Have you ever taken a step back to consider what you want your lighting scheme to achieve? Do you want it to create the perfect lighting conditions? Do you want it to motivate people? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions then it is time to change the way you think about light and start using the best possible products to optimise your facilities.

This applies to the lamps that you use and the way in which you operate them. By combining light management systems (LMS) with energy efficient lamps, you will significantly reduce your energy consumption and CO2 emissions and create an ideal working environment.

It is estimated that around 70% of commercial installations still use inefficient lighting products. This is a staggering statistic given the volume of energy efficient lighting solutions available on the market. We need to change the way that we think about light and put it at the forefront of design.

After air conditioning systems, lighting is the second biggest consumer of energy in any building so it is essential that you look for products that will reduce overhead costs while creating the perfect lighting atmosphere.

Light and wellbeing

It is important that you use the most efficient lighting products throughout any building to create optimum conditions. The good news is that the latest lamp technologies are not only efficient, but also provide excellent quality of light which contributes towards employee wellbeing and motivation.

A crucial factor in selecting the right lighting scheme for a building is the task to be performed within it. In a factory that manufactures, assembles and prepares goods, productive lighting that meets certain criteria should be installed. The lamps should provide high luminance and optimum directional lighting which improves productivity, reduces error rates and cuts down the risk of accidents.

In addition, uniform illumination and appropriate positioning of the luminaires prevents reflected glare from the surfaces of workstations and machinery which helps avoid premature fatigue among workers. This is extremely important as fatigue can lead to accidents that are completely preventable. By using the correct lighting products, you will enhance the safety of employees working with machinery and reduce the risk of accidents.

Triphosphor LUMILUX tubes are ideal for industrial and office applications. They benefit from extremely long lifetime, high luminous flux, high luminous efficacy and excellent colour rendering. Significantly, these tubes provide substantial savings in maintenance costs due to their long lifetime.

The colour temperature of a lamp is as important as the lamp itself. LUMILUX SKYWHITE tubes with a light colour of 880 (corresponding to a colour temperature of 8000K) offer high levels of contrast for reduced eye fatigue and lower error rates, particularly for employees on shift work.

In modern offices the light must perform two basic functions – create a pleasant environment in which people can concentrate and work effectively and create the right atmosphere so that customers and visitors can easily find their way around and feel comfortable and welcome. This can be achieved with efficient lighting products.

In individual or shared offices the ideal lighting should be as glare free as possible and emulate daylight. It should motivate the employee without causing tiredness. Modern energy efficient fluorescent lamps are the perfect solution in this environment and they provide 70% energy savings compared to standard halogen lamps and last up to 10 times longer.

In meeting rooms and conference rooms, the lighting should be flexible and functional as these rooms are used for a range of activities. Downlight fittings that employ eco-friendly halogen lamps are perfect for this environment as they create an ambient lighting effect while consuming less energy than standard halogen lamps. In places where low voltage reflector lamps are currently installed, energy efficient halogen lamps are the ideal replacement. These lamps combine economy and bright light with optimum quality.

From the latest triphosphor fluorescent tubes to compact fluorescent and eco-friendly halogen lamps, there are highly efficient lamp technologies available that will reduce your energy bills from the moment that they are installed. In addition, you will reap maintenance cost savings as these lamps have longer lifetimes than the inefficient alternatives. All this while creating a better working environment – it’s a win-win situation.

Light management systems

When it comes to enhancing energy efficiency it’s not just about the products that you use, but how you use them. Over the past year, more legislation has been brought in by the EU to ensure that we use only the most efficient lighting products. This has impacted traditional fluorescent tubes and other office lighting solutions. While installing efficient lamps will save you money and improve your green credentials, you can reap further savings by operating these products on the latest LMS.

Installing more efficient lighting products will reduce your impact on the environment, but you can take this one step further by operating these lamps on the latest light management systems (LMS). In order to achieve maximum energy efficiency, you must ensure that as much waste as possible is eliminated.

It is possible to achieve this by using LMS from high quality lighting manufacturers such as Osram. This is due to the fact that they have developed highly efficient solutions that reduce the energy consumed by lighting by up to 70%.

Presence detectors ensure that your lights are not on when no one is in the room. On the other hand, daylight sensors ensure that you are not overusing artificial light when there is enough daylight entering the room to provide sufficient illumination. The light level will dim up or down as required to supplement natural daylight.

Conserving energy is a key benefit of LMS, but it is also essential to ensure that the best possible conditions are maintained. The right light, in the right amount, in the right place and at the right time

can improve productivity. Consequently, LMS play an important role in the holistic approach to planning high-quality lighting systems.

These systems are highly intelligent, but incredibly simple to use thanks to user-friendly interfaces. Touch panels and remote controls allow you to control the lighting scheme at the touch of a button.

Conclusion

Ever rising energy costs and increasing focus on climate protection are pushing the need for energy savings to the forefront. In applications that have high energy consumption, energy efficient lighting solutions are playing an increasingly important role. In order to maximise efficiency, it is not enough to simply swap high wattage products for their energy saving equivalent. In order to reduce unnecessary electrical consumption while providing the best possible lighting conditions, Light Management Systems (LMS) are the answer.

Lighting that is properly planned can only have a positive effect on your business. For people, high quality light means improved health and wellbeing and greater motivation. There are also benefits for the environment as the latest products that create the perfect working environment are much more efficient than older lamp technologies. It’s time to change the way that you think about light and start reaping the benefits.