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LYTEHOUSE
Steering
The Course For Architechtural Lighting
Summer
2009 - Volume 2 // Issue 1 |
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NED PETER ATKINSON WAS BORN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND EDUCATED
AT PORTSMOUTH UNIVERSITY IN 3D DESIGN. IN 2004, HE IMMIGRATED
TO CANADA AND EXPANDED HIS TALENTS AND EXPERIENCE WITH A VARIETY
OF WELL-KNOWN DESIGN, LIGHTING AND ENGINEERING FIRMS. PERHAPS
NOT A DEVOUT MINIMALIST,
NED CERTAINLY APPRECIATES THE IMPACT OF SIMPLICITY –
HE HAS BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING “IDEAS SHOULD NOT BE OVER
COMPLICATED” AND “LESS IS NOT ALWAYS A BORE”
IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS. HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY TO
US IN A RECENT CONVERSATION.
BELOW: THE SCULPTURE, WHICH OCCUPIES THE FRONT ENTRANCE TO
THE HOTEL ARTS IN CALGARY, IS MADE FROM HAND-CRAFTED STAINLESS
STEEL SEGMENTS CREATING A BALL THAT IS 10' WIDE AND SITTING
10' ABOVE THE GROUND. WHERE THESE SEGMENTS OVERLAP, THERE
ARE PLEXIGLAS COVERS SHIELDING OVER 800 INDIVIDUALLY PROGRAMMABLE
LED LIGHTS. NED UTILIZED DMX PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE TO CREATE
A BREATHTAKING DISPLAY OF BRILLIANT COLOR KINETICS; MAKING
THE SCULPTURE APPEAR TO GROW AND CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,
CONSTANTLY PROVIDING A DIFFERENT STIMULUS AND ATTRACTION.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A LIGHTING
DESIGNER? I have always enjoyed the interaction between
people and space and how, as a designer, you can affect
people’s emotions by touching one or more of their
5 senses.
WHAT IS YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND?
I have a Diploma in furniture design and a Bachelor of Arts
in 3D Design.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS PRACTICED IN CALGARY?
No, I amoriginally fromthe UK where I worked in many places;
London and Reading mainly. Then I moved to Calgary. Although
based in the UK and Canada, I have worked remotely on projects
around Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
WHAT IS THE MOST “OUT OF
THE BOX” PROJECT CONCEPT YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF?
Every project is a challenge and part of that challenge
is trying to create an experience that is “out of
the box”.
WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU MOST PROUD
OF TO DATE? This one! (Hotel Arts) HOW DO YOU SEE LIGHTING
DESIGN IN THE FUTURE? I would like to see it as an
amalgamation of science and art. There are some very talented
people within this industry working to bond energy efficiency,
art, aesthetics and science. I see (and hope to be part
of) designs that are thought provoking and involve every
discipline of a project – architectural, mechanical,
electrical, structural, civil and landscape, to form a LEED
platinum artwork.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
YOU HAVE FACED INCORPORATING NATURAL AND ELECTRIC LIGHT?
There are some fantastic products out there that form the
bridge between artificial and natural light and make the
most of daylight harvesting from an energy efficiency point
of view. There are also some fantastic designers that can
use this to form amazing focal points from an aesthetic
point of view. I would say that the biggest hurdle is communication.
WAS IT DIFFICULT TO HARMONIZE THE
ARTIST’S (JEFF DE BOER†) CONCEPT WHILE DESIGNING
THE LIGHTING FOR THE SCULPTURE IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL ARTS?
Not at all, it was challenging and exciting. Jeff is a great
guy to work with and has tremendous vision. Some times it
is a sprint to keep up but I think I can hold my own!
WHO IS YOUR DESIGN MENTOR?
Every architect, engineer and artist I have ever worked
with. I try and take inspiration from those around me, positive
and negative.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO POSITION
YOURSELF
IN THE FUTURE? I’ll worry about that tomorrow.
