More Revision For Efficiency

Prior to the introduction of the two most recent iterations of the UK Building Regulations Part - L (The Conservation of Fuel and Power) in 2002 and 2006, I am sure that there were many successfully practising lighting designers who did not perceive designing in relation to energy efficiency as being specifically relevant to them. Often such considerations, if addressed, were left to the engineers to deal with, thus apparently leaving the lighting ‘designer’ with carte blanche in relation to creative freedom (with, of course, the exception of cost considerations!). Arguably, in many situations this has created a divided design approach with some members of the team concentrating on the more aesthetic side of the design and others on the technical, perhaps leading to skills gaps on either side.

A new revision to Part L, which has been the subject of recent industry consultation, is due next year in 2010. This revised version of the regulations calls for yet more stringent design criteria to help reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from buildings. It will be followed by a further revision introducing additional cuts in designed energy and CO2 emissions in 2013. The aim of these regulations is to help the UK meet Kyoto Protocol targets, reduce global warming and help ensure the security of global fuel supplies. The requirements of Part L also form part of the EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) that came into force on 4 January 2003 and which had to be implemented by all the EU Member States by 4 January 2006 at the latest.

Revisions to Part L are gradually leading to higher performing building fabric design and the associated large reduction in heating loads is combined with reducctions of energy for all electrical services inclusive of lighting. The 2010 revision calls for lighting designs to improve in terms of lamp efficacy, equipment efficiency and overall use of low energy equipment which will now be assumed to be 100% for all fixed lighting points in internal environments.

Bearing all of the above in mind, if lighting designers are to move with the times, meet regulatory criteria and continue to offer useful consultancy, they will need to have a good understanding of how to design appropriate, efficient, low energy schemes that enable holistic building energy reductions at the same time as creating comfortable and desirable environments. This will probably require changes to some current design practices such as the production of repeat ‘one size fits all’ specifications that do not consider the intricacies of individual building designs or uses, a greater understanding of overall performance criteria and robustness of lighting equipment, and less emphasis on the purely decorative aspects of design.

All this could inspire greater creativity in relation to understanding the intricacies of a lighting design since small differences in approach, especially when they are compounded, could lead to significant increases or decreases in energy use, running and equipment costs and comfort. For example, recent research undertaken by lighting equipment manufacturer ETAP has shown that a 1W/m2 improvement in lighting efficiency has the capacity to save 225 tonnes of CO2 over a fifteen year period. They have also shown that location of lighting equipment in close proximity to air supplies or allowing for extraction of air around equipment or over lamps will lead to significant reductions in lighting equipment efficiencies, as can the type of material and design of reflectors and diffusers etc.

Relevant to the new Part L revision and low energy lighting design, the Carbon Trust has recently set up a scheme to provide financial incentives to businesses and clients to help them install new energy saving technologies inclusive of lighting, known as Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs). 

ECAs allow businesses to install equipment that has been specified on the Carbon Trust’s Energy Technology List (ETL) and receive 100% first year tax relief. ETAP are one of a number of lighting manufacturers whose equipment is included on this list which includes their products which fall under the category HELUs (High Efficiency Lighting Units).

Schemes such as ECAs could go a long way to help businesses improve their overall energy efficiencies at the same time as helping lighting designers to convince stubborn clients to install low energy designs.

www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy/takingaction/eca.htm
www.communities.gov.uk
www.etaplighting.com