Chromaviso was ahead of the standard. Our circadian lighting is built on the very principles that are now incorporated into the world’s leading lighting standard.
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We work with melanopic lighting control that automatically follows a specially designed light protocol throughout the day. This ensures that users are exposed to the right light at the right time – without the need for manual adjustments. The protocol is based on scientific research and has clinically documented effects on circadian rhythm and well-being.
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We offer night lighting that enables staff to work without activating the body’s wakefulness.
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We have clinically documented effects on our circadian lighting – and we are the only provider with this level of evidence.
New Global Standard: Lighting Must Now Support the Human Body
In January 2025, a new international lighting standard was launched: ISO/CIE 8995-1:2025. The standard is issued by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and CIE (Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage) – two of the world’s most recognized authorities in standardization and lighting science.
For the first time, a global standard for workplace lighting sets out clear guidelines for how light should support the body’s circadian rhythm and biological needs.
This means that lighting in the workplace must now do more than ensure functionality and safety – it must also promote well-being, recovery, and biological health.
What’s New in the Standard?
The most significant innovation in the new standard is the inclusion of so-called ipRGC-influenced responses to light. In simple terms, this means our eyes don’t just send images to the brain – they also send signals to the body’s internal clock.
As a result, the standard introduces a new metric for lighting design: Melanopic EDI (Equivalent Daylight Illuminance). This unit measures how well lighting supports our internal circadian rhythm.
The principle is clear: More light during the day – and less at night – helps the body function better.
Additional recommendations in the standard include:
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Requirement for lighting that ensures good visibility of faces and objects in the room – to support better communication and orientation.
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Emphasis on dynamic lighting throughout the day, aligned with the body’s natural rhythm
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User control options, recognizing that lighting needs vary by person and time of day
What does this mean in practice?
We now need to talk about light in broader terms – not just lux and watts, but also visual comfort, performance, well-being, and how light affects our biological rhythms.
The new ISO/CIE 8995-1:2025 standard introduces guidelines for how indoor lighting can support human health and well-being. It states that lighting in environments such as hospitals, care homes, and workplaces should:
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Support the body's natural circadian rhythm through appropriate light exposure
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Promote comfort, visual performance, and safety – around the clock
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Include recommendations for melanopic lighting to help stimulate the biological systems that influence sleep, alertness, and mood
For the first time, the standard includes specific metrics for Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance (melanopic EDI) and recommends lighting that supports both visual and non-visual needs – especially in environments with extended or irregular occupancy.
About Chromaviso
For the past 20 years, Chromaviso has contributed to research on the positive health effects of light and developed and implemented health-promoting lighting solutions in the healthcare sector – all with clinically documented evidence.
Today, Chromaviso has more than 3,000 installations in hospitals across the Nordics, including Rigshospitalet, Aarhus University Hospital, New Karolinska University Hospital, Akademiska University Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, and Helsinki University Hospital.