Clean & Clever Energy
Toolkits
Lighting Options
Lighting Options
Acknowledgement
This Activity received funding from the Department of Industry as part of the Energy Efficiency Information
Grants Program.
Disclaimer
The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the
Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.
BIEDO
Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation
10 Moore Street, (PO Box 94), Goomeri, Qld 4601
Phone: (07) 4169 7851
Email: biedoadmin@burnett.net.au
Website: www.biedo.org.au
BIEDO Clean and Clever Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/biedocleanandclever
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Lighting Options
How to use this fact sheet
This fact sheet forms part of the Clean and Clever toolkits, to assist you to reduce your business’ energy use.
Please read this fact sheet in conjunction with the Energy Information Toolkit and the Planning,
Implementing and Monitoring Toolkit.
These can be found at www.biedo.org.au/article/163/clean-and-clever-energy-toolkits
Lighting
Depending on your lighting requirements, there are many different options
available to maximise your lighting while reducing your energy use. The lighting
options described here are for your general information and are to be used as a
guide of options available. If you are to install lighting in a new building or
looking to retrofit existing lighting, it is recommended that you receive advice
from a lighting specialist who can ensure the lighting levels meets the
Australian Standard.
All businesses will have different requirements for lighting depending on the
intended use (general lighting or task specific), building layout, and size of the building. Below are general
indications of the lighting used in various industries, shown as percentage of lighting in overall energy use.
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Lighting Options
Outline of lighting options
There are several types of lighting used in Australia for task specific and general lighting. The following
sections will outline the purposes of each type of lighting and how they relate to energy efficiency.
Linear fluorescent lights
These are generally known as ‘fluro’s’. There are two types of linear fluorescent lights available in Australia.
These are the T8 and the T5 series.
The T8 model is considered the traditional fluro and are found in many older buildings in Queensland,
particularly offices, retail outlets, and storage areas. They can be found as a twin or single fitting. T8’s will
generally have a magnetic ballast although, some modern installations may have an electronic ballast which
provides an instant start to the light rather than the traditional flicker start associated with fluorescent lights.
Magnetic ballasts require a high power surge to create the start-up of a fluorescent light. The ‘starter’, which
screws into the light fitting, provides the ballast with the additional surge needed. Electronic ballasts do not
require a starter. Therefore, if your fluorescent lights have a starter, then you will have a magnetic ballast.
This is important when deciding which energy efficiency options to take.
T5 are thinner tubes and have a different fitting to the T8 lights. T5 use 28W and have a greater light output
than the T8 which use 36W plus the ballast with a lower light output. T5’s are a more energy efficient option
for fluorescent lighting.
In some cases, the use of one T5 can replace the use of a twin T8, or two LED tubes can replace the twin T8.
Fluorescent lights can be used for general lighting and some task specific lighting.
Compact Fluorescent Lights
These are often referred to as CFL’s. CFL’s are essentially a compact version of a linear fluorescent light. They
have been the main replacement for incandescent bulbs and come in a range of sizes and shapes, including
down-lights. CFL’s are approximately 80% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and halogen lights as they
produce far less heat.
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Lighting Options
Intelligent Lighting
Intelligent lighting is lighting that adjust their output of light depending on the level of natural light available
in the area. Other aspects of intelligent lighting may include occupancy and movement sensors.
Intelligent Fluorescent High-Bay
These high-bay lights have reasonably low operating costs and have a life-span of 20,000+ operating hours.
The lighting fitting is set with sensors to adjust the light level according to the amount of natural light
available. They use around 200W of electricity to operate. They suit installations between 6-16m high.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
LED’s convert electricity directly into light, which is the reason for the high level of efficiency. LED’s produce
more usable white light per unit of energy compared to other light sources. LED’s can produce a lot of light
for a small source but if not managed properly, can cause glare. Quality LED’s are long lasting, averaging
50,000 hours, produce very little heat and are more efficient than any other light source.
There are a number of issues to consider regarding the use of LED’s. These include:
●
Expensive capital cost
●
Some products are poorly designed
●
Can cause glare
LED’s come in a range of shapes and sizes. Up until recently, LED’s were used solely for task specific lighting,
including displays, back-lighting, and signage. The progression of LED technology is now moving towards
general lighting, including, linear LED tubes, globes, down-lights, and spotlights.
As LED technology is reasonable new in Australia, there are a few things you should consider before replacing
all of your lights.
