Artificial Light: Its Influence upon CivilizationLuckiesh, Matthew
History
Artificial Light: Its Influence upon Civilization
Luckiesh, Matthew
Electric lighting; Lighting -- History
In the first place, it has been proved that in factories proper lighting
as obtained by artificial means is generally more satisfactory than the
natural lighting. Of course, a narrow building with windows on two sides
or a one-story building with a saw-tooth roof of best design may be
adequately illuminated by natural light, but these buildings are the
exception and they will grow rarer as industrial districts become more
congested. Artificial light may be controlled so that light of a
satisfactory quality is properly directed and diffused. Sufficient
intensities of illumination may be obtained and the failure of
artificial light is a remote possibility as compared with the daily
failure of natural light. With increasing cost of ground space,
factories are built of several stories and with less space given to
light courts, with the result that the ratio of window area to that of
the floor is reduced. These tendencies militate against satisfactory
daylighting. In the smoky congested industrial districts the period of
effective daylight is gradually diminishing and artificial lighting is
always essential at least as a reinforcement for daylight. It has been
proved that proper artificial lighting--and there is no excuse for
improper artificial lighting--is superior to most interior daylighting
conditions.
[Illustration: LOCOMOTIVE ELECTRIC HEADLIGHT]
[Illustration: SEARCH-LIGHT ON A FIRE-BOAT]
[Illustration: BUILDING SHIPS UNDER ARTIFICIAL LIGHT AT HOG ISLAND
SHIPYARD]
Although it is difficult to present figures in a brief discussion of
this character, it may be stated that, in general, the cost of adequate
artificial light is about 2 per cent. of the pay-roll of the workers;
about 10 per cent. of the rental charges; and only a fraction of 1 per
cent. of the cost of the manufactured products. These figures vary
considerably, but they represent conservative average estimates. From
these it is seen that artificial lighting is a small factor in adding to
the cost of the product. But does artificial lighting add to the cost of
a product? Many examples could be cited to prove that proper artificial
lighting may be responsible for an actual reduction in the cost of the
product.
In a certain plant it was determined that the workmen each lost an
appreciable part of an hour per day because of inadequate lighting. A
properly designed and maintained lighting-system was installed and the
saving in the wages previously lost, more than covered the
operating-expense of the artificial lighting. Besides really costing the
manufacturer less than nothing, the new artificial lighting system was
responsible for better products, decreased spoilage, minimized
accidents, and generally elevated spirits of the workmen. In some cases
it is only necessary to save one minute per hour per workman to offset
entirely the cost of lighting. The foregoing and many other examples
illustrate the insignificance of the cost of lighting.
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