We have received the following comments about conveying energy-efficient lighting equipment to society:

"Dimmability, initial cost, and light quality are the three largest real issues I see bothering people. Listing violations that involve substituting compact fluorescents for incandescents, and safety questions associated with those violations are a seldom-considered problem, but non-trivial."
(David, an electrician and electricity writer)

"As a lighting designer, I have seen the industry go from using general source ambient lighting (employing lamp sources that waste illumination in the ambient environment) to task-oriented illumination. Task illumination requires specific knowledge of lamp characteristics and beam patterns. Proper use of this knowledge is still sadly lacking in the general population. Usable lights are those that allow the beam pattern of a lamp to be confined to the task-area based on the ceiling height and spacing criteria of the lamps in that area. The relationship between general and task illumination must also be considered as too often designs are based solely on ceiling aesthetic in the space with no regard for actual requirements.
"To make matters even more interesting, many homes are moving toward automated systems, including lighting control. The area between lighting and control is beginning to melt together., but unfortunately many individuals in the control business are attempting to provide lighting design without adequate knowledge of lamps."
(an anonymous lighting designer)

"It took awhile, but nowadays most folks readily admit the tri-phosphor T8 lamps running on electronic ballasts are far and away better lighting than standard cool or warm white T12's running on magnetic ballasts. However I still think that the older deluxe halophosphate lamps have a role to play - especially in residential use. Deluxe Cool White and Daylight, and the 5000K Chroma 50 lamps are cheaper than the 80% tri-phosphors and, while not as bright, they give excellent color rendering. In a residential kitchen color rendering is more important than efficiency. And often the fixture already has a magnetic ballast which, until if fails, the homeowner is not usually willing to replace. If one needs more lumens but still wants excellent color, just install a 4-lamp fixture and use deluxe tri-phosphor lamps."
(Ken, an electric utility lighting professional)

"In the construction industry it seems, as elsewhere, that companies are looking for the right light level (lumens per square foot) for the right price (installation cost and operating cost.) I have seen experimental lighting in parking garages that use solar energy to light them. It seems that application could be used in all types of buildings in some way."
(Matt, an installer, designer and specifier)

"I started in the industry in 1984 and in the past 15 years have seen the change from incandescent sources to fluorescent and now the beginning of the emergence of L.E.D. technology applied to [general] lighting. I have seen the change from inefficient ‘Cool White’ fluorescent lamps to highly efficient ‘tri-phosphor’ lamps. I believe that this has been the best and most exciting time to be in the lighting industry.”
(Scott, a wholesaler)

"The banning of the F40CW bulb has been the best thing to happen to fluorescent lighting. Replacements and new installations are now using lamps with higher CRIs (Color Rendition Index), and the F40CWX has made a comeback. Better color rendition makes products in stores look better hence more product moves, increasing cash flow in the economy. High CRI lighting in the work place results in higher moral, fewer sick days, fewer errors on the job-this too may be playing a part in our improved economy.”
(Matt, a designer and specifier)

"You are a fool not to read and understand issues involving home, business, and all other lighting issues! What you don't know, can drain your pocketbook easily!!!"
(Lynn, an installer)

“[Energy efficiency] is a real hard concept to sell here in south central Pennsylvania. Energy costs are so low, and the people so tight-walleted, that even paybacks of under 2 years take forever to get approved."
(Scott, a wholesaler and specifier")

"The design community and especially the energy-legislative community has become so enamored of the concept of energy efficiency that they have lost touch with some basics of light, physics and quality of environment. A 20 watt low voltage lamp can be used to create similar light levels as some compact fluorescents while offering greater control and quality. However the reaction becomes one of believing that only the use of fluorescent is energy efficient and environmentally correct. Is a watt not a watt?"
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

"There is a great need for education related to this issue since the use of efficient luminaires does not insure that the best results are obtained. Is daylight considered? Is the whole area illuminated when only a small space is in use? Has task and ambient lighting been considered? The issues are endless."
(Tom, a designer)

"Most of the designs I have seen recently that are popular in offices and homes concentrate too much on simplicity not artistic design."
(Michele, a designer)

HISTORICAL MATERIALS:

In addition to perspectives we are also collecting historically interesting documents, photos, objects, and other materials pertinent to electric lighting. Below are a few of the materials already received:

As of November 2000 we have received several website referrals from various conveyors. The items shown to the right came from Kathi and her colleagues at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and include an information kit and four sample subcompact fluorescent lamps. (Click the image for an enlargement and additional information about this material.)

