Good lighting is hard to quantify and even harder to justify to speculative developers. So how will the lighting industry change this?
For years the retail sector has recognised the importance of good lighting. A well designed and executed scheme helps sell more goods, so logically they put it high on their list of priorities.

Contrast this with speculative office developments, where turning a fast-buck is the name of the game, and the story couldn't be more different. Here it seems the lowest cost scheme will do. Commercial lighting, commercial reality was one of the subjects under the spotlight at this year's Lighting Debate jointly sponsored by Zumtobel Staff Lighting and BSJ.

Using a case study of a current project, Tony Cassidy, divisional director with AYH Project Management, illustrated why a cost focus approach invariably wins out over a design led attitude. Savings in capital outlay of around £500 000 were possible for the 4500 m2, Category A office development in central London between the two design solutions. "There is no point in the design exceeding accepted standards if there is no tangible benefit to us as a developer. It provides the right quality at the lowest cost," he said. "It is the market that tells the design/construction team what it expects and spending the budget on better finishes, nicer toilets and faster lifts is more likely to sell than an enhanced lighting scheme."

While this demonstrated the division that currently exists between developers and end users, there is evidence that attitudes are changing. Graham Phoenix, director of LightMatters was one of those urging people to look at the bigger picture. "One of the greatest cost benefits of good lighting is reduced staff turnover and for a large company such as an insurance company this can be a great deal of money".

Owners/occupiers it seems do realise the benefits. Simon Erridge, director of Bennetts Associates described three projects that he's been involved with where lighting was a key element of the design.

Crucially these projects involved partnering with contractors and lighting manufacturers during the design process. Mock-ups enabled modified luminaires from different manufacturers to be evaluated in situ with the concrete soffit ceilings, allowing customised luminaires to be used cost-effectively.

Cassidy also commented that in terms of cost the Addendum to LG3 has made it cheaper than before. "If anything it has made specs laxer for developers," he said. "And the industry still hasn't got to grips with who has to comply with it."

The underlying message it seems is that the lighting industry needs to be targeting developers, or rather tenants, on the importance of good lighting, and greater post occupancy evaluation is essential to demonstrate the benefits. "Letting agents are very high up the supply chain and we need to get to them to re-educate them," said Grant Daniels managing director of Zumtobel Staff Lighting.

Other issues raised at the debate included changes to Part L. Bob Venning, associate director of Arup Lighting questioned the limiting of installed power. "That is nothing to do with consumed energy and what we've got to try and get this document around to is talking about the consumption of energy," he said. "What we should be talking about is how much energy we consume on an annual basis and when metering kicks in we should be looking at how we can tie the energy consumption to what we install. Because all it [installed power] is doing is making good lighting impossible to achieve, 15 W installed could be 9 W consumed if we do it properly."

Architect and broadcaster Max Hutchinson also gave an entertaining talk on the how architects must reconcile conflicting demands to present a solution based upon the original building concept. "Speculative developers think they are buying a building which is purely and simply an investment. They care not a jot about the energy consumption of their buildings, they care about the rent per square foot," he said. "It is the job of the lighting industry to make the architects job easier."

But he added a word of caution: "An industry that is uncertain and divided in itself hardly presents a confident image."