Potential energy saving for a side-lit room using daylight-linked fluorescent lamp installations

Abstract

The high frequency (HF) electronic ballast has been replacing the conventional magnetic ballast for operating fluorescent lamps. It has the advantage of low energy consumption, running the lamps free from stroboscopic effects, low noise production, being light weight and allowing the lamps to be dimmed. This study shows that for a cellular office at the perimeter of a building lit by a dimmable HF electronic ballast lighting, about 40% of the lighting energy could be saved under Hong Kong’s daylight conditions. A saving of 40% at the perimeter amounts to an overall lighting energy saving of about 10% if the perimeter area is about one quarter of the total floor area. Lighting energy normally accounts for about 30% of the total energy consumption for office buildings. For a shallow plan office building, the amount of saving using a daylight linked system could be significant.