SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING | An Architect Explains
Clients, whether Corporates, Institutional or private, are getting more interested in sustainable solutions in their projects. This is due to the growing concern about irreversible environmental damage and a frightening escalation in energy costs as governments compete for a better share of the earth’s resources.
Since Lighting takes up a lot of energy, designers are coming up with several options for Sustainable Lighting that are getting better and better by the day. As an Architect, I have listed guidelines for creating a sustainable lighting solution:
ENERGY– How much energy is required to build the lighting product (Lamps, Ballasts, Fixtures)? Also, the energy cost incurred in transportation should be included.
COST– How much does it cost to use?
EFFICIENCY– How efficient is the lighting product,- how many lumens are produced from each watt?
DESIGN OPTIONS– Can the lighting product be designed in different forms, so that they can fit elegantly into luminaires designed for interiors?
LONGEVITY– How long will the lighting product last?
CONTROLLABILITY– Whether the lighting product can be started instantly or whether it can be dimmed ?
DISPOSABILTY– Does the lighting product contain hazardous material to the environment that necessitates proper disposal?
It is quite a challenge to deliver a lighting solution that addresses all the above concerns so that it is energy efficient, long lasting, cost effective and can be disposed without affecting the environment. But the response to these challenges have resulted in remarkable solutions. There are more than 200 Lamp types today. I have described some of the best options that current technology offers which are incorporated in sustainable buildings and increasingly being used in houses. They are explained below under the following broad categories:
- Green Buildings Lighting | Incandescent Lamps
- Green Buildings Lighting | Compact Fluorescent Lamps
- Green Buildings Lighting | Fluorescent Tube Light
- Green Buildings Lighting | Metal Halides
- Green Buildings Lighting | Sodium Vapour Lamp
- Green Buildings Lighting | LED
- Green Buildings Lighting | Halogen
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