Humans may be spending more time indoors, but our bodies’ response to natural lighting cycles remains the same.

A report by market research firm Guidehouse Insights projects rapid growth in the human-centric lighting (HCL) market.

HCL refers to lighting technology people can manipulate to mimic natural lighting and its cycles throughout the day. The gradual change in human behavior to indoor activities has driven a need for this kind of lighting. At the same time, advances in lighting have created the technology to meet the need.

According to Guidehouse, LED technology, such as luminaires, lamps, controllers and sensors, can be tuned and adjusted to mimic these cycles.

The report references scientific studies going back more than 30 years that have addressed the connection between human health and natural light. For example, humans need to receive direct sunlight to produce vitamin D. Circadian rhythms, which are natural sleep-wake cycles, are also affected by the 24-hour natural cycles of light. In addition, humans need protection from adverse glare and flickering.

Guidehouse notes that the studies’ conclusions have led to the commercialization of lighting products that allow humans to exercise more control over indoor lighting. Tunable lighting, including dimmers, color-tuners, timers, occupancy sensors and other wireless controls, allow building occupants to address psychological and biological needs by adjusting, customizing and controlling indoor light to mimic healthy natural light. This leads to a healthier environment inside buildings with a greater emphasis on occupants’ well-being.

According to the report, the HCL market has been driven primarily by research and standards in Europe, which make the region the leading market for this type of lighting. However, the North American market is also growing and is second in size on the global stage. The study highlights certificates and guidelines, such as WELL Building Standard certificates and UL guidelines, as major contributors to this growth.

Guidehouse projects the North American HCL market to grow from approximately $500 million in 2021 to about $1 billion in 2030, for a compound annual growth rate of 11% over 9 years.