CONVEYOR QUESTIONS:

#1 - Tell us about the designers, marketers, or other conveyors you believe have been especially important in promoting energy-efficient lighting.

"Believe it or not, OPEC."
(Leon, a manufacturer)

"Charles 'Chip' Israel, Leslie Wheel, Ralph M. Swarens, James Benya"
(David, a designer)

"GE, Holophane, Lithonia, NEC and Hubbel"
(Matt, an installer, designer and specifier)

"I think the ballast designers and the lamp phosphor developers have played an exteremely important role in the evolution of fluorescent and HID lighting."
(Ken, an electric utility lighting professional)

"In my area of entertainment lighting, I believe a prime mover has been ETC Corporation. They have designed a new generation of fixtures that allow a 575-watt lamp to put out the [same amount of light as] a 1,000-watt lamp in a traditional fixture. Also, the advent of "intelligent" fixtures that can move, change color, etc., by remote control has made it possible (in some applications) to use fewer fixtures since these devices can be reset to perform the duties of a larger number of fixed units. Two major manufacturers of this type equipment are Vari-Lite, and High End Systems."
(Steve, a designer)

"Many European manufacturers and a few of their American associates who have evolved the use of low wattage incandescent to create efficient and attractive fixtures. Such as Light Solutions in the US and CEUP in Italy."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

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#2 - Explain how the emphasis on lighting efficiency has changed the nature of your job during the past 30 years.

"More efficient light strips are used now, and our bosses care more about how they are using their money to light a job-site."
(Shery, a retailer)

"Though I have been in the lighting business for the last seven years only I feel that, due to competition throughout the field, people have been compelled to learn about and use energy efficient lamps and luminaires."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"We are more careful to specify fixtures that are more efficient, and we are more careful to specify 'task' oriented lighting rather that a blanket of light."
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"The changing technologies in lighting have forced designers to take a different view as to how they should illuminate a space. A broad range of lighting has opened up in the last decade alone. Incandescent lighting was the way when dimming situations presented themselves in the past. Applications of the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) were limited at first. As the market opened up to the demand for more efficacious compact light sources, further development of the CFL allowed greater flexibility for applications. Better phosphor blends for better color rendering abilities have been developed, making integration of the CFL into commercial designs easier. Though the compact fluorescent is more costly [to buy] than a typical incandescent lamp, CFLs have more than paid for themselves in the maintenance arena."
(Nicolas, a designer)

"Another important development has been the great improvements in control devices, especially dimmers. Up until 30 or 40 years ago, these devices worked on the principle of introducing electrical resistance into the circuit to control the lamp intensity. Thus even when a lamp was dimmed the same amount of electricity was being used-the balance was dissipated as heat! Today, electronic dimmers using silicon-controlled rectifiers and triacs moderate a lamp's intensity by cutting off part of the Alternating Current sine wave, thus truly using less electricity.”
(Steve, a designer)

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#3 - Can you give examples of projects that have been especially important for moving efficient lighting into the market?

"Major retailers and supermarkets seem to have been the first to specify both energy efficient and color corrected lighting to help sell their products"
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"India has been consuming large quantities of general lighting service (incandescent) lamps. Over last five years companies like Osram and Philips have created awareness of the advantages of compact fluorescents over incandescent lamps through various exhibitions and other media."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"Retail is often considered one of the most energy inefficient users of lighting. However with the development of new sources and luminaires [retail users have] probably shown some of the most creative and aggressive adaptations of [efficient] lighting."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

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#4 - How have the needs of various lighting users changed, in your experience? Can you provide data on how you determined those needs and how this influenced your planning process?

