Week 9 - Electrical Systems and Lighting

 Week 9 - Electrical Systems and Lighting

Electricity 

Electricity travels from the utility company to the user through overhead and underground electrical lines and transformers. The components of electrical systems include its connection to a building, cable types, electrical symbols, energy management devices. Some common symbols used for components of electrical plans are below:

Energy management devices

Energy management devices are used for keeping buildings well-insulated and lowering the thermostat temperature. Other energy management devices include lighting control devices, motion and daylight sensors, and dual switching options. 

Interior design implications 

Developing a good lighting design is an essential part of our job as an interior designer. Our plan and design impacts energy efficiency and the ultimate sustainability of a building. A common mistake that's made is to over-light a space. The less lighting used, the less air conditioning needed because lighting creates one of the biggest heat loads in an interior. 

Behavior of light

Behavior of lighting depends on the material of the surface light may be reflected, refracted, transmitted, diffused, or combination of the above. The psychology of lighting is often overlooked but it explains why people perceive different levels and types of lighting. Health and lighting means that good lighting improves worker performance and control over lighting increases employee satisfaction. 

Lamps and their appropriate applications

The energy implications of lamps and the different types of lighting are  incandescent, fluorescent, high intensity discharge, and light emitting diodes. Incandescent is primarily used in residential applications. Its warm in appearance, dimmable, and inexpensive. However, it can have some sustainability issues. Incandescent light can be inefficient and even give off more heat than light. A halogen is a type of Incandescent light with a warm-white appearance. It is a strong focused beam of light used to illuminate display items and artwork. Fluorescent lights are used mainly in commercial applications. They are energy efficient, economical, but have some sustainability challenges, as well. Disposal of fluorescent lamps introduces mercury into the landfill. High intensity discharge or HID has both indoor and outdoor applications. They can be located in parking garages, factories, big box stores, street lighting, roadway and landscape lighting. Lastly, light emitting diodes (LED)  were introduced recently as an energy efficient solution to interior lighting.  Research on LED lighting is still being done as to whether it is long lasting and if there are certain concerns over color consistency.

COLOR

Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) compares white light to sunlight. Each lamp has a reading in Kelvin, but a higher CCT creates a cooler appearance, while a lower CCT creates a warmer appearance. The Color Rendering Index or CRI of a lamp measures ability to render color. The ability to render color is rated on a 100 point scale, 100 being the best and 0 the worst. The measurement is based on a standard reference comparison of eight colors. The Chromaticity Chart shows the range most people feel comfortable. 

Sustainability light designs 

There are many specific details and indicators when looking at lights and electricity. Here are just a few: The energy needed to produce light output in lumen is described as lumens per watt (LPW). Light trespass is the way that light from one building spreads to an adjacent building. Light pollution, however, is when light is directed into the night sky and disturbs wildlife. International Dark Sky Association (IDA)- Organization that seeks to halt environmental light pollution. Sustainability is super important in order to meet Green Seal Standards. Green Seal Standard GS-05 outlines requirements for compact fluorescents affect high intensity discharge in offices (metal halide with a CRI of 60 or more), General assembly, manufacturing or retail (metal halide with CRI of 70 +), Warehouse/loading areas (high pressure sodium), Sport/gymnasium/specialty retail (Metal halide with CRI of 70+), etc.. For linear fluorescence, choose T-8 lamps/electric ballasts, low mercury lamps, 2x4 fixture with 2-3 lamps and 2x4 fixture with 2’ long T-8 lamps. 

Lighting metrics

Lighting metrics deal with photometry. Photometry is the science of light and includes the luminous flux (time rate flow of light), luminous intensity (directional force causing luminous flux to be emitted), illuminance (density of luminous flux incident at a point on a surface) luminance (intensity of a source in a particular direction divided by the area of a source) and luminous exitance (density of luminous flux leaving a surface in all directions at a point).

Design process of light 

To start the design process of light, identify the spaces and the tasks, verify the number of foot candles, select the best lamp type, select luminaire consistent with design. Next, do lumen calculations, so analyze daylight in the space and need for artificial lighting and create solutions for handling and managing daylight. Then do lighting layout and create a 3-D model of lighting to study distribution. This will help when designing special lighting effects. You will have a lighting design packet for each phase of the design process. This will start with programming (information identifying spaces, tasks and required Illumination) and schematic design (sketches of desired lighting effects; how lighting coordinates with design concept and architecture). Design development phase includes a selection of lamps and luminaires, lighting calculations and construction documents will follow (spec sheets for lamps and luminaires, final reflected ceiling plan including: dimensions, notes and details, lighting fixture schedule). Convey lighting design intent to a contractor: Lighting plan, Specifications, Design details for specialty lighting installations. Use a reflected ceiling plan as a layer to the floorplan for easy understanding by electricians, contractors, and other trades people. 

A variety of lighting also creates areas of darkness which we understand as shaded spaces. We were able to study two interior spaces and draw one space with areas of shade compared to light in this assignment. Here is my rendering for that: