Research let there be light

Let There Be Light Directory Of Lighting Industry, Conference and Exhibition on Lighting Industry, India 2012 http://www.light-india.in

Sana Salman ( S ust ai nab i l i t y C onsul t ant , A E C O M, India Pvt. Ltd)

D r.P re m C. J a in

S a k hs i J a in

Managi ng Di rect or A E C O M, Indi a P v t . Lt d C hai rman- IG BC

( S ust ai nab i l i t y C onsul t ant , A E C O M, India Pvt. Ltd)

It is said that when Universe was new, it was ordained, ’’Let there be light" and life evolved.The evolution of life on Earth in many ways is in sync with evolution of light. Most living forms on our beautiful planet have evolved and adapted to the availability of natural light. Human beings are the only living creatures who have mastered the control on light to suit their needs.

Fire was accidentally discovered by cave-man in prehistoric times. It is the first form of artificial lighting which permitted primitive man to dispel the darkness at will. Caves were then illuminated using rocks and stones covered with moss or horns filled with animal fat. Then came the candles, flame torches and kerosene lamps which are still used in many rural homes and in religious places.

Thomas Elva Edison’s invention of the electric lamp changed forever, the way we live. A whole new lighting industry has come up offering elegant solutions for all our needs, through an enormously large range of lamps, lighting fixtures and control strategies. International standards of illumination level have been established for optimising comfort, productivity and safety in every conceivable human activity. These standards are regularly updated as more research findings and more technological advances become available.

Let us visit the average power requirement for the recommended standards of illumination in workspaces: Time saver standards 1990 National Building Code of India (NBC) 2005 Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007 Green Building LEED for India (C&S) 2011 Platinum rated Green Buildings Future Green Buildings

=4 to 6W/sft =2W/sft (Derived from Lux level) = lW/sft =0.8 W/sft =0.6 W/sft = less than 0.5 W/sft

Sl No.

(1)

Type of Interior Or Activity

17 17.1 17.1.1 17.1.2 17.1.3 17.1.4 17.1.5 17.1.6 17.2 17.2.1 17.2.2 17.2.3

(2) COMMERCE Offices General offices Deep plan general offices Computer work stations Conference rooms, executive offices Computer and data preparation rooms Filling rooms Drawing Offices General Drawing beards Computer aided design and drafting

17.2.4 17.3 17.3.1 17.3.2

Print rooms Banks and Building Societies Counter, office area Public area

Range of Service IIIuminance in Lux (3)

300-500-750 500-750-1000 300-500-750 300-500-750 300-500-750 200-300-500 300-500-750 500-750-1000 200-300-500 300-500-750 200-300-500

Fig1: Recommended values of IIIumination as per NBC 2005 Building Area Type Automotive Facility Convention Center Dinging: Bar Lounga/Lesure Dinging: Careteria/Fast Food Dinging: Family Dormtory/Hostel Gynnasium Healthcare-Clinic Hospital/Health care Hotel Library Manufacturing Facility Motel Motion Picture Theater

LPD (W/m2) 9.7 12.9 14.0 15.1 17.2 10.8 11.8 10.8 12.9 10.8 14.0 14.0 10.8 12.9

Building Area Type Multi Family Residential Museum Office Parking Garage Performing Arts Theater Police/Five Station Post Office/Rown Hall/ Realigious Building Reta/Mall School/University Sport Arena Transportation Warehouse Workshop

LPD (W/m2) 7.5 11.8 10.8 3.2 17.2 10.8 11.8 14.0 16.1 12.9 11.8 10.8 8.6 15.1

Fig2: LPD (Light Power Density for various building types recommended by ECBE 23007 Lighting Power Density

Building Area Type Automotive Facility Convention Center Court House ; Dining: Bar Lounge/ Leisure Dining: Cafeteria/Fast Food Dining: Family Dormitory Exercise Center Gymnasium

