【Part Three】From One-Time Delivery to “Light-Environment Stewardship”: Designers in the Era of Light as a Service
Many designers have had a similar experience:
On the day a project is completed, the moment the lights are switched on is deeply moving. But when you pass by a few months later, the lighting scenes are almost unrecognizable—either only one or two of the “brightest” scenes are used year-round, or everything has been adjusted by on-site operations to the “energy-saving mode.”
The reason is simple:
People’s living habits change.
The way spaces are used changes.
Operational and management goals change.
Yet our design work often participates only in that single moment before handover.
If light is truly an environmental dose that affects sleep, circadian rhythms, mood, and performance, then the designer’s role should not be limited to that of a “supplier.” It should resemble a long-term attending physician + family doctor responsible for ongoing care.
This is exactly what Light as a Service (LaaS) aims to address.
1. Treat a Space as a “Lighting Environment Project”
At LRS, we typically approach a space as a complete lighting environment project, divided into three phases:
Phase 1: Diagnosis & Design
- Analyze the needs of the owner and users, including health, comfort, and operational requirements.
- Set healthy lighting goals based on standards and research.
- Develop an initial design through lighting layout plans, daylight analysis, and scene logic.
Phase 2: On-Site Tuning & Verification (Field Evaluation)
- Use tools such as In.Licht Ultra / Pro to measure Eh / Ev / CCT / EML, contrast, flicker, and other key metrics at critical locations.
- Fine-tune scenes, brightness levels, color temperature ratios, and control logic based on collected data.
Phase 3: Continuous Monitoring & Optimization (Service & Optimization)
- Conduct a “lighting health check” for key areas every 3–6 months.
- Adjust scenes and control strategies according to user feedback and measurement results.
- Provide concise reports to management, enabling continuous optimization of the lighting environment.
When designers view “completing a lighting scheme” as the starting point of an ongoing healthy lighting project, the mindset of Light as a Service is already in place.
2. How Can a One-Time Delivery Be Upgraded?
For designers and lighting manufacturers, Light as a Service (LaaS) is not about overturning the existing workflow—it’s about upgrading a traditional “one-time delivery” into a “delivery with a built-in service interface.”
Take a simplified example of an open-plan office space:
1) During the one-time delivery phase, you can do three additional things:
Scene Documentation:
- Don’t just deliver “lights and switches.” Define lighting goals for different scenarios: daily office work, focused meetings, video conferencing, overtime/night shifts, cleaning, and maintenance.
Clear Metrics:
- For each scenario, specify target Eh / Ev / CCT / contrast ranges. Use simple charts to help the client understand: “These lighting conditions are not chosen arbitrarily.”
Tuning Records:
- During commissioning, measure key points using Ultra / Pro tools.
- Record the “before / after” values and include them in a short Lighting Environment Handover Document.
These three steps alone already distinguish your solution from most plans that only deliver a lighting layout.
3. From “Design Fee” to “Lighting Environment Stewardship Fee”
If you are willing to take the next step, you can design a one-year lighting environment stewardship plan for your client, for example:
Quarterly Re-Measurement and Adjustment
- Each quarter, select key areas (e.g., typical office zones, meeting rooms, break areas, reception/lobby) and measure them at fixed points.
- If usage patterns change (e.g., new night shifts, desk rearrangements), adjust the lighting scenes accordingly.
Annual “Lighting Environment Health Report”
- Consolidate measurement data and adjustment records from the year.
- Summarize contributions to employee experience, health, and brand image.
- Provide recommendations for the next year: which areas need fixture or control system upgrades, and which areas can achieve better circadian or comfort performance through scene fine-tuning.
Alignment with Corporate Health / ESG Goals
- For companies focused on ESG, employee well-being, and talent retention, integrate healthy lighting strategies with ESG reports, HR policies, and brand communications, making lighting environment stewardship a long-term corporate value.
For designers and lighting companies, this approach transforms a one-time design fee / project margin into ongoing service revenue and a long-term client partnership.
4. LRS’s Role in Corporates and Associations: Consultant, Co-Creator, Training Partner
When companies or associations recognize that healthy lighting will be a key focus over the next 5–10 years, they often face several challenges:
- Internal teams are interested in “light and health” but lack systematic knowledge.
- Product lines and solutions aim to upgrade toward health-oriented lighting but lack scientific and standards-based support.
- They want to launch training, forums, or industry events but worry the content may be either too abstract or overly academic.
Over the past few years, LRS has collaborated with domestic and international lighting companies, real estate groups, design firms, and industry associations, typically playing the following roles:
Training & Internal Education Partner
- Tailor courses for design, product, marketing, and executive teams on topics such as healthy lighting environments, human-centric smart lighting, and lighting environment assessment & data communication.
- Combine scientific standards with practical project experience and business logic.
Solution & Product Co-Creation Consultant
- Assist lighting manufacturers in upgrading from “fixture parameters” to light recipes + scene solutions.
- Work with R&D and product teams to define healthy lighting strategies for specific scenarios such as hospitals, schools, offices, and residential spaces.
Content Co-Creator for Industry Events & Association Programs
- Help industry associations design course curricula, forum topics, and continuing education modules (CPD).
- Transform events from “single lectures” into ongoing education and actionable industry initiatives.
5. A Note to Those Considering “The Next Step”
Whether you are:
- An interior, lighting, or architectural designer working on residential or office projects;
- A lighting company planning product lines and solutions; or
- An association or society aiming to provide more systematic training to members and the industry,
Light as a Service (LaaS) is not a distant concept—it’s a direction you can begin exploring with the next project’s follow-up services:
- Use a one-time measurement to let clients truly see the light in their space.
- Provide a concise metrics report to help management understand why adjustments are needed.
- Deliver an annual “Lighting Environment Health Report” so design and lighting are no longer just a phase in the construction process.
If you are asking yourself:
“Can we move beyond one-off projects and become long-term stewards of the lighting environment for our users?”
LRS is ready to work with you—helping your team, your products, and your clients design the next phase of training, consulting, and co-creation programs.
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