Embarking on the road to environmental friendliness need not be a painful affair; lighting is a prime example of an area ripe for going green. The trouble is lighting is taken for granted. Businesses replace old lamps with the same. The long-term benefits of energy efficient lighting are rarely considered while the initial cost of new units remains the main purchase incentive.
Progress has been made, mostly due to the Energy Saving Trust's (EST) Lightswitch initiative which encourages companies to swap to more energy efficient lighting. According to Lightswitch, sales of inefficient T12 lamps have fallen to 13% of lamp sales, while sales of the greener T8 lamp are at a record high, with a market share of over 86% to the end of 1999.
Environmentally friendly lighting purchases is what Lightswitch is all about. The use of T8 (and T5) lamps, high frequency luminaires and intelligent controls have been and continue to be promoted but a greater understanding of the benefits of energy efficient lighting is needed.
One quarter of the outlay of a small to medium enterprise (sme) is likely to be on electricity costs and 20% of this goes on lighting. So, on a spend of £100 000 per year on electricity a company can expect to save as much as £6000 annually if energy efficient lighting is installed. In a study conducted by the Energy Saving Trust most SMEs stated that the single most important reason detering them from making energy saving lighting improvements was the initial cost. This negativity towards accepting life cycle costs as opposed to the first cost, low cost culture is stopping companies saving money.
Only those at the forefront of electrical design and installation can change these outmoded attitudes and educate the client. And, if it means a little extra in the pocket of the contractor, everyone is a winner.
Hospitals too, are another area where energy efficient lighting could drastically reduce electricity bills. EST's study has shown that costs can be cut by over 30% simply by upgrading energy guzzling lighting or by introducing lighting controls such as movement sensors. In a sector where an average of £100 000 per hospital is spent on lighting annually, a 30% saving looks good in anyone's eyes.
Lightswitch, in conjunction with the ECA, has already formed a network of contractors qualified in assisting businesses in choosing energy efficient lighting. For details of how to join this list call the Lightswitch helpline on 0870 513 3538.
Lightswitch also promotes rebate schemes for businesses interested in installing energy efficiency measures such as lighting controls. By filling in an application pack and sending it to the Energy Saving Trust a company can receive financial help in implementing its energy saving measures. For more information circle the enquiry number below.
Going green should be encouraged by all those involved in the electrical field. Get environmentally friendly now and profit from it.
Flat pack winner
An architectural light fitting that is energy efficient, easy to install, fits into a recess depth of just 100 mm and has an emergency option. Impossible? Apparently not. Concord has released the LED 100-TE compact recessed downlighter. It is designed to use 13-42 W TC-TE lamps and incorporates electronic control gear that is claimed to use 30% less total circuit power than conventional ballasts. The fitting is available in three versions: Architectural, with a large range of accessories; Deco, a lower cost version; Eco, with white reflector and snap-in accessories. All are available as an emergency option. It is this emergency option that makes the LED 100-TE a winner. The unit’s sealed lead acid battery pack provides the lamp with more power than the traditionally used NiCAD battery. The pack is also smaller and can be installed through the fitting’s ceiling cut out. The emergency unit is completely pre-wired, all that the fitter has to do is wire on the mains plug, plug it into the emergency pack, feed the pack into the ceiling, plug together the two connections between the pack and luminare, and install the fitting and indicator LED into the ceiling. Easy. Concord has also eradicated the problems associated with using amalgam TC-TE lamps in emergency mode. Preheating of the lamp gives consistent starting up in a non-maintained situation and heated cathodes mean that an acceptable lumen output is achieved at the industry standards of 5 seconds and 60 seconds. And, both emergency pack and luminaire can be installed from below the ceiling with just 100 mm clearance. The LED 100-TE has a feature to make it attractive to everyone in the lighting design and installation loop. Architects like its understated chic, designers its array of accessories and contractors the short time it takes to install.Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor
