The Definitions And Importance Of CRI

The accuracy of lighting is of particular importance in today’s residential, commercial and industrial markets. This is measured and quantified using the Color Rendering Index (CRI), which is the industry standard for measuring a particular light’s accuracy. CRI runs on a scale going up to 100, which is the CRI of a black body radiator reference light. This reference light is either an incandescent type artificial light or natural sunlight, which are the most accurate light sources available. It is worth noting that CRI is independent of Coordinated Color Temperature (CCT), which is a term that is often used in conjunction with CRI when describing the properties of a light. CCT measures the actual color of the light produced in Kelvins and does not have anything to do with the lights illumination accuracy.

CRI – Color Rendering Index – This is the measurement scale used by color scientists to measure a light’s accuracy in illumination. CRI runs on a scale of up to 100, which is the CRI of an incandescent light or natural sunlight and considered a perfect score and. The higher the CRI, the more accurate or better quality illumination a light provides.

CCT – Coordinated Color Temperature – Independent of CRI, this is the measurement of a lights actual color using Kelvins. The higher the CCT, the more “blue” a light becomes, whereas the lower the CCT the more “yellow” a light becomes. For reference, natural daylight has a CCT of around 5000 kelvin and most artificial lights tend to hover around this color temperature.

It should be clear now that CRI is a vital measurement for determining the performance of an artificial light and is a key purchasing consideration in today’s lighting market. Building managers, decision makers and purchasers have come to recognize the important benefits of using lights with higher CRI ratings. This includes not only an improvement in workplace safety, but also the productivity and efficiency of a commercial environment. These benefits are most noticeable with lights having a CRI of 80 or above, which is considered good for general commercial and industrial purposes.

The numerous benefits of high lighting accuracy have made it a top priority for customers in today’s marketplace. The one of the immediate benefits is a significant improvement in the quality of life for customers, employees and other users due to the improved color rendering which eases eye strain and overall stress levels. An additional benefit for business owners and operators is a reduction in workplace accidents and an improvement in efficiency as a result of increased visibility.

Out of the entire spectrum of artificial lighting, LEDs are now the primary choice for those seeking the best color rendering. Because of this, most lighting manufacturers are exclusively using LEDs in their fixtures due to not only their impressive CRI ratings but also because of their energy efficiency. As this technology continues to evolve and improve, commercial and industrial business customers have a bright future to look forward to.