First, we must consider what architectural lighting is. It's simply lighting that used in the field of architecture, which is often used commercially. This includes schools of all types, churches, hospitals, monuments, shopping centers, theaters, residences, and anywhere else lighting may be required. This is an entirely separate field of expertise that is handled by someone well trained in both architecture and lighting.

Lighting is an important part of any building; if the lights are too bright, people may not want to visit again, but lighting that is too dull will have the exact same effect. Therefore, the lighting must be perfect, just as the architecture of the building is. It must be functional, aesthetic, and energy efficient. These three must balance each other out in order to be effective.

Energy efficient fixtures are certainly in high demand now. With the urge to "go green" designers are willing to sacrifice beauty for functionality and energy-saving lighting. Saving energy saves money, after all, and over-illumination (the practice of adding unnecessary lighting) had been a major problem up until 1995. The bright lights florescent (and sometimes neon) lights were becoming a cause for concern among the general public. Too much bright light actually causes headaches, stress, fatigue and other medical problems. While this practice has been scaled down some, it is still not entirely uncommon.

Nevertheless, it is imperative that several options are going through before setting out to install the lighting. It is certainly a challenge to get architectural light fixtures that are just right for the building design, but modern science is making it easier. The newer light fixtures have a softer glow to them and use far less energy than those that were produced 10 years ago. They last longer too, which means that in a few months time they've literally paid for themselves.