Lutron's latest offering in its Grafik Eye family—the QS—off…
Lutron's latest offering in its Grafik Eye family—the QS—offers combined lighting and shade control (left). GE's line of HIR Plus lamps (inset) can be used for both interior and exterior applications. According to the manufacturer, the HIR-coated filament tube nearly eliminates UV-B and UV-C radiation helping to reduce fading and discoloration of displays.
LED Lighting Fixture's LR6 downlight module (above) can be insta…
LED Lighting Fixture's LR6 downlight module (above) can be installed in most standard 6-inch recessed incandescent or non-incandescent housings. According to the manufacturer, this converter lamp provides a light output of 650 lumens and has a color rendering index of 92.
Universal Lighting Technologies' Ballastar light-level switching…
Universal Lighting Technologies' Ballastar light-level switching for T8 lamps (left) switches from full light to 50 percent power using standard wall switches or relays. Osram Sylvania's QUICKTRONIC metal halide ballasts (right) extend lamp life, improves lumen maintenance, and eliminates lamp cycling.
SUMMARY Excluding LEDs, we likely can expect a continuing decline in the number of lamp and ballast developments as LED lighting systems are now reaching efficacy and efficiency levels suited for general lighting. But LED systems will remain expensive, and until we are prepared to pay 10 cents per lumen for our lighting gear, conventional lamps will still be popular.
Controls, on the other hand, offer a new dimension to energy efficiency. Too many buildings have been written off as uncontrollable because of the high cost of retrofitting high-performance controls. Developers of mesh networks and other wireless systems know that cost-effective wireless controls will be a huge business as the need to control lighting becomes essential. In new buildings, I personally like the reliability of wiring, and digital lighting systems using DALI and related technologies. They are the only way to build buildings in the future.