†JEFF DE BOER IS
A CALGARY-BASED MULTI-MEDIA ARTIST WITH AN INTERNATIONAL
REPUTATION FOR PRODUCING SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST ORIGINAL
AND WELL-CRAFTED WORKS OF ART. |
| IN TODAY’S LIGHTING
MARKET, IT CAN BE quite challenging to find the right solution
to a given lighting problem. Since all of us are trying
to do more with less, 25W, 28W or 30WEnergy-Saving (ES)
T8 fluorescent lamps may seem like a simple way to reduce
energy use and environmental impact… But it’s
not always that simple.
The purpose of this article is to offer insights into the
pros and cons of specifying Energy-Saving T8’s for
new and retrofit installations.
ABC’s OF T8 LAMP/BALLAST PRODUCT
OFFERING
With mainstream T8 lamps being offered in different lamps
wattages, different colour temperatures (3000K, 3500K, 4100K
& 5000K for example), different Colour Rendering Indexes
as well as Standard, Long Life and now Extra Long Life options,
a fluorescent specification is no longer a simple one.
Electronic ballasts are also complicating the decisions.
Most lamp/ballast manufacturers now offer standard electronic
Low Watt Lumen Package (0.77–0.78 ballast factor),
Standard Lumen Package (0.87–0.88 ballast factor)
and High Lumen Package (1.18–1.2 ballast factor) solutions.
With all these available lamp/ballast combinations, that’smore
than 1700 possibilities just for 4' T8 lamps!
Relying on specialist advice is often the best way to select
a lamp/ballast package that can deliver the desired results.
SNAP-BACK
Snap-back1 is perhaps the most undesirable thing that can
happen to a new or retrofitted installation. This means
that the new installation will “snap back” to
its previous condition translating into lower than expected
energy savings, or no energy savings at all.
Using an ES T8 lamp/ballast system as an example, no one
can predict what will happen after the installation. If
the buyer/owner decides to purchase standard, lower cost
and easier-to-find 32W T8’s for the first relamping,
energy savings are lost. That’s one reason why using
ES T8 lamps is not a good idea.
NEW VS. RETROFIT
ES T8 lamps can be appropriate for certain applications.
But a much better, and foolproof, solution would be to use
new high efficiency, low ballast factor Electronic ballasts
with a standard 32WT8. This approach will yield almost as
much savings in watts (only 4Wmore than an ES T8 system)
but with a much more reasonable cost and no snap-back issues.
ES T8 lamps should primarily be used on retrofit jobs.
Although many lamp manufacturers and reps promote these
solutions for new applications, that’s not what they
were designed for (and it can lead to an increased number
of lighting fixtures being used or lower lighting levels).
Before retrofitting a 34W T12 magnetic system to a T8 electronic
system, there are a few things to consider:
- Are my light levels too high, or too low, or just right?
- Are my lamps cycled often? (Which could translate into
short lamp life if Instant-Start ballast is used.)
- Would I rather have fewer lighting fixtures in my application
using a higher lumen package (when feasible) rather than
more lighting fixtures using ES T8 lamps?
 Am
I comparing apples-to-apples? Are both systems using the
same lumen package and/or
starting method when comparing T12 to T8?
Diagram 1 shows
that the average lumen package between 34W T12 Magnetic
Rapid-Start and a lower 32W T8 high efficiency electronic
Instant-Start ballast is about the same (2% difference).
The 32W T8 system yields up to 33% energy savings.
Most 34W T12 Magnetic Rapid-Start ballast systems draw
72W of power and yield about 4664 initial lumens (about
4000 lumens maintained at 40% of average rated life).
 Figure
1 shows a 34W T12 system and a standard
T8 system lumen package comparison.
