The value of the colour temperature in a low light intensity design

The study focused on low light intensity spaces. The research helps to find strategies for the reduction of energy consumption. It aims to highlight the role of colour temperature in the lighting design of historic buildings. The case study corresponds to a Roman archaeological site of the Badalona Museum in Barcelona. The lighting design uses three different colour temperatures to differentiate groups of surfaces which play a different role in the visual field. The information panels are lit with white light, the old Roman city has warm white colour light, and the new walkway over the ruins is lit with cool white light. This study evaluates colour temperature value, luminance value and visual task. The present work reveals that the colour temperature allows setting apart and classifying the visual information from low luminance values. The research presented addresses the importance of the colour temperature, as a significant visual perception component, in the inherent low light intensity design proposal to energy conservation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft