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Industry Opinion: The Effects of Building Regulations on the CI Lighting Industry (3/2/2008)

By Yasmin Hashmi, HiddenWires

Well-designed lighting can make all the difference to the ambience and comfort of a home. But while the consumer's interest and demand for lighting is increasing, so too is the pressure to conserve energy. This poses a challenge for lighting manufacturers, designers and installers. Do they simply do the bare minimum to comply with regulations, or do they see this as an opportunity to provide alternative solutions and expand the custom install lighting business? Indeed are the regulations sufficiently clear and easily implemented? We asked some manufacturers, designers and installers of lighting systems for their opinions on how building regulations are affecting the custom install lighting industry. Here are their replies:

David Webster, RGB Smarthome Division Manager, RGB Communications Ltd

The current Part L building regulations that affect residential lighting in new builds, stipulate that at least 20% of the lights should be of the low energy type, i.e. compact fluorescent. These types of lamp are generally not dimmable, so from a lighting control point of view, the only possibility is to turn them on or off. This is probably acceptable for use in secondary rooms such as utility, toilets, bathrooms, cupboards etc., but for main living areas, traditional lamps are still possible, and so dimming remains popular.

At RGB Communications, we have not yet detected any noticeable impact on our lighting control business. No doubt if the regulations increased the minimum proportion of low-energy lamps, we would see an increase in the number of switched circuits and a decrease in the number of dimmable circuits that a lighting control system would need, but the overall number of circuits is unlikely to change very much. What we have seen is an increase in the number of LED types of lighting circuit being used and dimmed, but as yet these are not classified as low-energy lamps, so we look forward to the ready availability of dimmable low-energy lamps in the near future.

Melanie Shaw, Partner, Brilliant Lighting

As a business, we are focused on the high-end residential market, and most of our clients would lay an egg if we suggested using a fluorescent downlight in their handmade walnut kitchen. We are therefore creating striking schemes using a lot more indirect lighting with cold cathode and dimmable T5s, for instance in ceiling coffers, wall washes or via backlighting bathroom or gym mirrors. We are also increasingly using LEDs, particularly with the recent introduction of warm white LEDs at >40 lumens/watt, although these are still very much for accent or stair lighting.

Clients are also more accepting of the need for low-energy lighting in their secondary rooms or in areas with little natural daylight, and manufacturers are developing some quite striking low-energy decorative fittings. In addition to the Part L requirements, we take other energy-saving measures, such as always supplying Phillips Masterline or Osram IRC halogen lamps (saving 30-35% energy of a normal halogen fitting), and setting circuit light levels on the lighting control system at no more than 95% intensity. This reduces energy consumption and considerably enhances lamp life, with no perceptible difference in light quality.

James Welch, Director, Welch Services Group

The effects of L1 building regulations on the custom install lighting industry are two-fold. Firstly, the definitions of the L1 building regulations are still quite unclear to those working within the electrical industry. Secondly, these same regulations appear vague even to those people who work in building control services.

On a more positive note, I consider that custom installers, such as ourselves, are now in a strong position to make clients aware of the necessary considerations and provisions of the new regulations. Furthermore, we now have a role to inform our customers about design lighting schemes with intelligent control. I have also noticed that there is a steady increase in electrical contractors who are passing lighting design over to custom installers, and this has the added benefit of allowing clients to obtain a full insight into custom installation, which previously would have been overlooked.

Kris Hogg, Group Chairman, Konnectiv Ltd

What concerns me with the L1 regulations is that I can see this leading to limitations on luminaries and bulbs, which will cause us issues in scene control. Also the regulations put limitations on dimmers and wiring runs to and from switches, which if rigorously applied, put centralised dimmers outside the scope of the regulations - and I can see big issues for existing installations if energy-saving bulbs become the only ones available.

Ultimately though, it's just another set of rules we have to adhere to and train staff on. We have had discussions with our supply partners and most of them have product that meets the material side of the regulations - we just have to design and install to ensure compliance. The main impact of the regulations however, will be good for the industry as legislation drives home-builders to create more energy-efficient homes. This means that increased levels of lighting (and heating) control will become essential, and this is where we all step in.

Dave Chester, Managing Director, CustomControls

The new building regulations are a great opportunity for us in the custom light control industry. Our systems are more efficient than traditional dimming and can use considerably less amounts of energy than non-dimmed systems. Automatic switching of lights when daylight levels are high enough, or when rooms are unoccupied, can make a useful contribution to reducing energy use, and are all taken into account when calculating the efficiency of the building. Initial installation costs may be higher, but these costs can often be outweighed by the fact the systems are considerably more efficient than the minimum standards.

If you would like to comment on this issue, or to be included in future opinion pieces, please send an email to opinion(AT)hiddenwires.co.uk.