If a retrofit is being considered (using the same lumen
package), the most cost-effective solution (when the lamps
aren’t cycled often; i.e. over 10 hours per start)
ought to be standard 32W T8 lamps with an high efficiency
low ballast factor electronic Instant-Start ballast. This
combination draws 48W and provides 4543 initial lumens (about
4300 lumens maintained at 40% of average rated life). The
parts-only cost of such a retrofit is about $18–20
per 2-lamp lighting fixture. Going to an ES T8 lamp will
add another 10–15% to the total cost while only saving
an additional 4W and providing a lower lumen package (around
4350 initial lumens). No savings are possible using 28W
or 30W ES lamps because input watts using the same ballast
factor and ballast type draws 48W and 52W respectively.
For new installations, a “snap-back proof”
standard T8 system using standard 32W T8 and high efficiency
Instant-Start ballast with normal ballast factor (0.87)
draws 55W of power and yields a lumen package of around
5100 initial lumens.
COMPATIBILITY AND DIMMING ISSUES
FOR ENERGY-SAVING LAMPS
While one manufacturer’s ES T8 lamps (25, 28 and 30W)
are shown as dimmable 3,4,5,6, they are not according to
another lamp manufacturer. For instance, one lamp manufacturer’s
catalogue says the ES T8 lamps are not recommended for use
on dimming systems while its website lists compatible dimming
ballasts for ES T8 lamps. Even if the system is specified
and installed using a given ballast/lamp brand, how can
you be sure it will be re-lamped using the same brand to
prevent premature lamp life failures? You can’t.
TEMPERATURE ISSUES FOR ENERGY-SAVING
LAMPS
Lamp striation2 is another common problem for any ES lamp.
Most ES T8 lamps are very sensitive to air temperature changes,
which cause striations in the lamp. When the ambient temperature
falls below 16ºC (60ºF) around an ES lamp, striations
(some of us refer to this spiralling effect as donuts) start
to appear.
Because it can be hard to predict what the ambient temperature
will be for a given application, it might be a good idea
to use a low ballast factor high efficiency Electronic ballast
with a standard 32W T8 lamp instead of a trendy but more
risky ES T8 lamp/ballast combo.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE DOES THE TRICK
While these new lamp technologies often look attractive,
beware of those lamp product brochures that promise energy
savings that seem too good to be true. If it’s too
good to be true, it probably is; assess the comparisons,
ensure they are comparing ‘apples-to-apples’,
ask questions.
If in doubt, play it safe by using proven products such
as standard 32W that don’t have compatibility or snap-back
problems.
FRANÇOIS-XAVIER MORIN IS A REGIONAL
SPECIFICATION MANAGER FOR CANLYTE AND HAS BEEN IES-MONTREAL
SECTION PRESIDENT FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE ONE-YEAR MANDATES
(2007-2009).
References
- Lighting Retrofit Manual (T107130R1)
from EPRI, Electric Power Research Institute
- Advance Transformers White Paper
on Fluorescent Lamps and Striation No. WP-2006-R01
- Philips Lighting Catalogue SAG100
09/2008 pages 94–95
- Philips Lighting Product Bulletins
for Energy Advantage
T8 25W lamps Extra Long Life P-5793-B and Energy
Advantage T8
lamps P-5782-B available through Philips Lighting
website:http://www.lighting.philips.com/us_en/browseliterature/bulletins
/fluorescent.php?main=us_en&parent=0&id=us_en_browse_literature&lang=en
- OSRAM-Sylvania online available
Product Information Bulletin for FO30/800XP Super
Saver
ECO Series, FO28/800XP Super Saver ECO Series and
FO32/25W/800XP Super Saver ECO Series at www.sylvania.com
- General Electric 2008–2009
Lamps product catalogue pages 4–11 and 4–32
and General Electric’s website: www.gelighting.com/na/
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Keene - Taking LED to the next level
CANLYTE AND PHILIPS HAVE WORKED together combining Light
Emitting Diode (LED) technology and high-end optical design
to develop the first of many new outdoor product innovations
for the Keene brand.
