The buzz on forums, Twitter and Facebook may be around Solar PV Panels at the moment but it should not be overlooked that the effective use of daylight and installing lighting controls in conjunction with lamp selection can make a big difference to making energy consumption more efficient. In fact Chris Tranter, product manager – lamps and lighting for Newey & Eyre suggests that potential savings of up to 75 per cent are possible in some situations.
Facebook, the dominant force in social media and now a leader in business showing the way for energy efficiency in workplace environments, has established some simple goals for its lighting system by making efficient use of daylight, lighting controls, and efficient fixtures to save energy and keep employees comfortable, while preserving the company’s unfinished, garage-like office aesthetic.
And it’s not just about reducing the energy consumption but raising the efficiency of the workforce. If any clients are questioning the costs of energy efficient lighting and incorporating new control devices such as Daylight harvesters, dimmer switches, occupancy controls and time delay switches for example, then again point to the finding of the internet giant.
An EDF Climate Corps fellow at Facebook stated “research shows a positive relationship between workplace comfort and productivity. Numerous studies indicate that effective use of daylight, in particular, improves productivity. Conversely, incorrect lighting design choices can lead to work environments that are overlit or underlit, have excessive glare, or are otherwise uncomfortable for workers.” Referenced from Naveen Lakshmipathy at www.greenbiz.com
How many employees complain of eyestrain and headaches requiring more breaks, sick days and ‘fresh air’ breaks. Propose that if the improvement of lighting design could increase productivity for even 15 minutes per day, large companies like Facebook can recap the costs of installation in more ways than just their utility bills.
So as a resource to help you explain the options some of your clients have apart from freeing up some roof space …the guys at NeweysOnline.co.uk have several knowledge articles such as Energy Efficient Lighting and Should Companies Give the Green Light to Energy Efficiency.
