Workplace Wellness

As interior designers it is highly likely you are always considering the possibilities of how good design can shape a person’s day to day life and contribute to overall wellness. The obvious examples are those items we use every day such as chairs, computers, desks and the like, but have you considered the use of acoustic lighting as part of that solution?

Designers have the unique opportunity to contribute to human wellbeing in one of the most difficult times in modern history. Designing working space for humans has never been more deliberate, and with the increase of stress in our lives and jobs, it’s a key consideration to think about wellness in the context of all our senses. Sound and noise should be foremost in a designer’s mind when considering workplace layouts and fittings. It might be common to think about acoustic treatments such as panels and floor coverings, but did you know how much you can achieve by combining lighting and acoustic solutions?

Ambient noise is often used as a white sound to block out surrounding distractions. Acoustic lighting is another innovative way to minimise noise clutter while offering customised high output lighting options for a space, and there are some surprising benefits to considering this as part of your final design scheme. Luxxbox acoustic lights are designed to take advantage of the often overlooked void between a desk and ceiling. Luxxbox fixtures are designed specifically to maximise their sound absorption quotient, so in open spaces, they can limit sound reverberation. Traditional treatments often require permanent attachment to the ceiling or floor, but our lights are flexible in their positioning, to enable designing for target key areas that may produce excessive noise.

Here are some ways that consideration of our noise-reducing office lighting can contribute to the wellness of the world.

INCREASED SENSE OF WELLBEING

In a time of heightened stress and increasing anxiety, our senses are overwhelmed. Walking into a workplace that has been purposefully designed for humans is like a breath of fresh air. Perhaps without even realising, our senses get a break from the noise, the bright lights, and the anxiety that many environments create, because they are not considering all our senses in their design. Style, practicality and wellness can live together, arguably this is the goal of good design. Luxxbox is proud to meet several of the WELL Building Standards code, ensuring practical benefits of noise reduction and optimising lighting.

INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

We are in the midst of a new revolution in the way we work. Hybrid work models are here to stay, and for some, the work-from-home option is much more appealing. Ensuring the best possible work environment will help clients with the current challenges of getting people back to the workplace after a disrupted work life over the pandemic. With 99% of employees and occupants feeling unmotivated, distracted and unproductive in open-plan workspaces, there is a need to reduce noise and address the quality of lighting in the office. We explore the rise (and downfalls) of the open plan workspace in our white paper Open Plan Design and Productivity. We discovered a few key ways that acoustic lighting helps with the waning productivity occurring in the modern office.

Noise reduction office products are becoming more in demand, as studies are showing the impacts of noise on productivity and absenteeism. Our range offers significant noise reduction in sound in certain circumstances, which in turn has the potential to claim back some of the business losses experienced through poorly designed workspaces, including loss of productivity and downtime from employee distraction. Through a uniquely designed application of sound-absorbing materials, our pendant lighting offers flexibility in their instalment and placement, and there’s no need to sacrifice design aesthetics with a variety of styles and colours to suit any scheme. Conversations won’t carry, people can hear one another when working collaboratively and are able to focus on work without distraction.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

When working on green-focused projects, acoustic lighting should be front of mind as part of the scheme of environmentally friendly products. The combination of illumination and sound-absorbing in one product is incredibly efficient and results in less environmental impact from manufacturing. In addition,  Luxxbox lighting is made from a dense polyester material, which is 65% post-consumer recycled content and is 100% recyclable itself. Acoustic lighting is also a cost-effective way to retrofit already open layouts with an unobtrusive solution to improve the work environment. This technology has reduced the need for major renovations and created an opportunity to keep most of what is already built. More options in acoustic products also create space-saving opportunities with its dual-purpose functionality. Energy efficiency is implemented in design with this contemporary lighting technology. Our products have a variety of features, including long-life ratings, some with options of indirect or direct dimming capabilities, and Bluetooth compatibility.

By specifying acoustic lighting solutions, your clients can feel confident that their workplaces are maximising productivity and minimising distractions.  And YOU can be confident you are contributing to wellness in work and education spaces and the planet.

For more information, view our full range of acoustic lighting products or read our white paper Open Plan Design and Productivity.