loader

A guide to Colour Rendering Index (CRI)

Lighting is a crucial architectural element of all the commercial as well as public spaces. According to the top commercial lighting manufacturers, illuminating the space appropriately and uniformly encourages seamlessness in operations and functionality. Appropriate lighting ensures safety of the premises and of the employees while surging the overall productivity and efficiency of the workforce. Thus, LED lighting solutions have gained immense popularity in the commercial sector domain.

However, people are often suggested to buy lights of suitable colours and after providing due attention to the Colour Rendering Index (CRI).

What is colour rendering index?

Lighting experts assert that the type of light has profound effects on the way a space looks. This is often attributed to a phenomenon, commonly known as colour rendering index or CRI. CRI is defined as the measurement of light in relation to its capabilities of affecting the appearance of colours. Typically denoted in numeric figures from 0 to 100, it is the quantitative measurement that indicates how accurate the light source renders the colours prevalent in a space.

Simply put, CRI is a description of how a light source makes colours appear to the human eye. However, it is important to understand that this is also dependent on the temperature of the light.

Why colour rendering index is important? What is CRI chart?

Interior designing is an indispensable part of a commercial space. It makes a space functional while adding to its overall aesthetics. Interior designers initiate their planning and design on the basis of colours, textures, and finish. This is where CRI primarily comes into play.

According to the leading industrial lighting manufacturers, illuminating a space with lighting fixtures that furnish suitable illumination as per the CRI chart ensures that all the colours, shades and textures are appropriately visible to the human eye.

CRI chart is a kind of a lighting guide that measures CRI in numeric figures from 0 to 100. It typically measures the colour rendering capabilities of a fixture, comparing it with that of a natural lighting source like the sun. In general, higher the figures, more accurate will be the colour rendering of the lighting fixture. Moreover, lighting experts suggest people to decide on luminaires that score at least 80 on the CRI chart.

Colour rendering index and LEDs

LED luminaires have gained massive popularity lately, especially in the commercial sector. These eco-friendly, sustainable, efficient and safe lighting solutions produce bright illumination that typically scores 80 to 90 on the CRI chart. This makes them capable of illuminating the room with more natural and accurate light.

For indoor lighting applications, Wipro Lighting luminaires have CRI>80. For applications like retail, textile industry or photo-editing houses where colour rendering is important, Wipro supplies luminaires with CRI>90 as well.