It is common knowledge to create a sterile environment in an internal space by provided the walls (if applicable, including the floor and the ceiling) of the internal space or room with an anti-bacterial, nano-oxide particles-containing coating, for example, a Ti0 ₂ nano coating, hereinafter referred to as nano-oxide coating,

(see for example:

www.nanoservices.nl/include/Antibacteriele_nano_RIVM_-_KI Rnano. pdf).

This type of coating provides for a surface that is self-cleaning and self-disinfecting, by creating a high electrostatic potential on the wall, which promotes the formation of radicals. As a result the space is self-sterilizing. The coating is activated under the influence of daylight. Due to the light energy (photons) hitting the nano-oxide coating, water molecules from the air are dissociated and split into radicals. These free oxygen radicals include, but are not limited to, hydroxyl radicals (0Η·), and oxygen radicals (0 ₂ ^" »). By (radical) oxidation the formed free oxygen radicals break down organic compounds, which are present in the space, inter alia as unwanted impurities. Radicals that do not react with the undesirable impurities will react with each other into water again. A prerequisite for the effective operation (functioning) of the coating is receiving sufficient light of the proper wavelength within the space. Each coating requires simultaneous multiple specific wavelengths in order to form the radicals. However, these requirements often form a problem in internal spaces; in particular in spaces in hospitals and in spaces where food is produced, processed and/or consumed etc. These spaces are often provided with daylight filtering windows and/or sunblinds etc. to limit heat and light reception. As a result, there is insufficient supply in J/m ² of light in the wavelengths required in order to activate the process.

When only the walls of a room, and optionally the floor and the ceiling, are provided with a coating, the objects including the furniture in that internal space will not be disinfected, and, for example, pathogens including bacteria are easily transferred via (human) contact with the surfaces of these objects. It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution for these problems.

This object of the invention is achieved by providing a method for creating a sterile environment in an space having no or limited reception of natural light, comprising the steps of:

applying a nano-oxide coating on internal surfaces of the space and/or surfaces within said space;

applying one or more lighting devices, which are configured to emit artificially produced full-spectrum daylight into the space, so that the required wavelengths are provided to a sufficient extent.

The method further comprises the step of: applying an ionising (electrically charging) system (also referred to as an electrostatic precipitator or ionizer, hereinafter referred to as ioniser https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionisator en https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_ioniser) optionally combined with the lighting devices and/or lights including LEDs, whereby, among other things, but not exclusively, dust, dirt particles and micro-organisms are charged and thereby attracted to the surfaces of the walls and the objects in the space, in order to come into contact with the nano-oxide coating.

When due to a lack of a sufficient amount of daylight, the desired and required sterilizing, self-cleaning and/or self-disinfecting effect by applying the nano-oxide coating cannot be achieved, according to the invention this deficiency is overcome by providing one or more lighting devices, which are arranged for delivering and emitting artificially produced full-spectrum daylight into the (internal) space by means of lighting devices that are equipped with full-spectrum daylight lamps, preferably full- spectrum daylight LEDs, often referred to as "Full Spectrum Daylight" (FSD) LEDs, since these LEDs are highly energy efficient.

Additionally, ionisers can be applied in the space in order to enhance the deposition of particles, including bacteria and other pathogens, onto the surfaces of the coating.

The self-cleaning and self-disinfecting power and ability within the space is substantially increased according to the invention, when the antibacterial nano-oxide coating is applied both on the surfaces of the walls of the internal space, which walls form the space and delimit it, as well as on articles located within the space including furniture. Consequently the transfer and transport of pathogen and/or bacterial material is greatly reduced by means of the surfaces of objects, because these particles and (micro) organisms are now also oxidised by the radicals formed on the coated surfaces of the objects.

Full-spectrum daylight is necessary for the following reasons : it improves the contrast display and the light image display, so that the space can still be used for the intended purpose for which it is configured, while simultaneously the wavelengths are provided with sufficient energy to activate the coating. When only wavelengths are chosen needed for providing radical formation, then the space can no longer be used for its normal purpose and use-function, or additional lighting points must be installed to fix this problem.

