Light protection
An air purifier that deactivates viruses as well as bacteria with UVC light and provides indirect as well as direct lighting, that was the approach for "Virlight". To develop the hybrid system, the interior designers from Brust+Partner teamed up with Ruco Licht, a manufacturer of luminaires and lighting systems. "Human interaction works best face to face. Therefore, the question for us was how to get the employees of our company back at the same table without endangering their health and ours," says Siegmund Dumm, Managing Director of Brust+Partner. The result is an air purification system that is installed directly above the workplace to suck in the aerosols where they are produced. In addition, "Virlight" offers LED lighting: indirect light radiates upwards, direct light downwards. There is room for two systems in the 154-centimetre-long and 22-centimetre-wide luminaire, which can also be selected independently of each other.
The design is primarily based on function: the flat pendant luminaire has wire ropes as suspension at its ends and is available in white, grey and black. "We wanted to create a clear design, but the technical challenges naturally also had an influence on the design," says Dumm. With regard to functionality and occupational health and safety, it has already been possible to obtain all the necessary evidence for market launch. For example, "Virlight" has been certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA as well as the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV and has been tested by TÜV Süd for safety. Moreover, the UV-C light cannot penetrate uncontrolled to the outside: If the cover is opened, the tube switches off automatically. The requirements of the workplace directive ASR A3.7 regarding noise development during use are also met – at about 32 decibels, "Virlight" is only about as loud as a ticking wristwatch. It can be controlled and dimmed via the classic light switch as well as via a remote control. In the future, the two companies would like to expand the "Virlight" collection with further products: "We are currently developing a luminaire family. In addition to the pendant luminaire, there will then also be versions for the ceiling, wall and floor," says Siegmund Dumm. (am)
