When it comes to proposing a modern lighting design the designer should be considering a solution that is far more creative, intelligent and effective than those in the past. It is far too easy to simply focus on compliance and selecting generic products that are fit for purpose. There should be more thought process put into various aspects of lighting designs with the focus on health and safety, controllability and energy usage – comfort, wellbeing, lighting control systems and warranty are key components when it comes to selecting a range of products and producing a lighting design proposal.
Everything is so rapid in the modern world and procedures are so incredibly slick, requiring pinpoint accuracy enabling super-fast response times. With this in mind, lighting design proposals have a key part to play. Whether it is a small office job or a large distribution warehouse the considerations are remarkably similar. Consideration of availability of products and production times are vital regardless of the scale of the project, especially when it comes to bespoke products. With the huge rise in energy costs it so important to incorporate lighting control systems into the lighting schemes, enabling a wealth of monitory advantages over a conventional non-controlled installation. Encouraging the use of simple controls in small areas and intelligent or networked solutions on larger projects is a stage of the design that is vital for all aspects of modern lighting design procedures.
It seems like the obvious route to go down, choosing the cheapest and basic luminaires on the basis that cost efficiency is the main driver and we all know cost is of paramount importance, but selecting a product based on cost alone is risky. It is vital that when we consider a design brief that we balance the technical aspects of the products with the cost of future maintenance whilst linking the warranty period of luminaires into the equation and carefully considering controllability and the future savings that are available way beyond the lighting install payback period of the capital cost.
When there is careful consideration of a good quality lighting design and lighting control system coupled with an aesthetically pleasing modern choice of luminaires, the outcome will be a project that is a green, compliant and a modern lit environment that offers far more than just lighting level compliance.
Obviously regardless of the project and the areas being lit, consideration and insurance of correct illuminance and luminance, in line with current guidelines of glare control, efficiency and green goals etc. should be factored in and delivered within the design.
Curtis O’Donnell – Lighting Design Manager, Dextra Group plc