Energy-efficient lighting design focuses on ways to improve both the quality and efficiency of lighting. Here you'll find basic information about energy-efficient lighting design principles and methods for indoor and outdoor lighting design.
When designing indoor lighting for energy efficiency, you want to consider some basic design principles and methods. Energy-efficient lighting design principles include the following: - Remember that more light is not necessarily better. Human visual performance depends on light quality as well as quantity.
- Match the amount and quality of light to the performed function.
- Install task lights where needed and reduce ambient light elsewhere.
- Use only energy-efficient lighting components, controls and systems. These include Fluorescent and LED lighting options.
- Maximize the use of daylighting. Daylighting is the use of windows and skylights to bring natural light into your home.
Here are some basic methods for achieving energy-efficient indoor lighting: - Install fluorescent or LED light fixtures for all ceiling and wall-mounted fixtures that will be on for more than 2 hours each day. These often include the fixtures in the kitchen and living room and sometimes those in bathrooms, halls, bedrooms and other higher-demand locations.
- Install dedicated compact fluorescent fixtures, rather than retrofit compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in incandescent fixtures, so that fluorescent bulbs continue to be used for the life of the house.
- Use CFLs in portable lighting fixtures (like floor and table lamps) that are operated for more than 2 hours a day.
- Use occupancy sensors for automatically turning on and off your lights as needed.
- Consider light wall colours to minimize the need for artificial lighting. Lighter wall colours will require less artificial lighting in your living spaces
When designing outdoor lighting, you need to consider the purpose of the lighting along with the basic methods for achieving energy efficiency. Outdoor lighting for homes generally serves one or more of these three main purposes: 1. Aesthetics
- Illuminate the exterior of the house and landscape. 2. Security
- Illuminate the grounds near the house or driveway to provide security. 3. Utility
- Illuminate the porch and driveway to help people navigate safely to and from the house. Here are some basic methods for achieving energy-efficient outdoor lighting: - Security and utility lighting does not need to be bright to be effective.
- Use fluorescent, high-intensity discharge, or low-pressure sodium lights.
- Consider floodlights with combined photosensors and motion sensors in the place of other security lighting options.
- Use photosensors with fluorescent, high-intensity discharge, or low-pressure sodium lights.
- Make sure outdoor light fixtures have reflectors, deflectors, or covers to make more efficient use of the light source and help reduce light pollution.
- Use timers and other controls to turn decorative lighting on and off.
- Use outdoor LED lighting where possible. High Quality LED's will last up to 20,000 hours and will consume less power than traditional halogen spots
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