Energy Management – Driving Efficiency in Lighting

A well-lit environment is essential for the safety of occupants within any built environment. Lighting typically represents around 12 – 17 per cent of the total energy consumption in a residential situation, so there is significant potential to make savings.

The following energy management options should be examined:

1. reduce the demand for artificial lighting
2. optimise the use of existing lighting systems
3. upgrade to more energy-efficient lighting systems.

1. Maximise Natural Light

It is common for newer facilities to maximise natural lighting including utilising skylights to reduce the demand for artificial lighting. Ideally, the surrounding lighting circuits should be put on a photoelectric sensor so that they do not come on if there is sufficient light coming from the skylights. Photoelectric sensors can also be linked to outdoor lighting to effectively manage when external lighting turns on and off.

Ensuring Windows, light fixtures and skylights are clean will also help in maximising availability of light.

2. Optimise the use of existing lighting systems

Reducing Number of Lamps

If an area is over-lit, consider removing some of the lamps from the light fixtures (delamping). Areas which are empty could be unnecessarily lit or over lit and may present an opportunity.

Consider if there is opportunities where skylights could be installed to reduce the need for artificial light.

Any changes should be tested to ensure the Lux levels still meet Australia Standards. This is something that can be done in-house after purchasing a Lux meter.

Lighting Controls

Ensure staff and other users know where light switches are, and how they are controlled.

This will assist in the human element of energy management.

Of course – removing the human or manual element is generally an approach that yields better results through the installation of timers, occupancy sensors or daylight sensors linked to lighting.

3. Upgrade to more Efficient Technology

The most obvious and common upgrades currently being utilised is the upgrade of old T8 fluorescent lighting which are being replaced with T5s. Such upgrades generally result in significant energy savings with little to no change in Lux levels in the space.

The other major opportunity is with 50 W halogen lamps which can be replaced with Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). LED’s have proven to be superior product in terms of energy efficiency, product life cycle and they do not create and omit the heat levels of traditional 50 w halogens. The ability to reduce the heat output has an energy reduction and cost benefit when operating within an Air Conditioned space.