THE SWITCH

Future Initiatives

 

The University of Houston most recent project is an LED luminaire retrofit in the  222-seat Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture lecture hall. The previous lighting  consisted of 34 two-lamp 42-watt compact Fluorescent down lights with dimming ballasts which required continuous maintenance. The lecture hall needed significant improvements to address the poor lighting quality and maintenance issues. The lecture hall has only 30 average foot-candles of illumination and problematic dimming that reduced uniformity. In addition, maintenance was a major concern since changing and servicing the lamps was very difficult and laborious in the stepped auditorium with immovable stadium-style seating. Since the University of Houston has embraced sustainability LED technology would be just the answer for this lecture hall.

 

The installed Cree lighting system includes 28 Essentia® recessed down lights that were installed in 8 foot x 8 foot centers providing an average 67 foot-candles of illumination over the lecture hall seating area, which was more than twice the average of the fluorescent system it replaced. Additionally, one narrow distribution luminaire mounted over the teaching podium adds to the general illumination by providing 134 foot-candles on the podium-reading surface. The new system includes a standard 0 to 10 volt dimming driver, allowing the front of the lecture hall to be at a lower lighting level than the back, and the lighting over each row can be individually dimmed. Additionally, the podium luminaire is on a separate dimming control so the presenter may be illuminated at a preferred lighting level.

 

The University of Houston's sustainable design is expected to provide:

 

• Dramatically increased visibility

• More than $7,500 annual energy savings

• Annual maintenance cost savings of $21,000

• 50,000 hours of near maintenance-free illumination.