Better lighting for healthier children

Guest speaker Niko Gentile is associate senior lecturer at the Department of Architecture and Building Environment at Lund University, where he mainly collaborates with the Energy and Building Design and the Environmental Psychology groups. In the last eight years, he has been working on topics related to the integration of daylight and electric lighting, aiming at healthier and more efficient lighting systems.

Our species has evolved under daylight for many thousands of years, but since the Industrial Revolution we have begun to live longer indoor. Today we spend about ninety percent of our life inside buildings. How does this new habit impact on our psychological and physiological well-being? And how are more sensitive groups, such as school kids, affected by this change?

Niko's research includes the analysis of psychological and physiological effects of lighting on school children, a subject that has been scrutinized by the Environmental Psychology group of Lund University for more than thirty years. His presentation will provide an historical overview on the evolution of lighting in schools, from the first lighting standards up to the most recent findings on circadian rhythms and impact on school performance.

Guests of members and fellow Rotarians are always warmly welcome at Malmö International Rotary meetings. And if you'd like to join us for dinner after the presentation, please plan to arrive at the hotel by 17:45 so that we can help you order a discounted meal from the restaurant menu.