This team effort has harnessed the full potential of LED
technology and transformed it into a system approach that
offers a robust, visually pleasing, commercially viable
and
sustainable light source. It's called NextLED.
Keene has integrated NextLED into many of its most popular
outdoor products for applications such as; garage and canopy
lighting, wallcube lighting, area lighting and floodlighting.
With this introduction, Keene now offers the widest range
of outdoor LED products on the market. Stay tuned for even
more to come.
Find more information online
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Brisa expands a decorative lighting family
BRISA IS A NEW ARCHITECTURAL
decorative linear surface mount by Lightolier, offering
three discrete designs – Bow, Curve and Planar –
ideal for numerous architectural requirements. Minimal,
distinct forms define the collection. Proportions range
from intimate to dramatic. Quality materials embody the
designs; opal glass evenly diffuses light while clear float
glass highlights reflections, and brushed aluminum creates
dramatic profiles and lines.
The luminaries can be mounted in a variety of fashions:
horizontally wall mounted, vertically wall mounted or ceiling
mounted, to meet a variety of architectural
lighting needs. Brisa is ADA-compliant, and its energy-efficient
T5 lamping system
helps architects meet their sustainability goals.
Brisa's dramatic profiles and lines, coupled with its minimal,
clean design aesthetic, are the ideal enhancement for a
variety of contemporary interiors – and extensive
mounting flexibility makes them easy to incorporate into
existing designs. Brisa can also be used to complement Lightolier’s
other decorative offerings, such as Vetro pendants and downlights.
Brisa sconces are available in three styles:
- The Bow Series features a unique convex
contour that juxtaposes a diffuse field of light with
a narrow outline. Bow is available in three widths: 3",
5" and 9".
- The Curve Series is arched to minimize the appearance
of exposed metal and diffuse light evenly. Curve is available
in three lengths: 24", 36" and 48".
- The Planar Series features a rectangular profile with
a clear float glass outline,
suspended within a brushed aluminum frame. Planar is available
in three lengths:
24", 36" and 48".
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Calculite solid-state downlighting
THE LATEST CALCULITE SPECIFICATION GRADE, solid-state downlights
incorporate Lightolier’s proprietary remote phosphor
LED technology to deliver new standards in LED lighting
with consistent, uniform colour and a 20% increase in efficiency.
 Round
and square 4-½" downlights and wall washers
integrate seamlessly with the existing Calculite product
line, delivering Calculite comfort optics, architecturallypreferred
3000K or 4000K colour temperature options in 20W/1000 lumen
and 10W/500 lumen packages. All products are wet location
listed and the 20W model offers full dimming capabilities.
Calculite LED can be specified for new and existing applications.
An available retrofit kit allows the conversion of existing
conventional Calculite installations to LED.
All this plus the benefits of improved lumen
maintenance, longer lamp life and system efficacy that exceeds
all other conventional sources.
Find more information online
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|  IN
OUR LIFETIME, THERE HASN’T BEEN A PRODUCT WITH SUCH
POTENTIAL TO CHANGE THE WAY
we think about light than LED sources. In fact, since its
recent commercial introduction, there are
already many amazing assumptions and expectations about
what LED can achieve.
Some are amazingly true. Others demand a hard, second
look. Let’s take a few moments to explore some of
the myths surrounding LEDs and get a reality check on each
from the leaders in LED technology – Philips.
MYTH #1: LEDS LAST FOREVER
LEDs have a long source life, but like all light sources,
they slowly fade over time.
This light output degradation, also known as lumen maintenance
(or lumen depreciation), is predicted by testing LEDs over
a long period of time in order to determine when a specified
percentage of light output is lost. Ambient temperatures,
electrical drive currents, and the effectiveness of cooling
systems are all factors that contribute to lumen depreciation.
While LEDs typically do not catastrophically fail, lumen
maintenance is a critical factor in determining useful lifetimes.
Philips designs white light LED products
to sustain 70% of initial lumen output (L70) at 50,000 hours
of life. This equates to nearly six years based on 24 hours
of continuous use per day.
