users activity and behavior on the ward.

By using RFID tracking and manual observations we have analyzed and evaluated the ward functionality as working environment for the staff. The method creates a higher understanding of the ward by mapping the flow of the staff and related work situation, which thereby makes is possible to create zones within the space. These zones can be used as guidelines for lighting design which the staff assignments in mind.