"There are various places here in Argentina that simply cannot afford or don't have the resources (energy supply, etc.) to have regular lighting. In these places I have designed systems using low voltage, energy efficient lamps and on various occasions I have had to rely on careful alignment and orientation as they could only afford little lamps. Energy efficiency here has opened a new breach in costs and availability. In general, lighting users have become more concise and are now more aware of what they want, which always makes it easier to design."
(Ignacio, a designer)

"People are asking for more sophisticated lighting to replace standard incandescent and fluorescent. For example: halogen, low voltage and metal halide."
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"In the area of stage lighting it seems that many more groups are utilizing live staging for disseminating their message, raising funds, entertaining, etc. Schools (even at the elementary level) and churches are two good examples of this phenomenon. Because many of them are relatively new in this practice they are not saddled with hand-me-down equipment used for generations, and thus provide a good market for today's manufacturers of modern energy-efficient gear. Also, since many of these spaces don't have the raw power capacity of traditional performance spaces, it is even more in their interest to get the most light per watt of power."
(Steve, a designer)

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#5 - Lighting design has moved from "blankets of light" to more refined and complex designs. In your experience, have there been unanticipated consequences (good or bad)?

"My training has taught me that blankets of light are visually boring and unacceptable. The more complex designs are much better."
(David, a designer)

"In homes especially, task lighting and high-lighting have helped to make homes more inviting and attractive. However some complain there is not enough ‘ambient' light and the newer homes can sometimes feel dark . Some of this stems from the use of dark colors in newer interior designs"
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"Brighter in not always better. A drawback would be initial purchase price and possibly installation price of the newer lights. However, if by providing adequate lighting for the employees makes them more productive and happier, isn't the price worth it?"
(Matt, an installer, designer and specifier)

"The lighting knowledge in India is very low, but with multinationals like Thorn, Vossloh, Clipsal and others educating employees here even small organizations are compelled to keep up-to-date. This is a little difficult as we can not access as much technical detail as they can."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"The market has budged, but not moved in this respect."
(Leon, a manufacturer)

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#6 - Can you provide information about the effects of corporate downsizing and globalization on lighting sales and design?

"Our downsizing hasn't had any effect on our lighting as far as I can tell."
(Shery, a retailer)

"In entertainment lighting Rock n' Roll seems to be the prime mover. It's music, theater, dance, and visual art-all in abundance. And "nothing succeeds like excess", especially in America. However, Rock seems to have become a global language and a lot of acts play Singapore and Sydney like they used to play Kansas City or Manchester. This huge popularity has pulled the technical aspects along with it (perhaps hand-in-hand), and today lighting trade conventions go to Taipei or Buenos Aries, and equipment is manufactured or marketed globally. The result is that entertainment lighting and all its attendant affairs are of a worldwide mix with input from all over being redirected outward again to the four corners. This pertains to sales, design influence, staging techniques, and safety guidelines (as overseen in the U.S. by the United States Institute of Technical Theatre). Corporate downsizing's most likely effect on entertainment would be that corporate donations to local arts groups may become more scarce. This would affect the performing group's disposable income for lighting as well as rental and sales agencies, the labor and design pool, and ultimately the manufacturers."
(Steve, a designer)

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#7 - Efficient lighting is increasingly seen as a system involving many integrated components. From your experience, how has this affected adoption of the technology?

"This is a great concept that has only begun to crawl. I am currently working on a very complex project where we (lighting, HVAC, security and IT designers) have integrated wide and local control of all systems with cross-compatibility. The various industries involved have yet to recognize the complexity of cross-compatibility and many say they have gone there, but have [actually] only scratched the surface. Once the walls are broken down and the various disciplines truly work together in development, only then will we see some highly efficient and sophisticated technologies."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

"An open mind is required for the adoption of anything new, as is the case of lighting technologies. Education in the new [technology] is also paramount. If a designer is not well versed in the new technology they will have difficulty trying to maintain an efficient design. Familiarity with operational and visual characteristics of new technologies will aid a designer in making the proper choice for [an] application while maintaining an efficient design"
(Nicolas, a designer)

"I think it has greatly increased [adoption of efficient lighting], now [that] more people understand what everything is for and have less fear of importing new technology. Especially in transformers and digital circuitry there is less fear of everything being too complex and [so] people adopt the new technology."
(Ignacio, a designer)

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#8 - Describe how government actions have affected your efforts to expand the use of energy-efficient lighting. These actions could include research and development efforts, legislation, local energy ordinances, or buying habits.

