Advances in lighting technology bring new germ-fighting qualities to the home.
By Ed Wenck, CEDIA Content Director
It’s been a feature of the fridge for decades: shut the door, the light goes off. That’s changing. The European appliance company Beko is promoting “active fresh blue light technology” in its refrigerators. This is circadian illumination that the company says “simulates natural lighting conditions, extending the photosynthesis process into your refrigerator,” keeping your veggies fresher longer.
But the right light can do a lot more in the kitchen and bath.
As CEDIA Director of Workforce Training Ken Erdmann says, “Using ultra-violet light to kill germs, mold and bacteria has been part of the food service, processing, and handling industry for many years. Medical services also use UV lighting sources to ensure that implements are as sterile as possible.”
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While old-school UV lamps could cause vision and skin problems, new technology has made these kinds of luminaires vastly safer.
When Erdmann was a technology integrator, he’d applied UV solutions: “In a few of our customers’ homes, we’ve used UV light installed in the fresh air ducts to kill mold and bacteria and to control allergens. While limited in use, they were effective in homes for people with compromised immune systems.”
The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, has gathered quite a bit of research using blue spectrum LED lighting against a wide range of bacteria including listeria and E.coli, according to Erdmann. “The University has licensed their patents to a number of companies that are manufacturing lamps and luminaires that are being used in hospitals and other locations to control bacteria and other unwanted contaminants. Additionally, researchers are exploring the use of blue spectrum and UV light in wound treatment and care.
“For those of us in the residential world, this research becomes important because a few companies are making lamps that are direct replacements for standard LED lamps using off-the-shelf luminaries.
“These companies are providing lamps for residential applications that require mold remediation and anti-bacterial uses,” he added. “You could, for example, use a lamp that combines white lights combined with the blue lights to kill mold in a shower. If customers are aging or have compromised immune systems due to illness, injury or chronic health problems, the installation of the proper combination of blue and white light sources could have a dramatic impact on the quality of life.”
View last month’s article by clicking on “The Road to the Smart Kitchen,” and find CEDIA-certified integrators by clicking here.
