Feature Lighting & Lighting Controls Energy savings in the spotlight


Thomas Holgeth, joint managing director of High Technology Lighting (HTL), explains how to make the right choices from the myriad of LED products available in order to get the best product to meet your needs


Colour temperature


Colour temperature is another factor and is measured in ‘kelvins’. They range from 2,700k - which gives a cosy, warm white light, similar to incandescent bulbs - through to 3,500k - which is the standard colour for many fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes - to 6,000k, which simulates natural daylight.


I


f your aim is to reduce your carbon footprint, then LED light- ing is an established, simple and cost effective way of achieving this. LED lights are at least five times more efficient than traditional incan- descent bulbs and over 65% more efficient than fluorescent tubes. LED technology has risen meteori-


cally over the last 30 years and it is acknowledged that they will be the dom- inant light source for the foreseeable future. They use less energy, require little or no maintenance and now pro- vide a better, brighter quality of light than ever before. New developments mean that they illuminate quickly and can be controlled to provide an infinite variety of lighting options. However, with so many LED prod- ucts available in an unregulated market, how do you choose between them and what does all the terminol- ogy mean?


Colour constancy The ‘root colour’ of an LED is blue, and the white light comes from the application of a mix of red, green and blue phosphor most commonly applied directly onto the LED clip. In the case of HTL’s partner Xicato though, the phosphor mix is tuned to optimise the light wavelength of the LED clip. This and a patented system to keep the phosphor cool, allows HTL to ensure that common issues, such as colour shift and poor uniformity, don’t occur. HTL can offer a white light solu- tion with correct colour rendering, which is well suited for galleries and retail applications where such a solu- tion is paramount.


S8


Most reflector lamps are available in different beam widths, from narrow to very wide, and good advice on getting the angle right is vital to providing adequate distribution of light while avoiding glare. Getting this wrong can alter the entire light pattern of a room and could mean that additional task lighting is needed to compensate for poor light levels.


Longevity


The long life of LEDs is one of their major selling points - a 50,000 hour life term is the norm. LEDs don’t suddenly stop working like old fashioned fila- ment lamps - instead there is eventu- ally a gradual loss of light output and colour quality. Manufacturers’ figures depend on the confidence that they


Left and below: LED systems


generate high quality, fully controllable,


directional lighting while minimising power consumption - perfect for retail spaces


to a 10W LED lamp, for example. However, fitting a properly embed- ded LED module is always a better option, particularly in a new instal- lation. Embedded LED modules are tested to ensure that thermal perfor- mance is within limits. HTL has seen LED lamps in retro-fittings which have burnt out after just a few months when they’ve been used in enclosed fixtures.


Energy savings in practice LED systems generate high quality, fully controllable, directional lighting while minimising power consump- tion - perfect for retail spaces. Sports Direct has been a client of HTL for over ten years and there are currently over 470 stores across the UK and Europe fitted with HTL’s equipment. Over the past three years, HTL has been working with the sports retailer to introduce new technology capable


of delivering a two year payback on capital expenditure.


shape


New lighting technology, in the of


the architectural LED


module, is out-performing any other comparable light source. At Sports Direct, conventional high power sources such as ceramic metal halide lamps (CDM), are being replaced with Quartet SG3 fixtures, giving them a maintenance-free lighting solution


combined energy saving.


have in their product. Xicato quotes a less than 20% fall-off in light output over 50,000 hours and no fall-off in colour constancy.


Beware retro-fit


In the short term it might be worth introducing LED lamps into existing fittings to reduce energy consump- tion - from a 60W filament light bulb


This level of saving is typical and gives an indication of the enormous potential that exists to save energy and reduce carbon emissions in every organisation, using technological expertise and good lighting design.


High Technology Lighting (HTL) www.hightechnologylighting.com T: 0113 277 8077


with a 40%


Enter 224 FEBRUARY 2014 Lighting & Lighting Controls


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