Color Rendering Index (CRI): method for describing the effect of a light source on the color appearance of objects being illuminated. A CRI of 100 represents the reference condition of daylight (and thus the maximum CRI possible). In general, low CRI illumination may render some colors unnatural.

Footcandle: unit of measurement indicating how much illumination reaches a surface, equal to one lumen striking an area of one square foot.

Ballast: a device used with a fluorescent bulb to obtain the necessary circuit conditions (voltage, current and wave form) for starting and operating.

LED Lighting: solid-state light-emitting diode.

Lumen: the unit of measurement used to describe the output from a light.

Lux: unit of illumination closely equivalent to 1/10 of one footcandle.

Two-Component Lighting: combination of indirect general (ambient) light and task lighting.

What is task lighting and why should we use it?
Task lighting provides workers with total control over where and how much light they need for other tasks, such as reading a document. When utilizing task lighting, energy can be saved by lowering ambient lighting to a level appropriate for monitor viewing.

Why choose a compact fluorescent (CFL) task light?
CFL bulbs use less energy than incandescents (about one-fourth), output more light and last up to 10 times longer. Compact fluorescent bulbs are also much cooler in operation than regular incandescent bulbs or halogen bulbs and are, thereby, safer and more comfortable to work near. Tests show they are also more energy efficient than LED lighting.

What Color Rendering Index (CRI) should task light bulbs have?
CRI describes the effect of a light source on the color appearance of objects. A CRI of 100 represents the reference condition of daylight. In general, low CRI illumination may render some colors unnatural and lamps with a CRI under 60 should not be used. At a certain point, the higher the CRI, the lower the illuminance. A CRI in the 80s is good for all general tasks.

I don't like the light given off by fluorescent bulbs. Can they be made to give off a warmer light like incandescents?
Yes, compact fluorescent bulbs are available in color temperatures ranging from 2700K for warmer light to approximately 4100K for cooler sources like daylight fluorescent.

Should I specify LED task lighting?
At present, LED technology is about half as energy efficient as compact fluorescent lights and lacks brightness. But the technology is improving and eventually will overtake that of CFLs.

Is "full-spectrum lighting" better than regular fluorescent lighting?
The short answer is "no." Any bulb with a CRI of over 90 is considered a full spectrum bulb. Full-spectrum lighting is neither better nor worse than any other lamp type. Claims made for its beneficial effects go beyond what scientific literature will support.