Welcome to the Optimise Your Lighting Series. We’ll be exploring how to optimise your lighting for the best results, from what to look for when choosing luminaires to debunking common myths and false claims within the industry and more. Our first edition focuses on what to look for when selecting luminaires.
Everyone deserves great lighting. However, with so many options to choose from, businesses are left to make a decision which could potentially cost them more. When choosing luminaires, many focus purely on cost which can lead to failures on-site, poor optical performance and minimised longevity. Instead, you need to prioritise build quality, light quality and performance to ensure you get the best return on your investment.
Build Quality
In the UK, luminaires must be manufactured to BS EN 60598 to ensure they are built to a high standard, covered against electric shock, feature protection against ingress of water and dust and so much more.
However, sometimes luminaires need more than to meet the standards. We recommend finding luminaires that exceed the standards by utilising high-quality, tier one components (like Kingfisher luminaires) to ensure the highest possible quality for your lighting.
Light Quality
To ensure you have the most optimised lighting quality for your projects, it is worth checking that LED chips undergo a thorough binning process and have consistent quality, colour accuracy and brightness.
It is worth noting light quality corresponds with the Colour Rendering Index (CRI) and should be defined within the key features of any data/specification sheet. We recommend a score of CRI > 70 or above for greater visibility across your site. This ensures sites benefit from accurate colour rendering making it easier to identify features.
Performance
Last of all, you need to assess the luminaire performance. This could differ between replacement schemes and new developments.
If you’re retrofitting to replace previous technology luminaires, it is important to know there will be no straight swap. Your best choice is to seek the advice of a lighting design professional who can compare the current light levels, columns and overall scheme and recommend the best alternatives.
If you are opting for an all-new development, it would be best to select a luminaire with a vast optical system to provide optimal levels for your site. Again, ask the advice of a competent lighting designer who can provide you with many options including column heights, luminaires and optic systems. The Kingfisher Lighting Design Team have many years of experience in creating innovative, highly efficient schemes for the public realm, urban environments, retail spaces and many other locations.
We’ve built a strong reputation over 35 years due to our high-quality luminaires and services, so please follow our advice to get the ultimate results from your lighting. Find out more about our products and services by browsing our website or contacting our team.
The next article on ‘Optimise Your Lighting’ is going to place a focus on debunking industry myths. Watch this space for more…