"The Energy Act of 1994 coupled with Title 24 in California have made efficient lighting the rule rather than the exception."
(David, a designer)

"I applaud the efforts to save energy taken by the U.S. federal and local governments. In Europe these efforts are admired."
(Leon, a manufacturer)

"The EPACT legislation, while well-intended , has left some holes in my choice of lamps for ordinary household use. This is partly the fault of manufacturers, who manipulate characteristics of their products within the constraints of the legislation to allow them to advertise those products in the most favorable light. For example, the old 150PAR38 [flood lamp], in its new, mandated ,120-watt form has a narrower beam to allow them to advertise it as having the same photometrics. Consequently, we get less coverage and may even have to add more lamps, thus defeating the intent of the legislation! While I applaud such efforts to save energy and reduce pollution I hope that [legislators] don't get their hands on special-purpose lamps such as stage/studio lamps. These are for special applications and not for lighting chicken-coops, and besides, I feel the manufacturers are doing a great job on their own."
(Steve, a designer)

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#9 - Energy-efficient lighting is sold in four main markets: residential, commercial, industrial, and specialty. How have design and sales perceptions of these markets changed?

"The sales end of the industry is lagging a bit in discovering these newer and more efficient sources."
(David, a designer)

"There is a relatively high awareness of energy efficiency in large commercial projects due to legal and cost incentives, and to centralized buying through Facilities Managers, etc. This has not been the case with residential and specialty markets where energy efficiency is seen as conflicting with design and esthetics."
(David, a fixture designer and manufacturer)

"Definitely most of the new residential and commercial projects have switched over to compact fluorescent lamps and more efficient luminaires, but the same is not true with industrials. They have remained more or less same."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"The biggest problem is that energy efficiency has the connotation of increased initial cost. So where cost is a factor in the design of a project it is sometimes a hard sell, especially if the owner is not paying the electric bill."
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"Each market is different from the others in terms of application. The users are now voicing their preferences and desires. Before, all they could do was install whatever was available. "
(Leon, a manufacturer)

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#10 - How does professional training about lighting differ now from when you started in your field?

"Now there is training."
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"Not enough to make a great difference. Most of my knowledge has been gained in my practice."
(David, a designer)

"It has become all based on numbers and engineering with a total disregard for aesthetics. What happened to a requirement in understanding space and volume, human emotion and general architectural principles? As a community, there is no longer a desire to render form and create spatial excitement as much as there is the demand to produce calculations for the uneducated who have no clue what a foot-candle means."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

"As equipment types have proliferated and control systems have gotten much more sophisticated, there is much more emphasis on the technical aspects. Unfortunately, it seems that many if not most universities train their students for a ‘best case’ workplace situation. While it may certainly be desirable to introduce the student to all that is available these days, I wonder if they're not graduating unprepared for a lot of ‘real life,’ less sophisticated situations that are still out there-and will be for a while."
(Steve, a designer)

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#11 - Lighting has been a part of many utilities' Demand-Side Management programs. Can you cite particularly successful or unsuccessful efforts? What effect is utility restructuring having on DSM?

"Florida Power and Light has a rebate program for retrofit of offices from T12 to T8 technology. We have only been able to take advantage of this program once unfortunately"
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"Successful implementation of utility DSM programs has shown that greater quality and quantity of lighting can be achieved. The fault, however, lies in the misapplication of retrofit technology by the Energy Service Companies that receive revenue based upon energy usage reduction, mainly derived from retrofit applications."
(Nicolas, a designer)

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#12 - Some technically successful devices have failed to sell; other devices have sold well despite technical problems. Describe your experience with such successes and failures.

