insideout
Lighting has moved on leaps and bounds from the traditional pendant in the middle of a room. Technology now means that not only is lighting cheaper and more efficient to run, but that the options available also need serious consideration. From mood to task lighting, each
light installed should be done so with a particular job in mind. Which means that, as always, you need to plan it from the outset. “Lighting is often an afterthought
in the process, sometimes lagging behind even the colour scheme and soft furnishings design but, when you think of the impact lighting can have on a space, it is vital to consider its integration from the start,” explains Rory Marr, director of Enlighten Design. “It’s important for developers to consider the costs that can be incurred if you don’t appoint a lighting specialist to get involved at the very early stages of the planning process. With such a squeeze on available land, residential developments are taking place on sensitive plots and the impact that artificial light has on the landscape and natural habitat is definitely a factor to be considered if the planning application is to be successful first time round.” Ian Major, product and marketing
manager at Havells-Sylvania, agrees. “Housebuilders do have a part to play. The realisation that mood lighting is more widely used and wanted means
they must consider at the design stage how the spaces they are creating may be used,” he explains. “Can they incorporate more mood lighting into the design fabric of the home? Have they considered how the space is to be used, what light levels are needed, where will the user undertake tasks? Have they afforded enough lighting sockets and points to cater for different needs? But it now goes beyond just immediate lighting at the construction phase. Can they provide the electrical points in the right places to enable homeowners to easily add their own freestanding lighting without draping cables everywhere?” If you can’t easily provide the
answers to these questions yourself, you need to involve a lighting firm immediately. In fact, lighting specialists can advise on more than you think – saving you both time and money. “For example, a recent project
required us to produce a lighting report that tied in with the ecologists’ bat survey that analysed the impact that any artificial light would have on this protected species,” continues Marr. “Had we not been involved at the outset, this would have incurred an additional cost later down the line for the client.” Of course, the obvious way to save
money is to ensure that all of the lights that you install are modern LEDs. “For over a century we have been
content with the incandescent lamp, a technology that has not had
TOP tp24 is at the forefront of energy-efficient lighting
LEFT MIDDLE All tp24 fittings are compliant with building regulations and sustainable codes
LEFT tp24 is launching a range of new products at Interiors UK this month
LEFT BOTTOM This show property has a predominantly LED setup but does combine traditional light sources too – all controlled by a Crestron touchscreen and other mobile devices
BELOWEnlighten Design's aim is not to push developers into spending vast sums of money on the lighting choices, but rather to save them money in the long run
RIGHT Havells-Sylvania's RefLED Coolfit ES50 Dimmable 345Lm 5.5W offers homeowners the kind of light quantity and quality needed to illuminate different areas
significant technological advances since the 1930s,” adds Major. “Nowadays, lighting and technology – that is, the seamless integration of the two – is more prominent than ever before. Our tastes, our needs and our aspirations to do more with light have surpassed anything we have seen before and, only with the more cost- effective LED solutions becoming available, are we starting to see the true adoption and exploration of the LED technology to its full capabilities.” In fact, with the advent of LED lighting
there are now many options to install great lighting as well as make huge saving on the running costs. “In the past, a typical three-bedroom show house fully lit with ceiling, table and floor lamps would consume around 2,500-3,000 watts,” explains Shaun Davis, managing director of tp24. “Today we can offer the same light levels in LED which would consume only 10% of that. If a show house is running eight hours a day for 50 weeks a year, with a standard bulb, it would cost £1,134 per annum; with LED this could be less than £125.” It is easy to see how this would
be a huge advantage to, the housebuilder, but, more importantly, the benefits to the homebuyer are enormous. The cost efficiency of new-build homes is a huge selling point, and one that shouldn’t be overlooked. But LEDs bring something else to the party as well as cost efficiency – flexibility.
showhouse January 2014 |
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