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:
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.