Sistine Chapel Illuminated With LEDs

With millions of visitors each year, the Sistine Chapel is one of the most notorious attractions in Rome. After Milan switched to energy-saving LEDs, Rome’s mayor, Ignazio Marino, announced their capital was next, in order to cut energy costs and reduce CO2 emissions in the Italian capital. He states, We have prepared an innovative operation that will enable 12,000 streets and squares of Rome to be illuminated by 190,000 LED-powered lamps and citizens will be able to see results within the next few weeks.” The city council is estimating this will save up to 55 percent of its annual electrical bill and improved public lighting. By November, they hope to have Michelangelo’s ‘The Last Judgement’ on the altar and lit up by 7,000 LED lights.

Article form www.columbialighting.com/blog

Lighting Simplified.

When you ask us here at Gross Sales to assist with your current lighting project, we look at it in many different ways, as all projects have unique requirements. We discuss the fittings and controls of course, but we also talk about things like Lumens, efficiency, efficacy, uniformity and such. Most of you fully understand these terms and how they relate to the lighting design, but some don’t so let’s try to shed some light (sorry) on what they mean and how to apply them to your project designs.

Lumens

Lumens, quite simply this means luminous flux or the amount of light that flows from a given light source (lamp). People sometimes get too hung up on initial lamp lumens but different sources suffer lumen depreciation at different rates so this needs to be factored into your thought process. The 1000w metal halide lamp for example has initial lumens up to 120,000 which seems impressive but that figure starts reducing at an alarming rate from the very first time it’s energized whereas a good LED chip with correct thermal management will retain 85% of its initial lumen levels for up to 100,000hrs in many cases.

Footcandles/Lux

Footcandles is the amount of lumens falling in 1 square foot (sq meter for lux), so 50 footcandles means 50 lumens per square foot at the measured plain.

Efficiency

Efficiency is the relationship between a lamps light output and its electrical input, we call this Luminous Efficacy. This is crucial in our decision on what lamp sources to use for many reasons. ASHRAE compliance, LEED points, energy reduction, return on investment, these all require careful consideration on the Luminous Efficacy of the lamp sources. As an example, an MR16 lamp produces about 20 lpw so is not very efficient. A good quality LED chip is now 100 lpw+ so highly efficient.

Uniformity

In design terms, this is the relationship between the minimum and average lighting values on the layout. The aim is to try and get the space as uniform as possible within the laid down guidelines. Metal Halide high bays and post tops were particularly bad at achieving good uniformity due to their excessive nadir dump (hot spots below the fitting) Good quality Fluorescent and LED fittings have all but eliminated this issue for us now, allowing for lower overall light and power density levels due to improved uniformity.

Colour Temperature

The colour temperature of a lamp is measured on a Chromaticity chart in degrees Kelvin. 3500k and below are on the warm or yellow end of the spectrum whereas 5000k and above are on the cool or blue end. In between we have the 3500k to 4500k range which is considered a more natural light and is the range favoured by most of us. Strangely though, the human eye see’s light in the 380-700nm range and is more sensitive to light at around 555nm which is a very yellow portion of the range. This is why high viz vests etc come in those orange/yellow colours, because our eyes pick them out of the background quicker. This should mean that warmer colour temperature lamps are more efficient as our eyes respond to them better but I have not seen any evidence to support that yet.

I hope this helps explain some of the basic criteria we go through when looking at your lighting project, it is what really makes the difference.

Jon Lewis

Hubbell Lighting Expands LED Striplight Portfolio with Columbia Lighting LCR, LCL and Upgraded LCS

Lighting has added two new LED striplights to its extensive portfolio of energy efficient lighting solutions—the LCR and LCL, and has upgraded the versatile LCS.

Columbia Lighting’s LCR is an industrial LED striplight that features reflectors for narrow distribution making it ideal for efficiently illuminating racks, aisles, narrow stacks, and low bay locations. Available in both 4’ and 8’ lengths, the LCR is offered in four lumen packages ranging from 2,700 to 21,800 with efficacy up to 118 lumens per watt and four color temperatures from 3000K to 5000K. The striplight is constructed for tough conditions with heavy die-formed steel and is delivered fully assembled for quick installation.

Read more... 

Hubbell Lighting Launches Versatile Commercial LED Downlight Fixture - Prescolite's LBSLEDA

Hubbell Lighting, a world leader in lighting innovation, launched today the industry’s first all-in-one LED commercial downlight fixture—Prescolite’s LBSLEDA. Built to fit a standard 4x4 J-Box, the new fixture is the perfect alternative to recessed products in settings where plenum height is challenging or where fire codes restrict the use of recessed fixtures. Ideal for commercial, new construction, remodel, and residential applications, the LBSLEDA embraces an installation system that is versatile, simple, and seamless.

Available in a 7-inch round and square (LBSQLEDA) version, the LBSLEDA features an intuitive snap-in system that makes flush mount installation incredibly easy. Users only need to install the snap-in adapter, connect wires and then snap the fixture into place with the flushmount clip. The fixture also includes an E26 Edison Base adaptor for a retrofit screw-in option. For recessed applications, the optional LBSMTGKIT mounting kit allows for simple installation into Prescolite or many competitive 4”, 5”, or 6” recessed cans.

