"Artificial light accounts for almost one-fifth of the world's electricity consumption - substantially more than the output of all the nuclear power stations in the world. Within 25 years, the global demand for artificial light is projected to be almost twice today's level as the developing world moves towards western living standards," say Laservision.
The company says that a shift in global climate trends and an international focus on sustainable energy has seen high-rise buildings around the world favouring energy efficient lighting design as a means of retrofitting structures for modern times.
Many governments around the world are beginning to utilise a greenhouse rating scheme for ranking the energy efficiency of office buildings. The Australian government was the first to take on the concept by means of the 'Australian Building Greenhouse Rating' (ABGR) scheme, which offers market recognition and a competitive advantage for low greenhouse emitters and energy efficient buildings, and encourages best practice in the design, operation and maintenance of commercial buildings to minimise greenhouse emission.
Hong Kong's Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) runs a similar system called the Hong Kong Energy Efficiency Registration Scheme for Buildings. The scheme promotes registration of Building Energy Codes which comprise lighting, air conditioning, electrical, lift and escalator installations and stipulate the energy requirements of these installations.
While both the Australian and Hong Kong markets are at the forefront of energy consumption sensitivity, Laservision has developed low energy lighting solutions such as Hong Kong's Canon Building. Located in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, Canon has recently employed Laservision to provide a turnkey lighting design based on the objectives of energy efficiency, high brightness, low maintenance, wide viewing angles and consideration for the highly reflective nature of the building's exterior.
The design utilises high-powered (6W) LED dots and has set a benchmark for environmentally sustainable skyscraper lighting, say Laservision. 14 rows of LED dots have been installed along each of the building's external ribs and the design cleverly solves light trespass and light pollution issues that are problematic in illuminating glass surfaces. The final view provides spectators with intensely bright colour changing effects, regardless of the audiences viewing position, say the company.
Laservision says that its LED technology uses 5% of the energy that would be required by conventional edifice lighting techniques. At such a low energy requirement, this lighting design has the option to be serviced by sustainable energy solutions such as solar power.
(Lee Baldock)
