A novel OLED luminaire system for circadian lighting applications

Conventional lighting systems for corridors and other public spaces in hospitals, long-term care facilities, progressive- care living centers, residential units for seniors, dormitories, and prisons often operate at full power throughout the night using white light sources such as fluorescent lamps. These white light sources provide energy at wavelengths that are known to stimulate the human circadian system, sometimes called the biological clock. For patients, residents, or inmates in these facilities, stimulation of the circadian system during resting hours can disrupt sleep patterns and can have other well-documented negative effects. Novel lighting approaches using energy-efficient non-white sources can yield substantial energy savings for these applications while avoiding the negative effects of stimulating the circadian system. This project will develop a family of architectural lighting fixtures that utilize the unique capabilities of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology to provide energy-efficient lighting for nighttime hours in corridors and public spaces in buildings where human circadian response is important. The unique spectral and control characteristics of OLEDs make them well suited for the targeted applications, and their form factor and low profile make them ideal as the basis for novel luminaires that can be integrated into architectural elements in these spaces. In corridors, OLED luminaires can be integrated directly wall surfaces for effective nighttime lighting and for a less institutional look than conventional lighting systems. Public benefits from the project include energy savings from reduced power needed for nighttime lighting that is estimated to be 11.8 million kWh per year. Further benefits include improved rest for occupants of the target building types during nighttime hours, as well as reductions in the other known negative effects of circadian stimulation during periods of rest. With the forecasted growth in construction in the target building types, the commercial opportunities are believed to be far-reaching, which presents an opportunity for medium-to-high volume manufacturing. The project team includes two US-based small businesses, both with US-based manufacturing operations, resulting in a maximization of domestic impact once fully commercialized.