MYTH #2: LEDS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH
LED traffic lights are already common and are certainly
a sign that LEDs are bright enough to be seen even in daylight.
Rooms, tunnels and entire building facades are being lit
entirely with LEDs today. By any measure, illuminance or
luminance, LEDs have enough light output for use even in
very large outdoor daylightvisible
installations. Philips’ products have been used in
more than 17,000 installations worldwide including such
large exterior projects as the London Eye, the CN Tower
and the LAX Gateway at Los Angeles International Airport.
MYTH #3: WHITE LEDS PRODUCE OVER
160 LUMENS PER WATT
Many manufacturers test their LED chips on lab benches at
room temperature conditions with short “pulse”
tests that produce a high lumen output that is not directly
comparable with practical use. While these results are not
necessarily “wrong,” they do not reflect the
typical expected output of LEDs once they are integrated
into lighting fixtures. Although percentages vary, it is
not uncommon to see losses of 30–40%.
Philips does not use raw LED specifications
or “instant on” output testing. Instead, independent
testing labs validate the output of our fixtures at constant,
realistic, thermally stable operating temperatures in rated,
ambient environments.
MYTH #4: 3W LEDS ARE BRIGHTER THAN
1W LEDS
People are used to looking at wattage to determine the output
of a light source. However, the wattage of an LED is not
directly comparable to either the wattage of a traditional
light source or even fromone LED to another. Therefore,
light output and light extraction efficacy, rather than
raw wattage, are the key factors when looking
at an LED source. Efficacy is the amount of light in lumens
to the power used in watts or lumens per watt. Simply reporting
the number of watts does not reflect efficacy; two different
LEDs can consume the same power but differ noticeably in
light output. Thus, when selecting LEDs or LED fixtures,
it ismore about light output, than power.
Philips develops solutions based on the
light output, distribution and quality needed for the application
and not based on the particular wattage of LEDs.
MYTH #5: LEDS GENERATE NO HEAT
When used in lighting applications, LEDs do not radiate
infrared heat, only visible light. However, waste heat is
produced during the conversion of electricity into light
and, if not properly removed from the lighting system, may
potentially damage the LEDs. The heat removal can be accomplished
through carefully engineered heat sinks that are built taking
these thermal issues into account.
The larger the heat sink, the more efficiently
and effectively heat is drawn away from the LED and dissipated
into the surrounding air. Philips designs, simulates and
tests products for high thermal efficiency to ensure optimal
performance and maximize the lifetime of LEDs.
MYTH #6: LED SYSTEMS COST TOO MUCH
The return on investment (ROI) for the use of LED lighting
systems in an installation is surprisingly rapid when taking
maintenance and energy cost savings into consideration.
In many cases, economic payback can be seen in less than
two years. Additionally, the upfront cost of LED systems
is also continuing to drop rapidly.
Philips provides cost effective solutions
that have a proven and compelling return
on investment (ROI). For example, Philips’ Powercore®
technology allows fixtures to accept line voltage, eliminating
the need for an external power supply and reducing installation
costs and complexity.
MYTH #7: LED LIGHT QUALITY IS POOR
There are several measures used to describe light. Colour
temperature characterizes the colour appearance of a source
and describes the apparent warmth or coolness of that light
source. The Colour Rendering Index (CRI) is a metric used
to measure the quality of light.
The CRI for many white light LED systems is typically between
75–85 (out of 100), and continues to improve rapidly,
making it suitable for nearly all lighting applications.
However, there are known deficiencies and limitations associated
with CRI, especially for LED-based light sources. Research
in at least one study even found that CRI had no correlation
to people’s colour preference when choosing a light
source. Participants in the study preferred LED sources
over halogen and incandescent because of overall colour
appearance, not a CRI value.
