To address the shortcomings of the Color-Rendering Index (CRI), which has become amplified by the use of some solid-state lighting products, The National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed a metric called the Color Quality Scale (CQS), intended to replace CRI. CQS is based on 15 high chroma (highly saturated) color samples (left). To learn more about CQS, click here.
The Color-Rendering Index (CRI) for a given lamp is based on the average of how well the source renders the correct pastel color samples (left) compared to an ideal reference source. To address the limitations of CRI, the Lighting Research Center has proposed a supplemental scale—Gamit Area Index—for color-critical applications such as retail installations. To learn more about GAI, click here. Also: Color Rendering: Beyond Pride and Prejudice
