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You are at: ABOUT US > FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
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The WEEE directive. (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) |
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CLIMATE CHANGE LEVY (CCL) The Government's long awaited Climate Change Levy (CCL) will be based on energy usage and apply to all UK businesses and the Public Sector. It took effect as of the 1st of April 2001. The CCL is designed to encourage energy efficiency in business and to help the UK meet internationally agreed targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The CCL will be added on to electric and gas bills at source, a surcharge of nearly 1/2p per kilowatt hour of electric used is expected. This will represent an increase of around 6% on the average electric bill. Part of the CCL energy surcharge will be recycled to business as support for energy efficiency measures including Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) for approved technologies. The Government published a list of approved technologies and products qualifying for ECAs in Autumn 2000. It has been decided that lighting and lighting management systems are to be included on this list of qualifying capital equipment. The Government is currently involved in negotiations with energy intensive sectors of industry through the relevant trade associations. These negotiations are expected to result in an 80% reduction in CCL surcharges in return for signing up to an agreement to meet lower energy consumption/greenhouse gas emission targets. If participants do not meet their targets, they will lose the benefit of any discount and revert to the full CCL surcharge. For further information regarding any of the above please do not hesitate to contact any of the following:- BRECSU Phone: 01923 664258 Fax: 01923 664787 ECA Phone: 0207 3134800 Fax: 0207 2217344 C.I.B.S.E. Phone: 0208 6755211 Fax: 0208 6756554 L.I.F. Phone: 0208 6755432 Fax: 0208 6735880
DIMMING SYSTEMS Listed below are systems available which facilitate the dimming of the fluorescent lamp. CATHODE HEATED DIMMING (D) This method of dimming operates the T12 (38mm) lamps only, up to and including 65 watt. It preheats the cathode on the lamp. These units will allow the lamps to dim to approximately 15% of their normal output, however the dimming facilitated is not a smooth curve (stepped) and not suitable for applications where a smooth transition is required. Load resistors maybe required to some types in accordance with the dimming control manufacturers recommendations. ELECTRONIC ANALOGUE DIMMING (ED) This method of dimming operates the T8 (26mm) lamps only, up to and including 70 watt. Analogue 1-10v dimming controls the lamp output by varying a voltage between 1 and 10v as a control signal to the ballast. These units will allow the lamps to dim to approximately 10% of their normal output, however the dimming facilitated is not a perfectly smooth curve. This system was very popular during the 80's and 90's but due to the Digital Revolution and associated cost reductions, it is quickly becoming outdated. SWITCHDIM (SD) This method of dimming operates the T8 (26mm), T5 (16mm) and Compact Fluorescent lamps up to and including 58 watt. This system will allow the lamps to dim to 3% of their normal output. This system offers simple lighting control without the need for a potentiometer, dimmer, slider-switch or a separate control input. It is possible to offer multi-point control as standard as the push to make switch holds no memory, this is all stored within the ballast. There is a maximum of 15 ballasts that can be controlled from any push to make switch (85M/W). Very long cable runs can be used although control generally will be limited to a single circuit phase. When the push to make switch is held the SD ballast will always initially dim down from this point. The push to make switch will then toggle each time it is held between dim up and dim down. When the luminaires are turned off from the light switch the next time they are switched back on they will be at the same level at which they were switched off. When the ballast's power up after a full mains failure (reset of the permanent supply), it will always restart at 100%. Commercially speaking, this type of dimming is in-line with the "old" Analogue system as far as pricing is concerned. DIGITAL DIMMING (DTD) This method of dimming operates the T8 (26mm), T5 (16mm) and Compact Fluorescent lamps up to and including 58 watt. The DTD ballast's work in the same way as SD but they have several additional attributes as follows:- This system will allow the lamps to dim to 1% of their normal output which makes the system ideal for applications including daylight management as well as dimming for effect or for comfort. When the ballast powers up after a full mains failure (reset of the permanent supply) it will always