●
Make sure all components are of the highest quality and sourced from reputable suppliers
●
A test area of LED lights has been evaluated and is suitable for wide-spread installation
●
Lights have an adequate method for dissipating heat
●
Evidence available of light life testing
●
Evidence that it is compliant with all relevant standards
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Lighting Options
General Lighting Service Incandescent Lamps
These are the traditional incandescent light bulbs that were most common in houses and business prior to
compact fluorescent lights. Electricity heats a tungsten filament which produces the light. This method of
producing light waste about 90% of its electricity through the production of heat.
Incandescent light bulbs for general lighting have been phased out and should no longer be available to purchase in Australia, although they still may be found in use in businesses and homes. Variations of incandescent lights are still available for a variety of specific tasks, such as lights in ovens.
Halogen lights
Halogen lights are a form of incandescent light. They are used for a variety of purposes including signage,
down-lights and backlighting.
Depending on your use, it may be possible to reduce the wattage of the light you are using as a way to
reduce energy use and costs. For example, 36W halogen down-lights may be a suitable replacement for 50W
halogen down-lights. Alternatively, LED varieties are far more energy efficient and use very little energy to
achieve similar ambiance.
Metal Halide
Metal halide lights have become quite popular over the last decade. They are used as an energy efficient
replacement to sodium vapour lights and mercury vapour lights.
Metal halide lights produce a good white light and are considered energy efficient and have a long operating
life-span. They are often used for flood-lighting, street and car-park lighting, and can be found in factories,
retail stores and aquariums.
They come in a range of wattages, depending on the intended use of the product. In a manufacturing setting,
they should be installed in areas where the ceiling is more than 4m high.
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Lighting Options
Australian Standards
When looking at installing new lighting or designing a new area for lighting, it is vital to consider the
Australian Standards for lighting for Workplace Health and Safety reasons. The Standards provide minimum
requirements to prevent adverse health effects and accidents associated with poor lighting.
Lux Levels (the amount of light falling onto a surface – per square metre) is one consideration of the
Australian Standards for lighting. A table has been provided to show the minimum Lux Level in a range of
situations. Other aspects to consider include uniformity and glare.
Area
Lux Level
Office work space – task
320
Office work space – background/environment
160
Office work space – fine detail office workspace
600
Corridor
40
Factory floor with non-fine detail work
160-400
Foyer
160
Internal stairs
80
Car park – entrance daytime
800
Car park – entrance night time
160
Car park – general
40
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Lighting Options
Best practice
Analysing your current lighting needs, occupancy in rooms, and natural light available will help you to identify
ways to reduce your electricity use from lighting. In some situations, skylights and intelligence lighting
(lighting that adjusts its output depending on natural light available) work well to maximise the amount of
natural light used in a building.
Other control systems may assist you to reduce your lighting usage, such as occupancy sensors and dimmers.
Re-zoning clusters of lights to better suit your requirements may also assist to reduce the number of lights on
at a time.
Upgrading to energy efficient lights and new light fittings will further assist to reduce your energy use.
Painting your ceiling and walls in light colours or white will help to reduce the amount of artificial light
needed as the walls and ceiling help to reflect the light.
Keeping light fixtures clean minimises light from diminishing and can reduce the need to turn more lights on.
Installing reflectors to your light fittings may also provide more light into the area as it assist with the redirection of light from the fitting.
Having a lighting specialist compare available products and various lighting configurations for your situation
is highly recommended.
Replace whole lights and fittings or retrofit parts?
Replacing the whole light unit (light and fitting) may provide a better alternative than retrofitting light bulbs
only, particularly if the unit is over 10 years old.
The higher cost of the whole unit is often balanced by the benefits of having a complete system that works
together as intended, as opposed to retrofitting where new technology meets old fittings that may be well
beyond their intended life-span.
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Lighting Options
Lighting options per industry
Hospitality, Tourism, Retail, Childcare and Professional Services (Offices)
Current lighting used
Replacement/retrofit options
Incandescent bulbs
CFL’s or LED bulbs
Fluorescent tubes (T8) Twin or Single Fitting
Fluorescent Tubes (T5), LED tubes, or replace magnetic
ballast with electronic ballast.
Halogen down-lights (50W)
Halogen down-lights (35W), CFL or LED down-lights
Halogen spot lights
LED spot lights
Manufacturing
Current lighting used
Replacement/retrofit options
Incandescent bulbs
CFL’s or LED bulbs
Fluorescent tubes (T8) Twin or Single Fitting
Fluorescent Tubes (T5), LED tubes, or replace magnetic
ballast with electronic ballast.
Halogen down-lights (50W)
Halogen down-lights (35W), CFL or LED down-lights
Halogen spot lights
LED spot lights
Halogen high-bay lights
LED high-bay lights, intelligent fluorescent
high-bay lights.
Sodium or Mercury Vapour lights
Metal halide lights
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