Technologies

A number of different technologies make lighting possible, including various light sources, lighting fixtures (known as luminaires), and lighting controls. Light sources include the traditional incandescent and fluorescent lamps, high-intensity-discharge lamps, and now solid-state devices that promise to change the way we light our world. Ballasts regulate the power to some of these light sources. Controlling the lighting systems are switches, dimmers, occupancy sensors, photosensors, and even automatic systems that can reduce electric load demand when needed.

The LRC tests, evaluates, and develops all types of lighting technologies in order to promote lighting that is energy efficient, reliable, and easy to use.

Publications

NLPIP Specifier Reports: Low-wattage Metal Halide Lighting Systems - A detailed report on the operation of metal halide lamps of 150 watts or less on magnetic and non-dimming electronic ballasts, including product testing.

NLPIP Lighting Answers: LED Lighting Systems - Answers some commonly asked questions about lighting systems using LEDs and helps practitioners understand the differences between LEDs and other conventional light sources.

NLPIP Lighting Answers: T8 Fluorescent Lamps - This report gives an overview of the performance claims for initial light output, rated life, lumen maintenance, and color of T8 fluorescent lamps and discusses the uncertainties associated with these performance attributes.

NLPIP Lighting Answers : Full-Spectrum Light Sources - This report addresses questions about full-spectrum light sources: What are full-spectrum light sources? How valid are the claimed benefits? Are these products worth the extra cost? This report also proposes a convenient definition for full-spectrum light sources that can be used to quantify the extent to which a given light source deviates from a full-spectrum light source.

DaySwitchT Demonstration Project - Demonstration and evaluation of the DaySwitch, a new lighting control technology that turns light fixtures off when sufficient daylight is available in a space.

View all Daylighting reports and publications

View more NLPIP publications

View more Solid-State Lighting publications

Related Programs

Capturing the Daylight Dividend - Using daylighting
NLPIP - Product testing
Solid-State Lighting - Improving, using LEDs

Education Programs

Lighting Education Online is an interactive, Internet-based education program for building, design, and facility management professionals who want to learn more about light and lighting. Available courses include:

The LED Lighting Institute is a three-day, hands-on workshop for people who want to learn more about this quickly evolving lighting technology in a small-class setting.

New! Daylight Institute - An intensive one or two day seminar for architects, engineers, and other building professionals interested in learning more about daylighting design and daylight harvesting control systems.

Photosensor Tutorial - A guide to photosensor technology, system components, and commissioning.

Related Projects

Lamp/Ballast Combination Testing for Dimming Impact - A long-term project to understand the effects of dimming on fluorescent lighting systems.

Scientists Develop Simple Alternative for Harvesting Daylight and Saving Energy - The LRC has developed a simple, cost-effective, energy-saving device designed to harvest daylight automatically. The DaySwitch™ was designed as an alternative to traditional dimming ballast systems that adjust light levels by reducing the lamp current.

Delving Deep into Solid-State Lighting: LRC Explores Basic Performance Parameters of LEDs - Studies of LED performance under different operating conditions.

Breakthrough Technology Accelerates Solid-State Lighting - Scientists at the LRC have developed a method known as "SPE" to get significantly more light from white LEDs without requiring more energy.

Electronic Walls and Ceilings Offer Adaptable Solid-State Lighting - The LRC and ASSIST are developing a flexible interior infrastructure that will integrate solid-state lighting with other building materials and systems. Such an infrastructure would allow for rapid reconfigurations of built-in lighting, making it as easy to redesign lighting.

Reducing Barriers to the Use of High-Efficiency Lighting Systems - The LRC conducted a three-year project exploring the problems, questions and potential solutions associated with the use of lighting controls and systems designed to reduce energy demand.