PNNL

Sarah is a Lighting Research Engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, primarily supporting the Department of Energy’s Solid‑State Lighting Program. Her work focuses on evaluating advanced lighting systems through field measurement and novel simulation tools. She specializes in modeling and simulation, survey development and deployment, and translating large datasets from building systems into actionable insights through data visualization. Sarah joined PNNL in 2017 after receiving her MS in Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado and contributing to lighting research within the Building Systems program. Her previous professional experience includes the design of energy‑efficient lighting and daylighting systems. 

• Adoption of energy efficient technologies
• Building simulations
• Advanced lighting systems
• Data visualization

• M.S., Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado
• B.S., Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado

2023

• Rockcastle S., A. Mahic, and S.F. Safranek. 2023. "The Impact of Operated Window Shading on Visual Comfort, Non-Visual Health, and Energy Demand from Electric Lighting." In Building Simulation Conference Proceedings: 18th IBPSA Conference on Building Simulation (BS 2023), September 4-6, 2023, Shanghai, China, 0031-0038. Rapid City, South Dakota:International Building Performance Simulation Association. PNNL-SA-184421. doi:10.26868/25222708.2023.1152
• Wilkerson A., S.F. Safranek, L.C. Irvin, and L. Tredinnick. 2023. "Lighting System Control Data to Improve Design and Operation: Tunable lighting system data from NICU patient rooms." LEUKOS - The Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America 19, no. 1:94-109. PNNL-SA-167201. doi:10.1080/15502724.2022.2059669

2022

• Abboushi B.K., and S.F. Safranek. 2022. "Determining critical points to control electric lighting to meet circadian lighting requirements and minimize energy use." In Annual Modeling and Simulation Conference (ANNSIM 2022), July 18-20, 2022, San Diego, CA, 559-568. Piscataway, New Jersey:IEEE. PNNL-SA-171313. doi:10.23919/ANNSIM55834.2022.9859378
• Abboushi B.K., S.F. Safranek, E. Rodriguez-Feo Bermudez, S.C. Pratoomratana, Y. Chen, M.E. Poplawski, and R.G. Davis. 2022. "A Review of the Use of Wearables in Indoor Environmental Quality Studies and an Evaluation of Data Accessibility from a Wearable Device." Frontiers in Built Environment 8. PNNL-SA-167029. doi:10.3389/fbuil.2022.787289
• Inanici M., B.K. Abboushi, and S.F. Safranek. 2022. "Evaluation of Sky Spectra and Sky Models in Daylighting Simulations." Lighting Research & Technology 55, no. 6:502-529. PNNL-SA-164264. doi:10.1177/14771535221103400

2021

• Abboushi B.K., S.F. Safranek, and R.G. Davis. 2021. "The Effect of Spectral Resolution of Light Sources on Photopic and a-opic Quantities." In SPIE OPTO: Light-Emitting Devices, Materials, and Applications XXV, March 6-12, 2021, Online Only. Proceedings of the SPIE, edited by J.K. Kim, M.R. Krames and M. Strassburg, 11706, Paper No. 117061L. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE. PNNL-SA-160068. doi:10.1117/12.2577934
• Mccunn L.J., S.F. Safranek, A. Wilkerson, and R.G. Davis. 2021. "Lighting Control in Patient Rooms: Understanding Nurses' Perceptions of Hospital Lighting Using Qualitative Methods." Health Environments Research and Design 14, no. 2:204-218. PNNL-SA-152350. doi:10.1177/1937586720946669
• Safranek S.F., A. Wilkerson, L.C. Irvin, and C. Casey. 2021. "Using advanced lighting systems to understand opportunities for energy optimization: control data from a hospital NICU." Energy and Buildings 251. PNNL-SA-161114. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.111357

2020

• Davis R.G., L.J. McCunn, A. Wilkerson, and S.F. Safranek. 2020. "Nurses' Satisfaction with Patient Room Lighting Conditions: A Study of Nurses in Four Hospitals with Differences in the Environment of Care." Health Environments Research and Design 13, no. 3:110-124. PNNL-SA-145366. doi:10.1177/1937586719890940
• Royer M.P., M. Wei, A. Wilkerson, and S.F. Safranek. 2020. "Experimental validation of color rendition specification criteria based on ANSI/IES TM-30-18." Lighting Research & Technology 52, no. 3:323-349. PNNL-SA-142381. doi:10.1177/1477153519857625
• Safranek S.F., J.M. Collier, A. Wilkerson, and R.G. Davis. 2020. "Energy impact of human health and wellness lighting recommendations for office and classroom applications." Energy and Buildings 226. PNNL-SA-151604. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110365

2019

• Davis R.G., and S.F. Safranek. 2019. "Lessons in the classroom." LD+A Magazine 49, no. 5. PNNL-SA-141890.