LED Technology
Driving lighting technology
LEDs are rapidly becoming standard in today's lighting technology - they slash energy costs, lower emissions and are more reliable. Russell Fletcher explains how LEDs are helping three major names meet their energy reduction targets
M
aking the switch to LED lighting is becoming more attractive especially when energy saving is
considered. According to the International Energy Agency, a full switch to LED lighting, combined with smart control and management systems, can provide savings of up to 80 per cent. LEDs emit more light per watt than traditional light bulbs and give off light in a specific direction, making them more efficient.
LED drivers are the interface between LEDs and the power supply, matching outputs to electrical performance and it is the driver that determines the performance of the LED. Innovations in driver design have helped move LED lighting into the mainstream by offering increasingly sophisticated levels of control.
The main task of the LED driver is to
provide a constant light output - a steady power supply to the LEDs - despite possible power variations. Every application requires a unique driver design and the quality of the driver has a significant effect on performance.
For example, Harvard Engineering has developed CoolLED LED driver technology which offers sophisticated control techniques and enhanced energy efficiency. These drivers can be tailored to an individual scheme and are currently being used to control lighting systems across the UK and Europe.
The first direct Arena in Leeds, the city's main music and entertainment venue, is a
40 February 2014
recent example of a high-profile project which has started to use this technology. The CoolLED range of drivers support a lighting scheme for the venue’s executive boxes, lounge and bar areas, which were completed in 2013 by High Technology Lighting using its Quartet range. A combination of 300 fixed and adjustable downlights and track spotlights were employed to create ambience in a showcase venue that stages a range of events from music and entertainment to sport and family shows. DALI drivers were used, allowing light levels to be dimmed using the DALI interface to save energy and create ambience, and the luminaires were further enhanced with a bespoke finish to match the exact colour palette of the interior decor. The lighting scheme has provided the energy savings and carbon reductions associated with LEDs and the Arena has been able to meet its sustainability targets - swapping to new LEDs can reduce a building's carbon footprint by 85 per cent. On the other side of the Pennine hills, Manchester United's iconic Old Trafford stadium has also benefited from a new lighting solution. The Premier League football club had a two-month window of opportunity in which to renovate its hospitality areas in the West Stand and South East Quadrant. The prestigious project for one of the world's most widely supported clubs required a luxurious and creative lighting solution that was tailored for the high-end surroundings and was intended to offer substantial energy savings. As LEDs use significantly less energy than traditional lighting and have an average lifespan of more than 100,000 hours - more than ten times longer than any other light source on the market - they were the solution of choice and critical to the successful installation were high performance LED drivers. Offering highly efficient technology packed into a compact low power solution, the CoolLED range of drivers was chosen as a 'fit-and- forget' solution that would last for at least five years. The entire renovation project was completed in the break between football
Components in Electronics
seasons and the new lighting system was installed on time and to budget. Alongside the CoolLED drivers, LED light fittings from Gamma Illumination and LED modules from Xicato were also used, as recommended by electrical contractors Alard Electrical.
working areas are now more informal and relaxed.
The use of colour schemes to reinforce the new atmosphere created meant that making the right choice of lighting and control equipment was crucial to the success of the project. Rebel Light worked
Working in co-operation with these other companies, Harvard was able to meet Manchester United's specific requirement for a new lighting system that would complement the refurbished decor while not detracting from the original wall displays and memorabilia.
But it is not only in large sports arenas or entertainment venues that new lighting solutions come into their own. Workplaces can also be transformed as flexible ways of working, using laptops and tablets, that will require a radical re-think of how office spaces should be designed and lit. When Microsoft decided to carry out a
full refurbishment of the company's premises in Kista, Stockholm, it first of all conducted a survey into how exactly the office space was being used. Surprisingly, it was found that three-quarters of the 600 desks, which occupied 60 per cent of the premises, were not regularly occupied. This discovery prompted an innovative approach by interior designer Wivian Eidsaunet, working for Murman Architects. The traditional desktops have been
replaced with 1,800 different types of working spaces ranging from sofas to small clusters of tables so that employees can choose the location that best suits their mood and the task they are involved in on that day. This has released 30 per cent of the office space and Microsoft's new
with lighting designer Ronnie Eckervig from Exengo to choose sleek and discreet recessed downlights throughout the building. LED fittings with 30W CoolLED DALI drivers ensured flexibility and good glare control - a subtle profile for the building's low ceilings and energy efficiency. Harvard's scheme for Microsoft's offices
offered 42-degree tilt and glare control to illuminate working spaces; low maintenance costs thanks to the life expectancy for LEDs of around 50,000 hours, seven years' continuous operation; significant energy saving and a reduction in the building's carbon footprint; and high performance and efficiency. The finished project saw Microsoft's Stockholm office named Sweden's Most Stylish Office at a ceremony in the city's Oscars Theatre in 2013, its working spaces praised as being 'inspiring, well thought- out and stimulating.' helped in no small part by Harvard's innovative technology. Installing LED drivers, such as the CoolLED range, can not only help save energy and costs but can also provide users with a flexible lighting solution.
Harvard Engineering |
www.harvardeng.com
Russell Fletcher is sales and marketing director at Harvard Engineering
www.cieonline.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48