Specialty and Architectural Lighting

When buying a projector - whether for a classroom, conference room or sports bar - “brightness” will certainly be one of the specifications at the top of the list to consider. However, it's not only the projector that determines the perception of brightness for the viewer. While the lumen output of the projector is a key variable, the reflective properties of the screen have a significant bearing on how “bright” the images appear. In addition,...

Before LED replacements arrived on the scene, CFL pin-based lamps were preferred for commercial downlights. Because of lower energy and demand costs compared to incandescent or halogen, CFL recessed downlights became a common feature in commercial, retail, hospitality and similar spaces. How does LED compare now?

Brightness sits at the top of the list when thinking about the quality of a projected image whether for conference rooms, classrooms, houses of worship or home theater applications. What are the factors that affect the brightness of a projected image? Projector Brightness When buying a digital projector one of the key metrics found on manufacturer specification sheets is brightness. Measured in lumens, this quantifies the light output of the projector. More lumens, more brightness...

The UHP lamp (ultra high pressure lamp, usually mercury arc) refers to projector lamps with an internal pressure of over 3000 lbs per square inch. The acronym also stands for ultra high performance. Originally developed by Philips in 1995, it is a common light source for digital data front projection, video front projectors and rear projection televisions because it has very high light output available for the small environments of micro display projectors. The main...

We've written here before about one of the toughest problems for manufacturers of LED replacement lamps: achieving light intensity comparable to halogen in the MR16 form factor - particularly for narrow beam distribution. The initial blog post was written in 2014, then updated in late 2016. The update concluded by stating that new breakthroughs in GaN on GaN technology had allowed the manufacturing of single point source LED MR16's – an important step toward replicating...

The effects of power quality on LED lighting performance generally receive little attention prior to installation for most commercial building applications. Power quality issues such as dips, harmonics, interruptions, transients and surges can result in expensive, early replacement of damaged or failed LED lighting equipment. While facility managers involved with smaller commercial projects may be able to ignore power quality without much consequence, larger industrial LED lighting projects, such as the replacement of existing HID...

When comparing LED troffers and retrofits to fluorescent troffers, the most LED fixtures will either exceed or match the specifications of the fluorescent fixtures. LED lumen output often matches that of various fluorescent configurations but it, along with control compatibility, requires careful consideration to ensure the LED installation will meet the needs specific to the application.

One of the fastest growing segments of the LED commercial lighting market is site, area, street and parking lot lighting. Owners of commercial property and municipalities in particular are looking at LED solutions for new developments or to replace HID fixtures in existing applications. In this post we will look at occupant perceptions of safety, security and visibility in parking lots. Specifically, we will review a study that uses LED parking lot light fixtures to...

The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has conducted a field research project evaluating installation issues and performance of a high bay retrofit where the existing metal halide bulbs have been changed to LED. High bay fixtures that use metal halide lamps in warehouses, shops, sports facilities and big box retail offer an opportunity for significant energy savings with LED HID replacement lamps. The high wattages for metal halide range from 175 watts...

Photocontrol devices use photocells to determine ON/OFF status of outdoor lighting based on the ambient light level. While generally understood as responding to visible light, some photosensors also respond to infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Normally used for roadway, area, parking, flood and security lighting, photocontrols automatically control the ON/OFF cycle to optimize the effectiveness of the lighting and maximize energy savings. In daylight harvesting applications, the photocontrol is mounted inside the occupied space...