[ Focus: LED lighting ]
continue to focus on products that exploit the change in form factor, which is made possible with this technology. A good example of this is our new FRAME luminaire, which offers all the energy benefits of LED in an amazingly stylish form. It is minimal in its environmental impact, but has the presence to create a high-end look to any space.’ When it comes to innovative design, though, very
few products match the NanoLight, an LED bulb that is essentially a dodecahedron of printed circuit board dotted with LEDs. Its unconventional look has drawn a diverse response – some have called it ugly, while others admire its uniqueness. The designer of the NanoLight, Gimmy Chu, claims: ‘The NanoLight operates at a mere 133lm/W and requires 88 per cent less energy than a standard incandescent.’
Ugly or unique? The Nanolight LED bulb
risks damaging consumer perceptions of LED technology.’ Colour temperature requires particular attention
when it comes to LEDs, as this can lead to an unsightly patchwork of colours across the installation. Consequently, consistent colour temperature is important and a good indication of a manufacturer’s confidence in the consistency of colour temperature is the information on the packaging of a lamp. Duncan Chamberlain, director of trade at Philips, says: ‘A precise colour temperature, such as 2,700K, indicates high quality control, whereas a range of 4,000-4,500K might indicate poor quality control.’ When it comes to specifying these products,
Calvin Caunter, technical director at Vision Accendo, says: ‘Some applications require fairly straightforward solutions while others, such as retail lighting, need more expertise in the design and specification of the final LED product configuration.’
5. LED-based lighting technology is developing at a rapid rate LED is not a new, untested technology. However, in recent years the pace of product development has been tremendous. Improving the quality of light and the lit
environment is vital. Collingwood Lighting recently launched its H2 Pro range, which features a 60° lens, allowing greater spread of light to reduce the light spots and dark patches typically associated with downlighters. Tony Allison, the company’s product development manager, adds: ‘The wider lens means that more light is spread onto the walls in a corridor or cupboards in, for example, a kitchen, giving a lighter, brighter and fresher appearance to these environments.’ The design qualities offered by lighting products
are also being given more attention than ever before, something that Neil Parrott, senior lighting designer at Riegens, is well aware of. He says: ‘We
48 ECA Today June 2013 About the author
Rob Shepherd is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to ECA Today. He has worked in the electrical contracting industry for more than 14 years.
An LED system typically uses 70 per cent less energy than standard methods, with some manufacturers reporting even higher rates
6. LED has an excellent return on investment Perhaps the biggest barrier to widespread adoption of LED lighting is its price. Although production costs have fallen dramatically in the last few years, it is still a major issue. However, the return on investment (ROI) argument for its adoption is highly persuasive, and involves a number of considerations including energy, maintenance, life, colour quality, colour consistency and using best-available technology EcoLED recently announced that someone living
in a standard three-bedroom home, using 30 of its ZEP1 recessed downlights, could see savings in excess of £500 per year in their electricity bill. In retail environments, the figures are truly
breathtaking. MHA Lighting recently helped a Londis convenience store slash its lighting energy bills by 63 per cent. With the store’s 15-hour day cycle, it was able to provide an ROI of 439 per cent by reducing annual lighting energy consumption from 16,767Kw/h (annual cost of £20,400) to just 6,140Kw/h. Annual energy bills have been reduced to an average of just £1,764, bringing product lifetime savings to £17,562.
7. LED lighting has proven end-user benefits Light has a profound effect on our physical and emotional health. It can influence our mood and impact our sense of wellbeing. Visual sharpness in elderly people diminishes,
calling for a need for higher light levels than those for younger people. Havells-Sylvania’s Ian Major, says: ‘By using lamps such as our RefLED Superia GU10 450Lm, the higher light output will make reading and other activities easier. Sylvania ToLEDo A-Shape lamps also deliver plentiful light-making night-time activities easier and, with better colour rendering, the surroundings will look more natural.’ Duncan Chamberlain of Philips, adds: ‘In an office
environment, inadequate lighting can result in fatigue and poor staff performance, particularly in roles involving problem-solving and concentration. The high-quality light produced by LEDs helps avoid these
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