Objectives
By the end of this lesson.
- Distinguish colour temperature from colour rendering quality.
- Avoid reducing colour quality to a single value.
Colour temperature
Correlated colour temperature describes the warmer or cooler appearance of light. The choice should be consistent with the use, materials, atmosphere and project expectations.
Colour rendering index
CRI provides a summary indication of colour rendering fidelity. It is useful for comparing product families but does not, on its own, describe overall spectral quality.
Beyond CRI
For applications where colour is critical, a more detailed analysis of the spectrum and additional metrics may be relevant. Define the requirement before over-specifying.
Choose by application
Retail, hospitality, healthcare, offices and industry have different priorities. Colour quality must be balanced with efficiency, maintenance, comfort and architectural appearance.
