Lighting is one of the determinants of the students’ academic performance. As a factor influencing the academic progress of the students, the effects of lighting are centered on changing the environment for the students with the use of intensity and color to affect the mood of the students. Lighting, air conditioning systems and other materials are used to enhance the performance of the students.
Classroom Lighting has an implication on studying and mood atmospheres for the students. Singh, Arora and Goyal (2020) report that the essentiality of lighting is evident on human health and performance. The researchers, therefore, report that the optimal lighting conditions are vital in the enhancement of the performance and the wellbeing of people in different settings. Singh, Arora and Goyal (2020) performed a cross-sectional study that investigated the role of lighting on the performance of 738 students across institutions in Delhi. The results of the study indicated that natural lighting for the classrooms was perceived as more enhancing by the students more than the artificial means were. Chronobiology (2017) supports the discussion of Singh, Arora and Goyal (2020) by explaining that the strategic changes made to classroom lighting improve the academic performance of the students. That is achieved by uplifting the mood of the students.
One type of lighting that is implemented in classrooms is the general lighting. General lighting points out to the form of lighting that encompasses the conventional forms of light addition to the classes. According to Gentile, Goven, Laike and Sjoberg (2018), general lighting comprises of ways such as indoor fixtures which are regarded as a retrofit to LED lighting. The main advantage of indoor lighting is that it improves the performance of the students by developing their perceptions of mood in lighting. Gentile, Goven, Laike and Sjoberg (2018) describes research that involves four schools in Sweden fitted with different lightings. The results of the study indicated that the rooms equipped with indoor lighting had students with improved performance owing to the perceptions that they had regarding the influence of light intensity on their mood. Lumax Lighting (2015) agrees with the researchers on general lighting by focusing on the basics of classroom light provision. The author states that general lighting should be used in regular lesson times during the day when light is not enough, such as in the evenings.
The other type of lighting that is used in classrooms is natural light. Mostly, students in classrooms can access natural lighting through windows. The kind of lighting is used in libraries. Natural light can be complemented with artificial lighting in the case of lower intensity in the same. Natural lighting appeals to the psychological responses of the students, which can be used to improve their mood and consequently, their academic performance (Innova, 2014). According to Shishegar and Boubekri (2016), natural light increases the productivity of students, according to research compiling many surveys from fields of education and health. The researchers infer that the students’ attention and satisfaction under natural light circumstances lead to their improved performance. Castilla, Linares, Begena and Blanca-Gimenez (2018) reports that natural light increases the alertness of the students, which is a factor increasing their performance. Natural light is mostly used during the day and has, therefore, been proven to improve academic performance.
Artificial lighting is another form used in classrooms. The type of lighting is used for darker learning settings or at night. It can be used in science laboratories as well. Regarding artificial lighting, more intensity has been linked with a better performance in academics (Morrow, 2018). Hansen, Nielsen, Georgieva and Schledermann (2017) explain research that described the effects of classroom lighting fixtures on the test parameters, which was the academic performance in the case. Better lighting was found to contribute to a positive mood among students which led to better performance. Therefore, artificial lighting, when implemented strategically, was found to improve the students’ performance.
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are necessary to regulate the temperatures and quality of air that students breathe. Quality air promotes the health of the learners and coupled with temperature regulation procedures, their satisfaction and mood are influenced, and hence their academic performance improves (Singh, Arora & Goyal, 2020). The most appropriate HVAC system is the central HVAC which involves ducts connected to different learning areas from the primary system in the school. Most of the central HVAC systems are located away from buildings (Singh, Arora & Goyal, 2020). Temperature control may increase the productivity for students in the cases where the surroundings are either hotter or colder than average, thus increasing the time used in learning. Therefore, the role of central HVAC systems in education is indispensable.
Other materials that improve the psychological lives of students and affect their performance are fire-resistant and soundproof materials. Fire safety is necessary for schools on the basis that many students are gathered in enclosed places, and their furniture is mostly wood that can easily catch fire (Mirsaeedie & Shamsi, 2018). Therefore, fire resistance materials are necessary. Also, learning is mainly distracted by the noise from outside the classroom, which would require the installation of soundproof materials (Safaryan & Melyan, 2020). For smooth learning, therefore, schools have to find out ways to reduce the impact of outside noise.
Summarily, Lighting, air conditioning systems and other materials are used to enhance the performance of the students by improving their mental and psychological wellbeing. The three types of lighting most commonly used are general, natural and artificial lighting. On average, all kinds of lighting increase the performance of the students. In addition to lighting, the use of HVAC systems and soundproof materials is essential to enhance the conducive learning environment for the students.