News
‘Magic’ long-life LEDs could
News in brief
massively cut UK energy bill
Concept homes plan
The University of Nottingham
n
Scientists claim they have
is developing a project to
discovered a new way of
build two low-cost, low-carbon
making LEDs (light-emitting diodes)
concept houses with the aim of
that could slash production costs
establishing a blueprint for future
and also cut household electricity
homes. Tarmac is building the
bills by up to 75 per cent in five years.
two concept masonry homes
The researchers at Cambridge
together with project partners
University say they have found a
Lovell and Bill Dunster Architects,
new way of making gallium nitride
to Level 6 and Level 4 of the Code
(GaN), a man-made semiconductor
for Sustainable Homes.
that emits a brilliant bright light
using very little electricity.
Zero-carbon living plan
The technique, developed at
Plans to build the largest zero-
Cambridge University Centre for
carbon development in the UK
Gallium Nitride, could produce
with its own sustainable living
LEDs for one-tenth of current prices
and energy centre have been
by growing GaN on silicon wafers Existing LEDs could be transformed, say Cambridge scientists
created as part of the first Carbon
rather than sapphire – improving
Challenge project in the country.
costs and efficiency by 50 per cent. Lead scientist Professor Colin Research is also continuing into
Consultant HTA has designed
Based on current results, GaN Humphreys said: “This could be the how GaN light could help people
the site, near Bristol, to be able to
LED lights in every home and holy grail in terms of providing our with seasonal affective disorder
generate clean renewable energy
office could cut the proportion of lighting needs for the future.” (SAD), aid water purification and
for 195 homes. Carbon Challenge
UK electricity from 20 per cent to 5 GaN LEDs can burn for 100,000 disease control in developing
aims to accelerate the house-
per cent, equivalent to the output hours – lasting 60 years – contain no countries, identify the spread of
building industry’s response to
of eight power stations, says the mercury, can be turned on instantly cancer tumours and help fight
climate change.
university. and are dimmable. hospital ‘superbugs’.
www.cibsejournal.com February 2009 CIBSE Journal 9
CIBSEfeb09pp09 news•.indd 9 5/2/09 14:06:49
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