restart at the light level that was set prior to power failure. This requires a DSI (Digital Serial Interface) to facilitate the control. This can either be mounted in a master fitting and then slaved to individual luminaires or in a din rail located remotely at a distribution board or at some other convenient location. A different DSI is required for each method of dimming control, whether that be infrared, daylight management or presence detection. DIGITAL ADDRESSABLE LIGHTING INTERFACE (DALI) Today's lighting technology is not more than pure illumination of a room. Aspects such as comfort, ambience, functionality and saving of energy become more and more important. These are difficult to achieve with traditional electrical and lighting installations with analogue interface (1-10V control), because you have to plan and install a lot of cables. Furthermore, such an installation is somewhat inflexible regarding retrospective changes and it does not facilitate the control of individual fittings. Due to these reasons, the lighting industry has developed a new standard for digital communication between installations: the, "DIGITAL ADDRESSABLE LIGHTING INTERFACE", abbreviated to DALI for short.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EMERGENCY LIGHTING REGULATIONS EN1838 / BS5266 Applicable to virtually every non-domestic building with an electricity supply. (Not intended as a means to design or comply with current requirements) SITING OF LUMINAIRES FOR ESCAPE ROUTES. Near stairs. (each tread to receive direct light) Near changes of level. Near change of direction. Near each intersection of corridors. Near each piece of fire fighting equipment and call point. Near each First Aid post. To illuminate Exit doors and safety signs. Outside and near to each final exit. ADDITIONAL LIGHTING. Lifts. Toilets and other open tiled areas with gross floor area larger than 8 sq. meters. All toilets for the disabled. Escalators. Plant or control room. Covered car parks along pedestrian routes. LIGHTING LEVELS. 1 lux along the centre line of an escape route 2 metres wide. 0.5 lux minimum for open areas, (greater than 60sq. metres). 10% of the normal illuminance for high risk areas. Light from illuminated signs cannot be included in the above figures. SIGNS All signs to comply with Health & Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations. Words only e.g. Exit, Fire Exit, to be replaced by 24th Dec 1998. Exit and running man and Running man. Both acceptable BUT CANNOT be mixed. Viewing distance: • 100 x height of externally illuminated sign. • 200 x height of internally illuminated sign. DESIGN, COMMISSIONING AND MAINTENANCE All installations to have an Emergency Lighting Completion Certificate, which is only valid when accompanied by relevant and current:- Declaration(s) of Design, Installation and Commissioning Photometric Design Calculations. Test Log Book. Risk Assessment Check List. It is a mandatory Requirement to test Emergency Luminaires. Design, Commissioning and Maintenance must be carried out by competent persons. Luminaires to be tested for: 5 minutes every month, 1 hr every six months and 3 hrs every year. SELF TEST EMERGENCY LUMINAIRES It is a mandatory Requirement to test Emergency Luminaires. The cost of purchasing emergency lighting to current requirements has two elements, the cost of the emergency lighting luminaire and the cost of the maintenance. Only by combining the two can the true cost of emergency lighting be determined. Current legislation requires emergency luminaires to be tested every month for 5 minutes, every 6 months for 1 hour and every 12 months for the full 3 hours. Each test to check charging rates, mains present, battery condition and that the lamp is working correctly. (Not something for an untrained individual, eg. caretaker, handyman etc). A log showing that the tests have been carried out and the result of each test has to be kept for each luminaire. If on average, we allow 1/4 hr for each luminaire per month we have a total 3 hours work a year. At £15 an hour (for a qualified individual) we have an annual testing bill of £45 per emergency light, or £450 over 10 years per emergency light. Battery life in normally in the region of 3-4 years, thus over a 10 year period 2 replacements sets will be required at around £25 a set, totalling £50. Therefore the TRUE total cost for ONE emergency luminaire, at current prices, over 10 years this equates to:- The initial cost of the emergency light say approx. £50 plus maintenance of £500 = £550. Self testing emergency luminaires are available as "stand alone", "monitored stand alone" or "addressable self test" and offer enormous savings over the period of the installation. The extra cost of self test luminaires can be less than ONE year's maintenance. Self test also offers the benefit of easier record keeping, the fines imposed by the HSE for not keeping the log book up to date have been most severe (as much as £3000 in some cases).
