Effect of different colored background lighting on LED discomfort glare perception

In the past decade, there has been increased interest in energy-efficient lighting as energy resources become higher in demand. Street lighting and outdoor lighting are applications that are rapidly changing from the incumbent high-pressure sodium (HPS) to newer technologies such as light-emitting diode (LED) or induction-type lamps. There is evidence that certain populations believe LED streetlights and area lights to produce more glare than HPS luminaires. A number of differences exist between new and traditional light sources besides efficiency. These include spectral power distribution (SPD), source luminance, beam intensity distribution, and the number of sources needed to achieve intended light levels. Many field studies and laboratory studies have shown a relationship between glare and SPD, with most studies suggesting that sources more weighted in short wavelengths have an increased likelihood of discomfort glare. A study to assess the effect of different SPDs on perception of discomfort glare was conducted. Subjects were shown a white-light LED array against a luminous background with one of three different SPDs (blue, white, or yellow). As well, different intensities of light from the array and from the background were used. For the range of conditions evaluated, the presence of any luminous background significantly reduced the perception of discomfort glare from the LED array. The blue background reduced perception significantly less than the white or the yellow backgrounds. The implications for solid-state lighting systems such as outdoor array lighting are discussed.