Baker Lighting Lab supports research on the performance of light, which for Baker staff and affiliates, is defined by a broad range of interests. Light is both a particle and a wave. Sometimes we can see it and other times we can feel it. As the electromagnetic spectrum contains ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths, this spectrum can be absorbed to generate energy, emitted to provide illumination, and even used to drive hormonal changes in the human brain. This makes the study of light inherently interdisciplinary, with broad reaching impacts on energy use, perception, and health.
Our past and present research has included historical and contemporary case-study projects on the integration of light in architecture, experimental work on light and human perception, projects on the use of building controls to promote energy-efficient visual comfort, and even the direct effects of daytime exposure on circadian disturbance. Baker Lighting Lab seeks to build partnerships within and beyond the College of Design to strengthen our collaborations in environmental psychology, physics, and engineering. To learn more about our recent publications, projects, and presentations, please explore our works page.