Lighting is one of the most important elements in an interior design project, and within it, there are some factors such as the color rendering index that tends to be overlooked but can have a great influence on the final result.
This is precisely what we talk about in this article, where you can learn what the color rendering index is, how it is calculated and how it can influence the space you are designing,
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What is the color rendering index?
The color rendering index is used to accurately determine the ability of light to reproduce the colors of objects in the same way as if they were illuminated by natural light.
It is a measurement known throughout the world and, from a sample of 8 tested colors, can be used to classify lights as better or worse based on this ability.
Considering that the way to measure the color rendering index of light is through a scale from 0 to 100, those with an index below 80 are usually considered as "poor quality" lights.
If a light has a low color rendering index, it means that the colors it reproduces vary to a greater or lesser extent, while a high color rendering index means that the colors of the objects it illuminates would be produced in the same or almost the same way as if it were a natural light source.
How is the color rendering index calculated?
To calculate the color rendering index, the light from a test luminaire is measured and the color of the reflected light is compared to the 8 color samples that have been submitted.
For luminaires with color temperatures below 5000 K, the comparison is made at a lower cost, while those above this color temperature are compared with sunlight.
With the result of each sample, an arithmetic measurement is carried out which will result in a score within the scale 0-100, sending 100 the best possible color rendering.
In which spaces does the color rendering index have the greatest influence?
Having luminaires with a high color rendering index can be of great importance in spaces where colors are essential to developing an activity, such as hospitals and operating rooms,
but it is also necessary to take into account in spaces that are very different because of the activities that take place in them.
Houses
When we talk about luminaires for use in houses, the color rendering index is important, but the effects caused by the luminaires are more subjective and subject to the tastes and preferences of the users.
However, in areas such as kitchens, luminaires with a high color rendering index are a must, especially when lighting work areas.
Restaurant
In a restaurant, it is not only the taste of the menu that is served that matters, but also its physical appearance, as it can be more or less daring to customers. Precisely for this reason,
it is important to select luminaires with a suitable color rendering index so that the food is shown to customers with vivid and natural colors, as any variation could end up and make the menu look stale.
Retail
When designing the lighting project in the interior design of a space in the retail sector, it is important to take into account the impact that the color rendering index of the lights can have on sales,
because there are many occasions when we bought something and when we got home we found that the color of the product is completely different from what it looked like in the store. In these cases, using lights with a high CRI will be the best option.
Hotels
Hotels have different areas where it may be more or less important to opt for luminaires with high color rendering indexes. Some areas, such as rooms, may not require totally faithful color rendering,
but the interior design in these spaces can vary greatly, and strategically planned colors can change completely if luminaires with an adequate CRI are not used.
Theaters and museums
In spaces such as museums or theaters, colors are of vital importance to perceive each of the sensations that the works are intended to convey, and they can also vary greatly if the color rendering index of the luminaires is low.
The CRI (or CRI in English) is a value that is detrimental to the flux of the luminaire so that the higher the CRI the lower the number of lumens (lm). It is therefore important to assess the requirements of each project to find the desired balance.
For example, in tunnels, it is not very important to distinguish the color of a car, but it is the energy efficiency, so here the compromise is a low CRI and higher luminous efficacy.
Still not clear what is the index of color rendering that must have the lights of your project? At FARO Barcelona we will solve all your doubts, Contact us!