CRI Requirements are a Terrible Idea

摘要

Articles in Leukos, and more recently in LD+A, have promoted CRI (color rendering index) chosen as a measure of lighting quality that require strict governmental regulation for minimum allowed levels. These articles make both scientific and teleological arguments in support of the importance of CRI. In this paper we review these arguments and identify what appear to be fatal logical errors and misinterpretation of past studies thus negating their conclusions. While CRI has utility for users who need to maintain color matches that were originally made under reference source conditions, such specialized conditions do not support a need for a regulation for general purpose lighting. We argue further, that while labeling may be helpful and appropriate, a general requirement for a minimum CRI is not appropriate especially for regulations whose primary purpose is to save energy.