With reference to the article on two New York offices (BSj 02/08): energy and power comparisons of buildings should be carefully analysed with regard to lighting.

Some countries do not recognise the ISO/CIE Standard Lighting for Interior Workplaces, which has prescriptive values of illumination, colour temperature, colour rendering index and universal glare index, for each task in the building.

Unfortunately, it has been overheard that a selling point of dimming ballasts is that the lighting power density can be set at low values to achieve goals and that if there is a complaint then the illumination may or may not be increased.

Similarly with regard to the other lighting parameters (colour rendering index, colour temperature, and universal glare index) where no standards exist or are enforced, then these parameters are subject to being compromised to achieve low initial costs.

Accordingly, it is recommended that applicants seeking awards that rely on (a) power per unit area or (b) energy use per unit area, certify that the lighting installation and the task illumination complies with the ISO/CIE Standard Lighting for Interior Workplaces.

Gerald Irvine, via email

Source

Building Sustainable Design