Potential Energy Savings from Spectrally Enhanced Lighting
Spectrally enhanced lighting (SEL) requires less energy than traditional lighting solutions. This page illustrates some of the energy saving scenarios achieved after implementing SEL.
In existing buildings, SEL energy savings are achieved through simple lamp/ballast changeouts that are commonly performed by lighting retrofit contractors or lighting maintenance companies. Because these retrofits include changing out the ballasts, it is most common to combine the efficiencies of SEL with the most efficient ballasts available to maximize the savings. In new construction, the savings are achieved through improved lighting designs that require fewer lamps and ballasts and/or fewer lighting fixtures.
Because little if any incremental cost is associated with installing SEL compared to installing more traditional lighting systems, the use of SEL strategies offers immediate payback. In addition, SEL provides permanent reductions of electric load and therefore automatically reduces demand load at peak hours. The return on the investment can be quite substantial in areas with high peak demand charges.
Energy Savings Scenarios
The potential energy savings depend on the existing lighting that is in the candidate space (or the proposed lighting for new construction) and the illumination requirements. In general, the assumption is that SEL will be installed to achieve the same level of visual ability as the existing facility (or the same level being planned in new construction). By using SEL, the lumen output of the lamps can be reduced, while the visual ability is maintained by the increased brightness perception and visual acuity that the enhanced spectrum provides. The reduction in lumens translate directly to the energy savings; the following table shows the potential for the 850 spectrally enhanced lamp alone, and then with the addition of extra-efficient ballasts as compared to other lamps and standard ballasts commonly used in commercial applications. For more information, please see Spectrally Enhanced Lighting Program Implementation for Energy Savings: Economics Validation Study (PDF 1.2 MB). Download Adobe Reader.
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About Color Rendering Index (CRI) and Correlated Color Temperature (CCT)
CRI and CCT are often combined into a three digit number where the first digit represents the CRI and the last two digits represent the CCT; for example, an 850 lamp is one with a CRI in the 80s, and a high CCT of 5000K; a 730 lamp is one with a CRI in the 70s and a low CCT of 3000. 80 CRI lamps in this comparison are high-lumen lamps; 70 CRI lamps are not available as high-lumen lamps.