Lighting Dimensions
is pleased to publish letters from our readers. This is in response to our energy efficiency supplement, published in April:
Congratulations on the joint publishing by Lighting Dimensions, CEE, and EC&M for this very useful supplement! As a member of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA project committee for Standard 90.1-1999, I was particularly delighted to see your articles.
After sitting through several years of discussions in the Lighting Sub-Committee, I have been trying to make slight changes to the standard in order to achieve its goals faster:
1. In addition to wattage restrictions and lighting controls, encourage the initial use of the most energy-efficient sources. These systems include light pipe, fibre optics, and LEDs. In this way, even if the mandatory parameters are purposely bypassed, electricity will still be conserved.
2.The elitist definition, arbitrarily changing fixture to luminaire, does not cover lighting systems which are not individual units, but are more efficient than the conventional incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent lamps mentioned exclusively in the standard.
Somehow, I can’t visualize an electrician asking his helper to pass him the luminaire. The fact is, this is an artificial term that is not used at all in France and if used in Great Britain, is hyphenated after fitting. Therefore, I have suggested, wherever the word luminaire occurs, to add the phrase “or other lighting system.” In this way, those inexperienced with all practical light sources currently available will become aware of such products, and will consider them if suitable for the application.
Fluorescents and LEDs are not directional, and are not the best choice for illuminating task, display, and architectural contours. Halogen is not very energy efficient.
Light pipe and fiber optics are both green. Megolon, the proprietary sheathing on glass fiber optics, is halogen-free, and self-extinguishing. In fact, both systems are cool, literally and figuratively.
Europe, the Middle, and the Far East are using these alternate sources heavily. The United States should catch up.
Gersil N. Kay
Conservation Lighting International Ltd.
Philadelphia, PA