"This industry is cost driven and the decision to purchase occurs within a very competitive environment. This environment is concerned only with present costs and not with quality or energy efficiency. And for the sake of survival the industry has gone along. So, it is no trick to make the best lamp or the best luminaire, the trick is to make one that will survive the decision making process involved in the purchase. And that means to make the best, most efficient [product] at a low price. "
(Leon, a manufacturer)

"Who determines ‘technically successful?’ A number cruncher? Or a real world user? Great engineering does not mean you want to live with it."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

"We don't care for low pressure sodium (LPS) light sources, the energy efficiency may be great but the color rendition stinks. The worst installation I've seen is in a town in Long Island that used LPS for street lighting; you couldn't tell the street lights from a yellow traffic signal - until it turned red."
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

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#13 - From your own experience, give examples of interactions with producers of energy-efficient lighting products. How receptive have they been to feedback from the field?

"I talk to myself a lot. (A joke since I'm both a conveyor and producer.)"
(David, a fixture designer and manufacturer)

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#14 - Give examples of your interactions with different consumer groups. Can you cite (and provide copies of) market surveys or other studies of consumption patterns?

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GENERAL QUESTIONS:

#15 - What specific effects did the Energy Crisis of the 1970s have on your work with lighting technology?

"It offered the opportunity to create more sensitive lighting that related to individual users [rather than] corporate ease of lighting management."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

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#16 - Some efficient lighting products have become associated with problems such as torchier fires, mercury content, and "light pollution." What problems or concerns affected your work with efficient lighting?

"Our biggest worry in India is that people have started replacing fluorescent with compact fluorescent lamps. Because of this the overall lux level has dropped drastically and that can effect eyes and the efficiency of people working under these lamps. People should be thoroughly educated about the product and the relevant requirements before launching such products."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"The lack of controlling the source. Initially there were no compatible fixtures for efficient sources. The void between fixture manufacturer and lamp manufacturer has closed but continues to be a problem."
(Michael, a designer and specifier)

"The advent of reduced mercury fluorescent lamps has and will continue to greatly depreciate the flow of mercury into the waste stream. However the dutiful responsibility lies with the manufactures of these products to inform consumers that there is still hazardous mercury content. One should not think that reduced mercury content is not going to have an impact on the environment. The less-is-better mentality is fine, but [even so there will be a] lasting impact as the industry continues to add mercury to the waste stream. I hope that someday the development of recycled mercury technology will experience a growth rate parallel to [that seen in the] lighting industry."
(Nicolas, a designer)

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#17 - Adopting efficient lighting seems to require producers, conveyors, and consumers to think about illumination in new ways . Do you see evidence of new approaches to lighting in society at large? Have you, as a conveyor, changed your own notions about lighting?

"Yes, we as a producer have definitely changed our thinking but consumers are not taught the proper way to apply these products. Hence though they buy, they don't get the expected results. That disappoints them and keeps them away from trying such products in the future."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"People respond well to dramatic lighting. More fixtures, less wattage, proper placement, convenient control - that's the way to go."
(Robert, an electrical contractor)

"I believe that the population in general has become more aware of lighting at some level of consciousness. I think that new product development and aggressive marketing has [boosted] the dissemination of lighting (not just illumination) into all areas of our society. This new awareness can be found in restaurants, public and corporate buildings, museums and homes, as well as in entertainment venues. I think this is also due to the good economy and an increasing mood of consumerism. As we search for ways to dispose of our disposable income, decorative-functional items such as good lighting are part of that mood. It follows that, as a matter of personal economics as well as a growing environmental awareness, energy efficiency would be a consideration in design and purchase."
(Steve, a designer)

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#18 - Has your involvement with energy-efficient lighting led you to consider energy issues when you think about other products? Can you give examples?

"I have experimented a bit with polarized lenses for fluorescent fixtures and think in some situations they help, but I have not seen a large enough application for polarized lenses to make a real judgement."
(Ken, an electric utility lighting professional)

"Yes. Air conditioning."
(David, a designer)

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#19 - In your experience, has the environmental movement helped create demand for efficient lighting? Can you cite any specific examples?

"Yes, to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels for the production of electricity."
(David, a designer)

"India has yet to learn on this subject as far as lighting is concerned."
(Atul, a designer, producer and wholesaler)

"No. The issues brought about by the environmental movement are sound and good, but the consumer votes with the pocket not the head. "
(Leon, a manufacturer)

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#20 - Are there questions we should be asking that you didn't see on this form? Please be specific, and remember to answer your own question.

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Thank you to everyone who participated!

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