FEATURE CAR PARK LIGHTING
Leading light OF CAR PARK
Traditional lights are being replaced by LED alternatives. Arif Rampuri explains why
illumination, both to reduce the risk of an accident and to make users feel safe. Traditionally, outdoor car parks have been illuminated with a mixture of SON and metal halide lamps, while indoor car parks are illuminated with T8 linear fluorescent lamps, both of which are efficient light sources. SON lamps are being phased out in favour of metal halide, as these lamps provide a whiter light, which makes users feel a lot safer and improves visibility. While there are now a number of LED alternatives for outdoor car park lighting, it is multi- story and underground car parks where the biggest change to LED is taking place. Linear fluorescent lamps are cheap, efficient and produce a good quality light, but they do have a number of drawbacks compared to LED lamps that are now available. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury and must be disposed of correctly to prevent environmental pollution, while LEDs contain no hazardous chemicals, making them safer to handle and dispose of.
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The expected lifetime of LEDs and fluorescent are measured differently, which makes direct comparison difficult: the rated lamp life of a fluorescent tube is the point at which 50 per cent of the lamps will have failed. The rated lamp life of an LED fitting is to the point where all lamps are still working, but the light output will have dropped to 70 per cent.
34 MARCH 2013
ar parks are everywhere in the UK, usually meaning that there will be a requirement for artificial
Cutting waste
With winter temperatures regularly
falling below zero, many fluorescent lamps take a few minutes to warm up and strike properly, which can be a nuisance at least or a hazard at worst
LEDs also offer an energy saving of up to 48 per cent over linear fluorescent lamps, due to lower energy usage and reduced maintenance costs as a result of longer lamp life. Fluorescent lamps emit light in all directions, resulting in a lot of wasted light; the light output of LEDs is easier to control and direct where most needed. Energy can also be saved through the utilisation of passive infrared sensors (PIR), however while fluorescent lamps can also be controlled via PIR, it reduces the lamp life and they do not illuminate instantly at full brightness, LED fittings have neither of these problems. With winter temperatures regularly falling below zero, many fluorescent lamps take a few minutes to warm up and strike properly, which can be a nuisance at least or a hazard at worst.
Cheaper in the long run LED fixtures and lamps are more expensive than the traditional fluorescent versions, but with technology advancing each year the gap is closing fast.
The payback period on your investment is relatively short as lighting energy consumption will be significantly reduced and lamp replacement will no longer be as often, thus further reducing your car park maintenance cost. Once your investment has been paid for through these savings, large sums of profit can be added to your bottom line.
Savings made through the use of LED lighting can help car park operators achieve their carbon reduction commitment (CRC) targets thus avoiding financial penalties.
ABOUT the AUTHOR: Arif Rampuri is technical manager, Photec Lighting
www.britishparking.co.uk
illumination
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