What if your lighting could improve academic results?

Your lighting should do more than just light the space. The right design can assist students by boosting focus, reduce fatigue, support wellbeing, and even quieten the students. For example, cool, high-intensity light has an invigorating effect, helping students stay alert during lessons requiring focus. Meanwhile, warmer, lower-intensity lighting can create a sense of calm before exams or during creative tasks.

Lighting that fosters focus and creativity

Classrooms today demand lighting that supports both logic and imagination. We are most creative when our environment supports the senses and gives the mind space to rest.

• Bright, cool lighting promotes motivation, alertness, and productivity.
• Warm, gentle light supports open thinking, teamwork, and relaxed creativity.

Lighting should adapt to the space, not the other way around
Whether it’s a general classroom, exam hall, technical workshop, or car park, different areas across a campus have unique lighting demands. The right solution is one that’s tailored to each environment, delivering the right light, in the right place, at the right time.

The case study below shows how lighting was selected to meet the fixed, high-performance needs of a technical learning environment.

Real results: Swinburne University is already seeing the difference

Swinburne University recently completed a major LED lighting upgrade across its Croydon and Wantirna campuses, transforming classrooms, technical training spaces, offices, access roads, and outdoor areas.

✅ 2,000+ LED lights installed
✅ 223,000 kWh saved annually
✅ 189 tonnes of carbon emissions avoided
✅ Targeted light levels up to 1000 lux in specialist spaces like welding workshops which is above a typical classroom light level of 320lux

“The new lighting improved our ability to visually examine the students’ work,” said Adrian, a Welding & Fabrication Engineering Teacher at the Wantirna Campus. “We can see their welding and metal work easier and assess if it meets the required standards.”

Workshop at Swinburne University after the LED upgrade

With support from enLighten’s Lighting Design team, the university achieved high-performance, energy-efficient lighting without disruption to learning.

Why Swinburne chose enLighten:

• A shared commitment to sustainability and carbon reduction
• High-quality, reliable lighting systems
• End-to-end service, from design to delivery
• Partnerships with installers that reduced timelines and costs

 

When your space needs to change, your lighting should too

Tunable White lighting allows users to adjust colour temperature and light intensity to suit specific needs, without strictly following the circadian cycle. Educators can easily select from pre-defined scenes such as calm, standard, focus and energy to set the tone for each session. This flexibility makes Tunable White lighting the ideal choice for multipurpose spaces that have different needs throughout the day.

Human eyes contain special photoreceptors that are particularly sensitive to blue light (480 nm). Exposure to this kind of light early in the day helps regulate our internal body clock, promoting alertness and concentration in class. In contrast, warmer tones later in the day allow students to wind down, supporting natural sleep cycles and mental wellbeing. Teenagers in particular benefit from strong morning light, as their natural sleep cycles tend to shift later. Proper lighting helps reset their internal clocks, making them more alert and engaged during early lessons.

Human eyes contain special photoreceptors that are particularly sensitive to blue light (480 nm). Exposure to this kind of light early in the day helps regulate our internal body clock, promoting alertness and concentration in class. In contrast, warmer tones later in the day allow students to wind down, supporting natural sleep cycles and mental wellbeing. Teenagers in particular benefit from strong morning light, as their natural sleep cycles tend to shift later. Proper lighting helps reset their internal clocks, making them more alert and engaged during early lessons.

“The performance of the pupils in the experimental groups improved more than the performance of their peers in the control groups.” — Sleegers et al., 2013.

This finding comes from a peer reviewed study comparing classrooms with traditional lighting to those using a dynamic ‘Focus’ setting- cool white light at around 6500K -designed to support concentration. Pupils in the experimental ‘Focus’ classrooms showed greater improvements over time on attention tests and made fewer errors, with the effect particularly strong among younger students. In short, lighting wasn’t just a background detail; it actively enhanced focus and learning outcomes.

 

Upgrading your space to Tunable White lighting doesn’t need to be complicated

1. Using wireless controls, it can be achieved without installing additional control wires.
   • It saves time on-site and reduces installation complexity
2. For a wired alternative, controlling fittings using DALI-2 is a popular solution.
   • If a building has a DALI control system already in place, the existing light fittings can be replaced with Tunable White fittings easily.

 

Where Tunable White lighting makes a difference:

• Classrooms: Adjusting the light to suit the task at hand gives teachers the flexibility to better support the subject being taught.
• Exam rooms: Bright, cool light boosts mental clarity and supports performance under pressure.
• Technical workshops: Crisp, directional lighting improves visibility and ensures safety during practical training.
• Staff rooms: Warm light helps staff relax between lessons, while cooler tones support focused planning sessions.

 

Don’t forget your outdoor spaces

Lighting doesn’t just support learning; it helps keep your people safe.

As students and staff move through car parks, pathways, and entrances, particularly in the darker winter months, reliable, well-designed exterior lighting is critical for safety and peace of mind.

We offer outdoor LED solutions for:

• Car parks and pedestrian walkways
• Sports courts and recreational areas
• Building entrances and drop-off zones

A full-campus lighting solution from enLighten ensures your entire site is safe, welcoming, and energy-efficient.

 

Not sure where to start?

Our technical lighting specialists can help assess your school or campus and recommend high-impact, low-disruption upgrades that match your goals and your budget.

▶️ See Tunable White in our showroom or we can bring you a demonstration sample and show you the benefits in your space