Despite its deficiencies and limitations, CRI is currently
the prevalent method for judging light quality. The International
Commission on Illumination (CIE) has formed a technical
group to propose a new metric called Colour Quality Scale
(CQS). The CQS will incorporate colour rendering, chromatic
discrimination and observer preferences into the measure
of Colour Quality.
Philips works to design high quality and
consistent light output. Proprietary Optibin® technology
is used to minimize effects of the inherent variance and
inconsistency of the “bins” delivered by LED
manufacturers in order to achieve optimal colour consistency
in its products.
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Canlyte is Canada’s
leading manufacturer and supplier of quality lighting
fixtures and services. We are committed to empowering
the success of our customers through local trusted
lighting specialists, resources and solutions.
To learn more about how lighting
can elevate your future architectural projects to
the next level, contact us about the upcoming Architect-Designer
Symposium at our Lighting Concept Centre
in Toronto:
160 Pears Avenue, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5R 1T2
Phone: 416 960 1400
www.canlyte.com
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ACCORDING TO THE IES
RECOMMENDED
Practice (RP-2: Lighting Merchandise Areas),
the goals of merchandise lighting are to; attract
and guide the customer, allow the customer to
evaluate the merchandise and initiate the purchase,
and finally to facilitate the completion of
the sale. This can be stated in very simple
terms: Sell, Sell, Sell.
Although we can simplify the
goals of merchandise lighting, the practice
of providing quality lighting for the retail
environment is a more complex endeavor. This
article will provide basic insight into the
factors that can enlighten the
shopping experience.
LIGHTING
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Illumination levels, although a primary consideration,
should not overshadow other factors that could
make or break
a quality lighting design. The appearance of
the space and luminaires can reduce the visual
clutter of the luminous environment and provide
cues for orientation. The colour
temperature and colour rendering index (CRI)
of a light source are also extremely important
to enhance the merchandise. A CRI of 80 or greater
is suggested for
retail environments.
LIGHTING
TECHNIQUES
Ambient Lighting, often referred to as “general”
lighting, will provide the base layer of illumination
for a retail environment. The level of illumination
may vary depending
on the type of merchandise. For example, higher
levels of illumination would be employed for
discount mass markets, supermarkets, and “big
box” stores. On the other end of the spectrum,
lower levels would be applied for upscale specialty
boutiques in order to set an ambience of intimacy.
By lighting the perimeter,
merchandise illumination is provided on the
vertical surfaces. This can be accomplished
through the use of valance lighting, linear
wall-washing fixtures, or by making use of track
systems. Accent/Display lighting will provide
a focal point to draw attention to a featured
item or area. It is suggested that in order
to create this emphasis, the level of illumination
should
be 10 times greater than the surround.
LIGHT
SOURCE SELECTION
Each light source has its performance characteristics
and applications for retail lighting, and now
more than ever, the options seemlimitless.With
lower allowable Lighting
Power densities, it has become more important
than ever to choose the correct light source.
Fluorescent sources provide a diffuse light
that can be utilized for setting the ambient
level of illumination. Simple recessed linear
fluorescent
products have been part of many a lighting design,
as has compact fluorescent downlights. Ceramic
Metal Halide sources can be applied in a number
of ways to a retail environment; from ambient
lighting in a “big box” using
acrylic highbays, or low-wattage downlights,
to track lighting providing high impact accenting
in a very efficacious manner. Research and development
in Light Emitting Diode
(LED) technology has rapidly introduced new
generations of products with greater efficacy
and colour rendering that can enhance the merchandising
environment. With this exciting
source, the imagination has been allowed to
explore numerous options, from simple cove lighting
to provide ambient lighting, to colour changing
sources to attract.
Whether it is a fine boutique
or a big box store, light plays an extremely
important role, which can assist in creating
the right impression, save energy and increase
the bottom line.
HAROLD HARMANN IS THE PROGRAM
MANAGER FOR THE CANLYTE LIGHTING CONCEPT CENTRE.
Harold
Hartmann, LC
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