LPD (W/ft2) 0.9 1.2 1.2 1.3

Building Area Type Library Manufacturing Facility Motel Motion Picture Theatre

LPD (W/ft2) 1.3 1.3 1.0 1.2

1.4 1.6 1.0 1.0 1.1

Multi-Family Museum Office Parking Garage Penitentiary

0.7 1.1 1.0 0.3 1.0

Healthcare-Clinic Hospital ; Hotel

1.0 1.2 1.0

Performing Arts Theatre 1.6 Police/Fire Station 1.0 Post Office i.i Religious Building 1.3 Fig3: LPD (Light Power Density) for various building types recommended by LEEDfor India (C&S) 2011 Commercial buildings in urban India are energy guzzlers; an average of 20% of the energy goes into illumination. It is paradoxical that although India is blessed with abundant sunshine (more than 300 days annually), architects and designers provide large windows and then cover them with heavy drapes and blinds, keeping lights on all throughout the day. Green buildings (more than 200 buildings in India) have demonstrated that more than 90% of indoor occupied spaces can be day-lit throughout the year, requiring near zero energy throughout the day. These buildings also minimize heat ingress through careful selection of glazing.

Green buildings advocate incorporation of architectural features like courtyards, jharokhas, jaalis and verandas in order to utilise the readily available daylight resource sunlight, to the optimum level. Judicious usage of glass can not only bring the light inside but also minimize heat ingress. The night-time lighting requirement can be met with LED lighting which has proven to be an environment friendly option. As a light source LEDs are made of aluminum which is recyclable and are free from mercury and lead. Other significant characteristics like high source efficacy, extremely long operation lives, exceptional delivered lumens, compatibility with photovoltaic, dimmable LEDs and low maintenance cost make LEDs an excellent lighting source. They also have a variety of colour temperatures and colour rendering together with optical control which make them an exceptional light source for all kinds of work environments. The light power density for LEDs is well below 0.6 W/sft.

The journey from 6 W/sft to 0.6 W/sft for modem buildings has survived many changes. There has been a shift of awareness from just professionals to the masses, through the green building

movement in India. The building energy consumption benchmark is being lowered not only by developing efficient lighting but by incorporating nature in buildings. Designers have gone back to our architectural heritage and have begun to understand how nature can be harnessed in providing ample daylight without glare, and with the least dependency on artificial lighting.

A recent survey graphically unfolds India's growth story 2030. It is mind-boggling to understand that 60% of buildings in India in 2030 do not exist today. The expected demand for green building ir.areriais will exceed USD 100 billion. We will therefore continue to attract gioba! investment in the Indian infrastructure and construction industry. The Lighting industry will benefit equally from this gigantic opportunity. Our mission is to ensure that India will adapt the path of green in all her infrastructure and in her construction practices.

The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has more than 1.2 billion sft of green buildings registered to come up across India. These will further showcase how the great gift of abundant sunlight throughout the country, :an be harnessed to light up our workplaces, our homes and our places of congregation. The 20% energy saving from lighting and upto 30% or more savings in airconditioning will permit India to build twice as many nealthier green buildings within the same amount of energy consumption. There are powerful software tools available to us for energy modeling and daylight simulation like Ecotect to optimise the building envelope design, within the financial constraints of individual projects.

Another subtle benefit of green buildings in India has been reduction or even elimination of night pollution. Many of our adjoining developed nations suffer from dwindling population of birds. It is from their building facades, landscape and street lighting that the night sky gets lit like day, disturbing the birds' cycle of darkness and brightness period. All green buildings profess that fagade, landscape and street lighting will be downwards and within the defined levels of low intensity, so as not to disturb the darkness of sky at night. Therefore the Indian continent, viewed from outer space at night, still presents a dark patch, like Africa and Canada (the global leader) permitting birds to thrive.

Let us hope that lighting professionals will join the green building movement in India, to ensure that our children and theirs will grow up in an environment where air is pure, water is clean, birds' songs are heard in the morning, trees and flowers fill our valleys and meadows, and the forests resonate with the jungle sounds.