The last decade has been a transformational time in lighting. LEDs have taken over every application, and nowadays their efficiency and low cost lumens are taken for granted. But the big improvements brought by LEDs may have lured the lighting industry into some bad habits. Many have become quick to use blanket illumination and tolerate spill light in the knowledge that ‘LEDs are really efficient’. But now, with the climate crisis pushing sustainability to the top of the agenda and energy prices at record highs, it’s becoming clear that no-one can no longer afford to be complacent.
It appears that the time has arrived to fundamentally reappraise the standard approach to lighting design. Lighting experts from ERCO have recognised this need for a reassessment of our assumptions, and have been considering this issue for some time. The conclusion? The focus needs to switch to the effectiveness of the light in a space.
Those designing lighting for a space need to choose carefully where to illuminate, and to think in terms of the illumination that’s achieved in lux/watt rather than the efficiency of the light fitting in terms of luminaire lumens/watt. Specifically, what’s being advocated is a combination of low glare, precisely-targeted task lighting and a general movement towards the illumination of vertical surfaces over the floor. It’s about directing light exactly where it’s needed for tasks and where it’s most effective for human perception – and reducing it everywhere else.
Energy is a limited and expensive resource. So those planning with light need to be more effective with the light and decide where to not put energy, because that’s where the savings will be found. This approach can lead to a big reduction in the connected load. Done well, it can substantially reduce energy consumption because it only puts light where it’s needed.
This reduction of light in certain places is balanced by an increased emphasis on people-centric lighting designed for visual comfort. A key part of this is switching the focus from the floor to the vertical surfaces. To make a space feel bright, the walls need to be illuminated as that’s what’s in the visual field.
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