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Quality Versus Economy in Home Lighting: How Can We Find the Balance?
Kathryn M. ConwayRussell P. Leslie Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA Abstract Designers of incentive, information and education programs for residential lighting must balance residents' needs and expectations for good quality lighting with economic factors, such as energy costs, equipment expenses and payback period. Program managers face difficult decisions, such as considering whether high visibility can be traded for low kilowatt hours, or good color rendering for inexpensive lamps. They may be confronted by customers who favor non-efficient technologies because of a desire for what is commonly perceived as good quality, and thus resist efforts to introduce new products. These decisions are impossible to make responsibly without accurate information. This paper discusses research methods that can be used to gather regionally relevant information, and to find the critical point of balance. We give specific examples of how these methods were applied to create energy-efficient, high quality lighting designs for The Lighting Pattern Book for Homes . Methods for gathering data include technology audit and attitude survey techniques. We give guidelines for good quality lighting and for economic benefits. We also provide a worksheet for comparing the energy and operating cost savings and payback for typical and alternative lighting designs.
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