For example, the full-spectrum daylight LEDs are part of the group of pseudo or LED fluorescent tubes, which are arranged and designed as replacements for conventional fluorescent lamps, which as a result may simply (or after some modification) be installed in conventional fluorescent fittings (fixtures) .

The light produced by the lighting devices comprising the full-spectrum daylight has preferably a colour temperature of at least 5500 K, more preferably at least 6000 K, and most preferably about 6450 K at a colour rendering index (CRI) of at least 80, preferably at least 90 and most preferably about 98. See for the concepts of colour temperature and colour rendering index https ://nl.wikipedia .org/wiki/Kleurtemperatuur a nd https ://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature respectively https ://nl.wikipedia .org/wiki/Kleurweergave-index a nd https ://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_rendering_index.

Preferably, the lighting devices are arranged for additionally emitting (a substantial quantity) of ultraviolet (UV) radiation (ca . 10 to 420 nanometre or SI symbol : nm) into the internal space, complementary to the full-spectrum daylight. As a result, a better "match" is obtained with the sensitivity (for radical formation) of the nano-oxide coating to be activated by the lighting devices. Preferably, the ultraviolet radiation includes UV-A radiation (320-420 nm) and/or UV-B radiation (280-320 nm), for certain special applications also UV-C radiation ( 10-280 nm) is included . Application of UV radiation in the wavelength range 270-300 nm moreover results in the formation of vitamin D, which can have a positive effect on the "live stock" when it is located within the space (stable) concerned . See for UV radiation https ://nl.wikipedia .org/wiki/ultraviolet and https://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/Ultraviolet. As a result of the UV radiation being added to the (FSD) radiation emitted into the space, a better "match" can be achieved with the sensitivity of the nano-oxide coating activated (for radical formation) by the lighting devices. Consequently, the efficiency of the radical generation is increased, and more radicals will be formed, at a constant FSD radiation level.

This effect can be further optimized by adding Ti(0H) ₄ into the nano-oxide coating, so that radical formation occurs at a broader light spectrum. The application of ionisers in the space has the effect that, among others, but not exclusively, dust, dirt particles and micro-organisms are provided with an electric charge, so that these particles are attracted to the coated surfaces within the space and to the coated surfaces configuring the space, including floors, walls and objects, so that these particles come into contact with the deposited nano-oxide coating, where they are oxidized by the (oxygen) radicals. These ionisers can be applied within the space as separate systems, but may also be provided as combined systems together with the lighting devices and/or lights including LEDs.

In addition to the method discussed above, the invention also comprises any space that is configured according to said method. The invention also comprises any lighting device, which is arranged for emitting UV-A and / or UV-B and / or UV-C radiation in such a space, supplementary to full-spectrum daylight.

With respect to the nano-oxide coating, preferably this coating is applied by means of misting and/or foaming a solution in order to be able to guarantee a layer thickness of <50 micron, wherein the optimal layer thickness is considered to be about 30 micron.

The preferred average grain size of the nano-oxide particles of the nano-oxide coating is 50 - 75 nm, preferably 60 - 70 nm; preferably a size of approximately 62 nm is chosen as optimal average grain size.

Variations herein are dependent on the specific circumstances and/or application.

Preferably the nano-oxide coating comprises an addition of silver (including Ag ⁺ ions) to the solution, thereby substantially enhancing the activity (for radical generation) of the coating. Preferably, a percentage of Ti(0H) ₄ is added to the nano-oxide coating in order to broaden the active spectrum of the light (up to about 350 - 650 nm) as an active working oxidation range. Preferably, a phosphate mineral is added for the purpose of improving the bonding between the nano-oxide particles and the internal surfaces configuring the space and/or the surfaces within said space. Preferably for this purpose, a phosphate mineral from the apatite group is used, for example, hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite and/or chlorapatite (see https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatiet and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatite). By this preferred measure, the nano-particles are advanced and promoted to the surface, so that they can better "react" there with the air. The nano-particles thereby act as a catalyst in the formation of radicals and provide a substantial contribution to the sterilization of the air.