Featuring a sleek profile barely exceeding 1 inch from the ceiling, the LBSLEDA offers the latest in state-of-the-art LED technology that eliminates the need for a traditional LED driver. Delivering a lumen output and light distribution comparable to a 100W PAR incandescent lamp, the energy-efficient LBSLEDA delivers 1000 lumens and a CRI above 90, while only requiring 17 watts of input power. With a long life of 42,000 hours at L70, the LBSLEDA is IC/Non-IC rated and suitable for damp locations.

To learn more about Prescolite’s new LBSLEDA, please visit www.prescolite.com.

Article found at www.hubbelllighting.com/company/news-releases/hubbell-lighting-launches-versatile-commercial-led-downlight-fixture-prescolite-lbsleda/

Induction, the flawed source.

Not too long ago induction lighting systems were being promoted as the future of sustainable lighting, capable of saving the planet all on their own weren't they. Why is it today then that most lighting specialists and fixture manufacturers have turned their back on it, leaving it in the dubious hands of the so called "energy management" companies. The why is simple, it was a deeply flawed technology right from the start.

Let's look at the reasoning behind that.

1. The overly bulky arc tube made controlling the lumen output all but impossible giving us just a big blob of light coming out of the fitting.

2. It was marketed as a "new" technology so the lamps were expensive yet they still use a 20 year ballast design copied from Osram or Philips. These ballasts have a very high failure rate compared to today's technology.

3. Lamps are sold with 100,000hrs or more life yet the ballasts rarely last 50,000hrs.

4. Lumens per watt levels are still at around 80 whereas other sources far exceed that now.

5. Radio interference has been known to affect the ballast operation. These systems also produce ElectroMagnetic emissions themselves, in the same way that cell phones or wireless routers do. While the jury is out on the impact these emissions have on human health, a large quantity of these luminaires in one enclosed space could be cause for concern.

6. Induction lamps are susceptible to impact or vibration, greatly limiting their useful applications. Being glass tube lamps with mercury content, this needs to be looked at carefully for any application.

I hope these points help to throw some light on the reasons why the lighting industry as a whole has all but rejected induction lighting as a responsible alternative to metal halide and backed LED technology as the choice to take.

By Jon Lewis 

Blue LED takes Nobel Prize

Light-emitting diodes, also known as LEDs have become a common energy saver all over the world. Directly converting electricity into light and sparing heat-waste, they use much less energy than fluorescent bulbs, creating both heat and light. While the red LED was created in the 1950s, without the magic of the blue light, LED was not living up to its full potential. In 1992, three men, Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura produced the blue light-emitting diode becoming the most efficient and longest lifetime bulb at the time. They are now presented with the 2014 Nobel Prize in physics and we see their accomplishment everyday when we look at our own smartphones. Congratulations!!

Written by Meghan Little at www.columbialighting.com/blog/?p=3811

METAL HALIDE, the ugly truth

For many years now metal halide lamps were the source of choice for Hibay and site lighting. They certainly provided the lumen output required and were a vast improvement over LPS and HPS in terms of CRi but were  still a deeply flawed lamp source.

With no way of dimming them, control was always out of the question, limited to merely ON or OFF. The long re strike delay meant power outages were a potential disaster and the sheer heat generated by the arc tube, exaggerated by the reflectors needed to control the emitted lumens meant optimum lamp life was very short. This is obviously a major issue when considering the heights these fittings are often mounted at. 

What is often overlooked or unknown is that the lumen output of a 1000w metal halide lamp reduces by around 50% after only about 5000hrs. This means your 1000w lamp is not much better than a 400w version yet the total system watts needed to run it remain constant at 1058, lowering the efficiency from the 100 LPW range down to almost 50. In real terms this means that re lamping should be done at least every 2 years to maintain safe and code compliant light levels and to avoid paying for the 50% light you no longer get.

From a safety, cost saving and environmental standpoint, isn't it time you made the commitment to upgrade to an LED solution. Can you really justify leaving it any longer?

Jon Lewis L.I.F

AAL LIGHTING REDEFINES LIGHTING WITH LED KICK

Posted by davidc@ccr-mag.com on www.ccr-mag.com/aal-lighting-redefines-lighting-with-led-kick/

 Hubbell Lighting, a world leader in lighting innovation, announced today the introduction of Architectural Area Lighting’s (AAL) latest site and area lighting masterpiece—the LED KicK™. Representing an entirely new class of LED luminaire, the KicK™ is the industry’s first product to angle upwards and yet provide full light cutoff.

Fusing a contemporary urban design with advanced LED technology, the KicK™ combines form and function where it matters most—on the pedestrian scale. The pole and luminaire are stylishly integrated into one bold angular design that delivers a truly elegant low glare solution for walkways, paths and building entrances.

The simplicity of the patent-pending Stair Step optic design lets form follow function, resulting in the luminaire’s slim and sleek design that hides the LEDs when viewed from behind. The KicK’s™ unique optical system delivers an impressive 12,880 lumens at up 99 lumens per watt with 0% uplight and 0% backlight.

The luminaire is available in three color temperatures (3000K, 4200K, 5100K); three optical distributions (Type 2, 3 and 4); two popular sizes for flexibility (K4, 4” and K5, 5”); and three configurable mounting options including integral pole, tenon mount and side mount. AAL’s KicK™ features integral surge and thermal protection, is 0-10V dimming ready and is compatible with a number of wired and wireless controls system including Hubbell Lighting’s wiHUBB™. More info at www.hubbelllighting.com.