Mihyun Kang, Paulette Robert Hebert, Rebekah Thompsen and Abby VanDusen
The purpose of this study was to investigate and document existing lighting systems and lighting levels, to compare findings to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) lighting…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate and document existing lighting systems and lighting levels, to compare findings to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) lighting standards (Rodgers, 1998) and to make lighting recommendation for energy and cost savings.
Design/methodology/approach
Lighting examinations and field measurements were conducted at a large, existing Midwestern institutional food-service facility that has been continuously operational since 1976. Lighting levels of the dining room, checkout line, buffet, kitchen, storage room and conference room were measured and then compared to the IES lighting standards. Recommendations were then made for energy and cost savings.
Findings
The average light levels in the dining room, checkout line, buffet, storage room and conference room exceeded the industry-recommended light levels. The energy and cost savings were calculated for this study, and the energy- and cost-saving strategies recommended included delamping, replacing lamps and luminaires and installing occupancy sensors. If existing lighting can be updated in an energy- and cost-saving manner, institutional food-service facilities might be made appropriate through renovation, thus extending the life of these facilities.
Practical implications
This study has practical implications for the many existing institutional food service facilities in workplaces across the USA that could save energy and costs through renovated lighting systems.
Originality/value
This research constitutes an in situ case study, which gathered empirical lighting data at an existing institutional food-service facility and made recommendations for lighting renovations. Although lighting systems influence dining and kitchen environments, lighting has not always been fully considered in institutional food-service facilities.
Details
Keywords
Paulette R. Hebert, Mihyun Kang and Rebekah J. Thompsen
– The purpose of this study was to examine lighting systems at 77 laboratories located within one building to save energy and associated costs.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine lighting systems at 77 laboratories located within one building to save energy and associated costs.
Design/methodology/approach
Field measurements of illumination were conducted and compared to lighting standards and industry recommendations.
Findings
For energy and cost saving, de-lamping all four-lamp luminaires down to two-lamp luminaires and installing occupancy sensors in all laboratories were recommended.
Research limitations/implications
The research team’s project working hours and study period were limited. This study begins to fill the gap in the literature regarding lighting field studies.
Practical implications
By carefully considering light level recommendations, industry standards and installation budgets, existing facilities can install appropriate retrofits to save energy and money without sacrificing illumination levels. Recommended retrofits are anticipated to significantly curtail annual federal energy consumption practices at the labs.
Social implications
The retrofits recommended in this study will reduce US federal government’s energy-related expenditures and greenhouse gas emissions in support of the 2010 Presidential Mandate. The proposed occupancy sensors are anticipated to compensate for humans’ failure to manually control lighting.
Originality/value
This field study adds value by documenting cost-effective methods to measure, record and manage laboratory lighting, and it calls for the implementation of social, economic and ecological interventions. The recommended retrofits will reduce US federal government’s energy-related expenditures and greenhouse gas emissions in support of the 2010 Presidential Mandate.