Lighting Technology
Leighton James is product & marketing director, TRILUX Lighting UK
LEDs represent approximately 90 per cent of the commercial/ professional market
Take LEDS to the next level With the influx of LEDs to the commercial market, Leighton James examines how energy managers can squeeze more savings out of their low-energy lighting
T
he development of LED lighting has been rapid - they have gone from a small indicator life to now being one of the main ways people light their homes, offices, schools, and hospitals. The small light emitting diodes have played a significant role in helping companies reduce their energy consumption in the workplace, be it the traditional office, retail, industry, and even education establishments. Buildings have been seeing energy reduction, in some cases up to 90 per cent. But with the recent influx in LED lighting manufacturers have we reached a plateau in terms of energy efficiency? LED technology, in terms of energy efficiency, is default now as LEDs represent approximately 90 per cent plus of the commercial/ professional market. Today, it is about how we use, control, and network luminaires to maximise energy savings and create more comfortable sustainable environments. Of course, LED has been the gateway for advanced lighting control and we can do much more with light in a more sustainable way. A recent Electrical Review article1 predicts that LED technology will likely become increasingly dominant in the lighting market and be used almost universally by 2024. Modern LED luminaires are already contributing to environmental and
climate protection thanks to their high-energy efficiency compared to conventional solutions. But what is the next step? In 2017, TRILUX launched the European project, Repro-light. It aimed to support the European lighting industry in moving towards a more sustainable and competitive future. The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. It investigated sustainability and circular economy, the modularisation of luminaires, and a smart production scheme. The researchers conducted a life cycle assessment that quantifies the environmental impact over a luminaire’s entire life cycle (from production, to use, through to endof-life). Saving energy even through using materials efficiently and conscientiously is vital. Our research showed that the electricity used during operation of the luminaire has by far the most critical impact on the environment. It makes up 99 per cent of the energy consumed in the entire life cycle of a luminaire. Therefore, making luminaires as energyefficient as possible is of the highest importance, but to further improve efficiency, light management systems have to be considered.” Energy use can be reduced even further with some modifications to
luminaire performance, components, and use. Energy consumption was reduced by 11 per cent by increasing luminaire efficacy from 157 lm/W to 179 lm/W, but an additional 30 per cent reduction was achieved using a light management system including daylight & presence control. However, there is always room for performance improvements. By incorporating a complete controls system even at the most basic level, customers are finding more savings, which gives new life to the plateau we are experiencing with just LEDs alone.”
Highest BREEAM rating V.Offices, a newly completed office development in Krakow, Poland, recently received the highest ever BREEAM rating for offices in the world. For a BREEAM score as high as 98.87 per cent, V. Offices had to optimise all aspects of the building. In terms of lighting, this meant using the most energy-efficient luminaires and making sure that they were only turned on when necessary. Therefore, lighting control in the common areas is based on DALI modules linked to movement detectors. The outdoor lighting relies on dusk sensors reducing light pollution to a minimum. Light management has many facets, from simple control via sensor or app to Human Centric Lighting
(HCL) and complex cloud applications such as predictive maintenance. In addition, “non-lighting” IoT applications can be implemented as infrastructure, expanding the possibilities of energy reduction beyond lighting. It is now clear that we are long past the stage where designers are working towards energy goals alone. The combination of LEDs and controls together holds enormous potential for creating greater, more holistic workplaces. A recent project for German logistics company Kühne+Nagel, where it replaced all conventional lighting systems with energyefficient LED technology plus light management, resulted in a significant reduction in operating costs in both its locations. Electricity costs decreased by approximately 30 percent. At the same time, the quality of light has been increased, with sometimes surprising effects. At the Obergeorgswerder site, deaf employees feel much safer in their work environment thanks to the higher lumen packages. And when it comes to future viability, with heat mapping, Kühne+Nagel has already implemented a locationbased service for the lighting, and the systems can be upgraded with additional IoT components at any time via plug and play. With a powerful light management system, the lighting becomes an intelligent partner that can be perfectly adapted to the user’s needs. Sustainable solutions offer far more than just customised light. Human Centric Lighting is a complex interplay between the human day-night rhythm and dynamic lighting parameters. Research has shown that lighting that follows the body’s natural rhythm can greatly affect employees’ health and wellbeing. The principles are just as applicable to office, industry, and retail. In addition, trends such as digitalisation, globalisation, and networking have profoundly changed how we work in structural terms. Since the pandemic, large employers are focussing more on their employees’ health and wellbeing and are using new strategies to provide the workplace of the future.
Reference 1) Electrical Review: https://electricalreview. co.uk/2020/07/31/led-lighting-continues-to-growin-popularity-with-uk-households/
22 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | OCTOBER 2021
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