Abstract
Three experiments using 132 subjects and two different scale models primarily tested the hypothesis that there is no difference in pleasantness when extraneous factors of luminaire size, shape and distribution were controlled. Subjects, who were not aware what the light color was nor that light color was being studied, found incandescent and fluorescent equally pleasant.
Much verbal comparison and comparison by selection of one or the other has been made of incandescent and fluorescent light. While in recent years even more efficient sources have replaced fluorescent, fluorescent has been used in place of incandescent in spaces where pleasantness has not been considered paramount. This has included many factories and stores, most schools and offices and some home spaces where utility is considered more important than aesthetics (like laundry rooms). The greater pleasantness of incandescent has been so “obvious” that hardly anyone - lay or lighting -has questioned the aesthetic superiority of incandescent. Thus, despite the energy crisis and increasing cost of electricity, most designers and users have clung to incandescent in aesthetic spaces.
In addition to light color installations and luminaries for these speces vary drastically.
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