BSEE
FOCUS: LIGHTING, LIGHTING CONTROLS AND LiFi Meeting the needs of the people W
When designing a lighng scheme it’s essenal not to lose sight of the most important issue in the space – meeng the needs of the people. Graeme Shaw of Zumtobel Lighng explains how the people factor fits into the equaon
ith so much emphasis on the technicalities of a lighting design, luminance limits, glare control, room surface illuminances etc, it can be easy to forget why we install
lighting in buildings. If everything was done by robots, we wouldn’t need light; we only put lighting in for the people. Yet the people factor is so often ignored when it comes to costing a project and specifying the most appropriate luminaires.
The people factor is important, whatever the application. In a workspace the lighting influences the overall environment and the environment has an effect on staff productivity and retention. In sectors whose sole raison d’être is people, it becomes even more important. For example, educational establishments are all about adding value to people, while the role of the health sector is to get people well as quickly as possible. Of course, lighting only represents a small proportion of money spent on constructing a building, but it is often the area for cuts when the project starts to go over budget. Look at the lighting in the context of people, however, and it really puts things into perspective. It’s also important to consider the cost of staff turnover. It is now accepted that a poor quality working environment causes an increase in staff absenteeism and turnover. Lighting that creates a dreary environment with a contrast between surfaces reduces morale and causes the eyes to continually adapt to the varying brightness of different areas. This in turn may lead to stress, headaches and higher absenteeism. As staff turnover increases, so do recruitment costs, training costs and administration time. There is also a fall off in productivity while new staff are being sourced and trained.
These same considerations can be applied to schools and further education establishments, where a positive learning environment is essential and in hospitals, where the benefits of good lighting are just as marked.
Getting it right
The way to achieve good lighting in workspaces is laid down by LG7 2015, but these same principles should be applied to every application that involves people. In order to do that, we have identified some key criteria to take into account and these include colour of light, daylight, occupational health, other people, tasks, décor, portable screens and many other considerations. If all of these topics are taken into account and answered then the difference in the quality of the
lit environment is much greater. So too is the difference in staff morale, productivity and retention, with lighting a significant contributor to the workstation environment.
Controlled contrast
Controlling contrast will minimise discomfort glare within the space. There is no precise measure of contrast, but research has shown that maintaining a 10:1 ratio of luminance levels between adjacent areas will provide a comfortable level of contrast.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics, of course, are very subjective and the best approach is to score alternative schemes against each other, gathering opinions from designers and end users. Surely the lighting should be recognised as making a more important contribution to the aesthetics of a building as the expensive ergonomic furniture or the décor?
Life cycle cost energy consumption
Optimising energy consumption while delivering an effective lighting solution is now a requirement of the Building Regulations, and will be
determined by the choice of lamps and control gear, the efficiency of the luminaires, the average target illuminance and the lighting control strategy.
Installed cost
Delivering an installed cost that is within budget, is perceived as good value and provides an effective lighting solution is a challenge for any project. To achieve this it is important to consider the lighting needs early on in the project and to set realistic budgets. When the value of a project has been driven as low as it can possibly go, it is the people that don’t benefit. The difference in the quality of the lit environment is much greater. So too is the difference in staff morale, productivity and retention, with lighting a significant contributor to the workstation environment.
The upshot of all this is that it isn’t really the luminaires and light sources that achieve a good lighting scheme. It is a focus on the needs of the people in the space that must come first – choosing the right luminaires and light sources merely helps you achieve that.
www.zumtobel.co.uk
UK Power Networks’ engineers are working on a £5 million project to power the next skyscrapers on the City of London’s famous skyline
Lighting up the City of London’s next skyscrapers B
ritain’s biggest electricity distributor, UK Power Networks, is jointly investing in a power upgrade with developers to double the power capacity of an electricity substation which will enable further growth in the financial district.
Engineers are adding additional capacity equivalent to powering an additional 27,000 homes to the electricity network, which serves the Bishopsgate and Moorgate area of London. The extra energy capacity will support economic development in the part of London known for buildings such as The Gherkin, Cheesegrater and Walkie Talkie.
A trio of new transformers, weighing over 100 tonnes each, will play a crucial role by stepping down the voltage so it can be safely delivered on to further substations and customers. Jonathon Peirce, project manager at UK Power Networks, said: “We are investing in new equipment to continue providing safe and reliable power supplies for existing and future customers, supporting further construction work in this exciting and dynamic part of London.
“The next generation of landmarks on the horizon 26 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2019
will be powered by the investment we are making now to meet the area’s growing demand for power. It is a significant investment that will deliver wide benefits for the area for years to come.” UK Power Networks is investing £1.5 billion in London’s electricity network over the eight years to 2023 to support growth and development and maintain safe and reliable electricity supplies for homes and businesses.
The first transformer was switched on in the City of London earlier this year, the second was recently delivered to site and is due to be connected to the network in September and the third is due to be brought online in the spring. UK Power Networks commissioned more than 500 megawatts of capacity across London in 2018. The power company serves 2.3 million London homes, businesses, schools and hospitals. With more than 10 million people due to be living in London by 2030, UK Power Networks is making sure the electricity network is ready for the future. UK Power Networks owns and maintains the network of cables, power lines and substations that deliver electricity supplies to 18 million people across the South East, London and East of England.
uA new 100tonne transformer is delivered to UK Power Networks substaon in the City of London as part of a £5 million electricity upgrade
London remains the most reliable electricity network in the UK with supplies 99.997% reliable.
www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk Read the latest at:
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