Feature Lighting Education can be enlightening
Outdated and inefficient technologies still form the basis of most office lighting solutions installed today (around 80% according to recent statistics). Here, Mike Hall of GE Lighting UK discusses some of the options available to the many companies looking to make the switch to a more efficient alternative
Left: GE Lighting’s Lumination LED Luminaires, which replace traditional T8 and T5 office lighting products
Below: in terms of downlighters, big savings can be made by replacing CFLs with LED modules such as the Infusion LED module
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odern businesses are con- stantly looking for ways to ‘spend smarter’ in an effort to control finances. As a conse- quence many building managers are becoming more switched on to the benefits of replacing outdated, ineffi- cient lighting.
While cost savings are the driving force behind most product specifica- tion, it’s important to look at the bigger picture too. For instance, the UK gov- ernment has promised to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. To that end, various regulations and grants have been introduced as a result, in a bid to encourage businesses to reduce their own environmental impact. It is worth also remembering that Part L of the Building Regulations also states that action is required to help reduce the wattage output for lighting per square metre of commercial buildings - and for larger organisations there is a commit- ment under the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme to reduce carbon emissions. When faced with a lighting upgrade within an office environment, an engi- neer can generally offer two choices - a client can keep the existing fittings and replace the lamps with more energy efficient alternatives, or the scheme can be re-designed to incorpo- rate a newer technology that cannot simply be retro-fitted.
The rise of the LED
This ‘newer technology’ will undoubtedly mean LEDs. Recent
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advances in LED product develop- ment offer an energy efficient solu- tion that can help reduce energy costs and carbon emissions too. A good example of this is GE Lighting’s Lumination LED Luminaires, which replace traditional T8 and T5 office lighting products. The output matches that of linear fluorescent products, with up to 40% energy savings and the controlled light distribution means that, in most cases, fewer fittings need to be used to achieve a similar or improved result. In terms of downlighters, big sav- ings can be made by replacing CFL with LED modules such as the Infusion LED module. Offering a pay- back of less than two years the Infusion DLM, for example, is a 13W product to replace a 26W CFL - achieving a 50% energy reduction. Due to its performance capabilities, they can offer a lifetime of over 50,000 hours, which means the period between having to replace the light source is significantly extended - a real money saving benefit for the financially conscious. However, sig- nificantly, the module is also upgrad- able so, as technology advances, only the module needs to be replaced whilst the housing can be re-used.
Another way to go
Of course, LEDs are not the only option and for those who aren’t yet in
a position to allocate the capex required for a LED upgrade, there are still energy savings to be made using more traditional technologies. Energy savings can be made with linear fluorescents, such as the GE Watt-Miser range, which is specifi- cally designed to reduce energy costs in existing installations. For large offices where lighting is on for long periods of time, these lamps can cut energy costs by up to ten percent versus standard linear fluorescent lamps. The GE Watt-Miser lamps have been designed as direct replace- ments, meaning no new ballast or fit- ting is required and they are available in T8 and T5 versions. With a mini- mal increase in cost per lamp, the payback is just a matter of months. Where CFL downlights are con- cerned, there is still the chance to create significant savings simply by opting for products that offer a longer life. With some CFLs achieving 20,000 hours life for example, switch- ing the specification will extend maintenance cycles, bringing an organisation real cost savings on re-lamping, coupled with a greatly reduced maintenance schedule. To ensure that office spaces get the most from their lighting instal- lation, professional electricians and engineers need to take into account where the lighting is being installed, the overall budget and also consider what kind of light output is required. From this point, they will then be able to suggest the most suitable lamp solution. Of course, one of the most important points to get across to the customer is that reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency through lighting is actually a very straightforward process. By upgrading a lighting system they will not only save money, but will also see reduced, long term maintenance costs as well as lower- ing carbon emissions - fantastic bene- fits all round but to achieve this lighting must be fit for purpose, so talking through a multitude of options is an absolute must.
GE Lighting
www.gelighting.com T: 0800 169 8290
Enter 213 OCTOBER 2013 Electrical Engineering
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