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGH FREQUENCY LUMINAIRES LOWER RUNNING COSTS High Frequency luminaires can save between 20% and 25% in electricity costs compared to switch start luminaires. Payback periods can be as short as 18 months if luminaires are on for long periods of time, ie, over 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. ECA, CCL all make payback periods shorter. ENHANCE
CAPITAL ALLOWANCE (ECA) An order to give statutory force to the Energy Technology List was laid by the Treasury on 17th July 2001 and took effect from 7th August 2001. Therefore 100% first year capital allowances may now be claimed. (Although the Inland Revenue are now disputing the labour content with HM Government). CLIMATE
CHANGE LEVY (CCL) Government Levy added to all energy bills. The levy is being used to support and encourage the use of low energy luminaires. The current levy is appoximately 6%, an increase of around 1/2p per Kwh. THE
BUILDING REGULATIONS 2000 APPROVED DOCUMENT THE BUILDING REGULATIONS April 2006 APPROVED DOCUMENT L2 Conservation of Fuel and Power in Buildings other than Dwellings. Part L of the Building Regulations concerns the conservation of fuel and power for new (A) and existing (B) buildings and addresses domestic and commercial buildings individually L1 & L2 respectively, thereby providing 4 approved documents in total. The regulations apply to all "works" in the above categories with a floor area of greater than 100m2. The Section L2 covers buildings other than dwellings and includes offices and industrial buildings. L2 requires an improved average initial efficacy of 45 luminaire lumens per circuit Watt. Whilst this offers designers the opportunity to achieve this by selection of luminaire (LOR) and lamp (luminous efficacy), the increase in performance required means that this combination of lamp and luminaire performance now actually has to be considered, as lamp selection only, will not achieve the desired results. This requires a far greater understanding and knowledge of lamp and luminaire performance and design input. The initial 500 W waiver of installed lighting load from the 2000 Regulations has been removed. In other non-dwelling types of buildings, the average initial lamp & ballast efficacy of not less than 50 lumens per circuit Watt remains as per the 2000 Regulation. Display lighting efficacy requirements of a minimum of 15 lumens per circuit Watt also remain. However lighting controls offer means of effectively reducing building loadings. Part L of the Building Regulations is increasing the need for energy efficient lighting and the concern expressed by many now is that in striving to achieve energy efficiency, lighting quality will suffer. However rather than relying solely upon a single product or technology to provide the increase, designers now have to employ a far broader approach and take into account variables such as lamp types, control gear efficiency, luminaire and reflector design, lighting controls and use of daylight. This has to make for a far more balanced approach albeit a more demanding one which will give professional lighting designers a greater opportunity to show their skills. Good practise can be summarised as; Use high efficiency light sources and use fittings with high LORs Then apply lighting controls to:
BENEFITS OF USING HIGH FREQUENCY CONTROL GEAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRI-PHOSPHOR LAMPS. Features of High Frequency Operation. Normal mains frequency is 50 Hz (cycles per second). This means that with conventional control gear (CCG) a fluorescent lamp will flicker 100 times a second and occasionally, a buzzing noise, (50 cycle hum) can be heard from the fittings. High Frequency or electronic control gear (ECG) operates at around 30-50 Khz. High Frequency ballasts have a unity power factor. Benefits of High Frequency Fittings.
Features of Tri-phosphor Lamps. Tri-phosphor lamps drop to 96% of their original output after about 4000 hours and remain at that level compared to standard lamps which drop to 86% and then down to 74% over the rest of their life. Survival rate of 70% of tri-phosphor tubes after 16,000 hours, compared to 10,000 hours for standard tubes. Approximately 15% increase in light output over standard tubes. Tri-phosphor lamps have a colour rendering above Ra 80. Benefits of Tri-phosphor Lamps.
THE WEEE DIRECTIVE. (WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT) The primary purpose of WEEE is to prevent waste of resources, through recovery, recycling and reuse. The levy to cover the costs of this recycling process was supposed to commence in January 2006, but has now been deferred to July 2007. All production from the beginning of August 2005 has included the "Crossed out Wheelie Bin" symbol as part of the Product Type Label. The use of this symbol means that the product should be recycled at the end of life. Fitzgerald Lighting is registered with appropriate bodies, and will fully comply with the requirements laid down. EUROPEAN BALLAST DIRECTIVE The European Ballast Directive took effect on the 21st November 2005. The actual detail requires the Ballast Manufacturers to place more efficient ballasts onto the European market, and by implication the Luminaire Manufacturer, Wholesaler and Contractor should follow as stocks are used up. The aim of the directive is to save Energy, so do consider High Frequency lighting as an alternative. RESTRICTION OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES (ROHS) Another directive aimed at further protecting the environment. It enforces manufacturers to reduce or stop using certain substances which are harmful to the environment with regard to manufacturing processes and their end of life disposal. Fitzgerald Lighting is in compliance with both of these directives.
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