An Investigation into Light Bulb Sustainability

Abstract

The lighting for the Student Union Building (SUB) will induce a large cost and a large environmental impact. Providing a sustainable environment when there is little or no natural light available can pose quite a challenge. In the following report, the options available for the lighting of the SUB are discussed. For simplicity and applicability, the lighting options are kept to Incandescent, High Intensity Discharge (HID), Fluorescent, and Light Emitting Diode (LED). With the ban on incandescent light bulbs starting in 2012, it is clear that the new SUB will not be using incandescent lighting; however, these bulbs provide a good base point for comparisons. Aside from the approaching legal issues, due to the low efficiency and the short life span, incandescent light bulbs are a poor choice for the a building, regardless of the cheap installation price. HID lamps provide a higher efficacy and a longer life than incandescent lighing. In situations where durability and a large level of light over a large area is required, HID lamps are the superior choice. The HID lamps could be argued as the superior choice for outside lighting; for example, street lights and parking lot lighting. The durability and high output of HID lamps makes them superior to fluorescent lighting and LED bulbs in an outdoor environment. Fluorescent lighting is by far the cheapest, most effective large-scale lighting option. Fluorescent tubes provide a large amount of light per area, which means few light fixtures will be needed; as well, fluorescent tubes have a long lifespan relative to their cost. The use of mercury in the fluorescent bulbs is an environmental concern; however, the mercury inside a fluorescent tube can be recycled rather easily at a low cost. Since the mercury can be re-used, the costs are so low, and the output is so high, fluorescent tubes are the best option for large areas where large amounts of evenly spread light is desirable. LED light bulbs are very compact and are extremely efficient. The light emitted by LED bulbs requires up to 50% less energy than incandescent bulbs, and up to 35% less energy than fluorescent bulbs; however, the light is extremely directional, which could make the use for a large room extremely costly, or unachievable. LED bulbs are recommended for small rooms, and any small area where directional light is acceptable. The new SUB should include various types of lighting in order to take advantage of the many diverse lighting options available. Outside of the SUB building (i.e. parking lots, outdoor building lighting, etc.), HID lamps are recommended. This will ensure a long life, minimal challenging light bulb replacements, and a durable source of high-level light over a large area. Fluorescent tubes are recommended for large indoor areas, as the inexpensive costs and minimal fixtures required cut both costs and the use of materials. In instances where directional light is acceptable indoors, LED bulbs are the most operationally cost effective and the best overall choice.