ˇ°The human appetite for energy appears to be insatiable. There are good reasons for the continued growth of energy consumption in the future: the survival needs of the under privileged billions, increased adult life expectations stemming from the population boomˇ and the desirable goal of improved quality of life for everyone. But there are equally good reasons for carefully examining what the consequences of energy growth will be after present consumption rates have quadrupled. When do we melt the polar icepacks? How much land can we afford to set aside for energy plants? How much photosynthetic smog can we tolerate?ˇ±
Alfred M. Worden,
Proceedings of the 1st World Energy Engineering Congress, 1978
Sustainability mind Maps :
Reduse & Reuse & Recycle
Sustainability is meeting the needs of current and future generations
through an integration of environmental protection, social advancement
and economic prosperity
Image extracted 14 May 2007 from the http://genomics.energy.gov website from the U.S. Department of
Energy Genome Programs.
Lighting vs Sustainability
Lighting technologies are being continuously improved. Enhancing the efficiency of lighting systems begins with good design. Natural lighting can be made available in every space of a home or building. In existing spaces, daylighting can be optimized by using window treatments, light shelves and daylight-sensing controls that adjust artificial light levels. Window treatments, such as tinted films, double-hung horizontal blinds (meaning they can be lowered from both the top and bottom), or the addition of sheer curtains, encourage occupants to take advantage of natural light. Light shelves are window features that are installed either on the inside or the outside of south-facing windows.
Located slightly above eyelevel, light shelves reflect natural light toward the interior ceiling and into the other parts of the room. This creates a more pleasant light throughout the room, while reducing glare and preventing overheating of interior spaces near windows.
Daylight - sensing controls are often used with commercial and institutional lighting systems to ensure that when natural light is available, light fixtures near windows are turned off or have reduced the artificial light levels, thus lowering electrical energy requirements.
Appropriate fixtures and lamps are part of the lighting system efficiency solution. Lighting systems today are more energy efficient than lighting sold in the past. Further improvements in lighting system efficiency can be expected in the future. Commercial building codes that prescribe limits for the watts per unit area of floor space are setting aggressive standards for efficiency. It is important to investigate lighting options and install the best equipment available.
Fluorescent lighting systems are common for commercial spaces. New fluorescent lamps provide as much as 20% to 30% more light output per watt. Electronic ballasts that are available today consume less electricity than the magnetic ballasts that were the previous standard and tube efficacy (lumens per Watt) has also increased.
(Sustainable Development Handbook, p 153,154, Knovel)
Danson LEDs are available now in many styles to replace nearly every type of lamp, including standard tungsten - filament incandescent lamps, Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) , flood lights, and decorative lamps.
CFLs use 80 - 85% less power than incandescent lamps to provide equivalent light. This technology has improved in recent years and past concerns about outdoor use, buzzing, and compatibility with solid state controls have been resolved.
High intensity discharge ( HID ) lighting is commonly used outdoors and in spaces with high ceilings such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities and sports facilities. This type of lighting includes metal halides, mercury vapor and high and low - pressure sodium fixtures. HID lighting has undergone significant technological improvements, both in increased light output and in more efficient ballast technology.
One breakthrough is the commercialization of pulse-start metal halide lamps. These lamps are 20% to 30% more efficient than previous designs. Metal halide fixtures are also making inroads into the areas of decorative and track lighting, using as much as 60% to 70% less energy when compared to incandescent or halogen lighting.
Now Industrial LED lamps are available now in many styles to replace nearly every type of HID lamps . LEDs are more energy efficient than HID lamps and future of the lighting.
Danson is committed to invent new energy efficient light sources continuously in a way to contribute to sustainable environment.