High Colour Rendering Index (CRI)

Add value to your lighting projects

What should High CRI mean to you?

Choosing lights for your projects can be quite difficult. There is the technical side: different designs, lux levels, AU/NZ Standards, wiring and control requirements, and then, there is the quality of the light output.

Typically associated with museums, art galleries and high end restaurants, High CRI lighting is now available for residential and commercial projects allowing homes and businesses to come alive with the best quality lighting.

So what is CRI?

To determine the Colour Accuracy, lights are tested by alternately illuminating sample colour swatches and comparing the colour accuracy of the different lights. This test is performed against 10 different colour swatches which are evenly spaced across the colour spectrum.

While High CRI lighting has traditionally been the purview of museums and art galleries, with better LED chips now available at lower costs, it is now also available for domestic and commercial usage to ensure wall paintings, collectables, antiques and expensive furniture looks it’s best and fully conveys the value. For a small increase to the cost of the lights, art collections worth many times that amount can be presented in their true light and allow for better appreciation.

From the two pictures, you'll notice the difference.

What is CRI?

CRI stands for Colour Rendering Index, a way of determining how well a light allows the colours on the object being lit to be seen. Like turning the ‘Colour Knob’ on the TV down, a low CRI light removes the depth and colour clarity inside homes and commercial environments, while High CRI lights allow these to come alive.

Also known as Colour Accuracy, CRI is a scale which compares artificial lights to natural lighting (ie the sun) in so far as well the item being lit appears in terms of colour accuracy. It a separate light factor to Colour Temperature.

Of course, High CRI is not only for art collections and antiques, everything in a room with High CRI lighting will look better, so this is perfect for retail and hospitality also. See below for industry applications.

Other important factors beside CRI are the Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) or warmth of the light measured in Kelvin (K), output which is measured in lumens, beam angle, measured in degrees (°) and dimming options.

All BoscoLighting products are supplied with a CRI of at least 80 with CRI 92 available on most products also.

Retail Lighting

Retailing merchandise is more than putting items on a shelf and hoping they sell. Ensuring products catch the customers eye is highly important for discretionary purchases - emotional attachment of a product relies on it looking its best and along with placement and surrounds, High CRI lighting is one way to help products look amazing.

We highly recommend High CRI track lights or linear pendant extrusions.

See More Retail Lights

Printing and Textiles Manufacturing

Ensuring products being printed or manufactured look right in the sun can be the difference between repeat sales and returns!

With High CRI available for warehouse and other industrial type fittings, BoscoLighting can help ensure designing and quality checks are performed under the best conditions. We suggest using High CRI strip lights (BLSP-5050-60) with linear pendant (BLEX-095).

See More Linear Pendent

Galleries Lighting

For art collections, ensuring art is protected from the harsh UV-rich light from the sun is very important, however, the sun’s is the best light source for truly appreciating the artists work, a dilemma! Fortunately, High CRI LED lights from BoscoLighting are able to bring out the best in your collection with no ultraviolet light to cause damage. Due to the changing nature of art galleries, track lights are highly recommended as they allow for rapid change lighting output with relocation and repositioning of fittings in minutes. For example BLTL-ME267-30

See More Track Lights

Museums Lighting

Same effect as for Galleries Lighting, there might be some instances when a lower CRI is suitable, but never in the case of lighting artwork or any type of craft. Ensuring art pieces being displayed look right in the sun can be the difference. Museum lighting with higher CRI will help create a better experience on the visit.

We highly recommend a CRI 92 track lights to be installed as paintings and other artworks will look more vibrant and lively. For example, BLTL-ME308-30, BLEX-103

Workplaces Lighting

According to some studies, mimicking the sun with High CRI lighting can improve the aesthetics of the workplace, increasing productivity, reducing job-related stress.

It effectively improves ergonomics and well-being inside the office or a building since most natural lighting that human bodies evolved with is the sunlight which pertains to daylight, provides human being good health, a very good state of mind and stimulation as per research. Workers will be healthier and enliven your places. A High CRI downlight will be recommended in this case.

See More Commercial Lights

High-end residential projects

While everyone’s home is their castle, it doesn’t have to be lit like one! BoscoLighting has High CRI lighting available for residential purposes also, ensuring furniture, family pictures and artwork all look their best.

With most of our Recessed Downlights, Track Lights, Surface Mount Lights and even Aluminium Extrusions available with High CRI option, it is a great option for more places than ever. While everyone’s home is their castle, it doesn’t have to be lit like one!

See More Residential Lights