Cut lighting loads by 40 per cent says new CIBSE chief
We have the technical solutions to reduce the amount of energy consumed by lighting in buildings by over 40 per cent, according to the new President of CIBSE Mike Simpson.
The former President of the Society of Light and Lighting said that lighting was the most conspicuous energy consumer in buildings accounting for over 40 per cent of total base load for European buildings - it is even higher in high density places such as Hong Kong where lighting accounts for as much as 64 per cent of total building energy consumption.
"Lighting load typically accounts for 30 per cent of the electrical load in a commercial building and using today's technology we could save 40 per cent of that," said Mr Simpson. "If we could make those reductions we would offset all of the world's air travel," he told the audience at his inaugural address last week."
Mr Simpson is technical and design director at Philips and was responsible for the design of the solid state lighting system used to illuminate the facade of Buckingham Palace as well as the external lighting of Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and the Pepsi-Max rollercoaster in Blackpool.
He called for much wider adoption of modern lighting techniques to help reduce carbon emissions and also help stimulate the recession hit economy. He also hailed the decision of 33 countries to remove from sale lamps with poor energy ratings, but lamented the fact that the national press has ignored the benefits of this and labeled it a "national disaster".
"The bigger disaster is that we, the lighting community, have failed to get this message across...where else do we try to hang on to a technology that is over 130 years old and has been overtaken several times by alternatives, which will deliver up to 80 per cent energy savings?"
He said lighting was undergoing its own "technological revolution" and that solid state products were developing at such a pace that it was difficult "to predict more than a year ahead where we will be".
"It will deliver energy savings along with a previously unimaginable palate of new lighting tools for the designer to work with. We are no longer limited by technology, only by our own imagination."
Mr Simpson added that the business opportunities offered by switching to solid state lighting, renewables and carbon reduction would help to create jobs and "provide a basis for future economic growth".
"CIBSE is in an excellent position not only to support our members through these challenging times but to position ourselves at the forefront of the industry in the mitigation of climate change and carbon reduction."