Sparks Electrical News August 2017

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SPARKS
ELECTRICAL NEWS AUGUST 2017
21 LIGHTING
INNOVATIONS THAT LIGHT UP THE PATH TO PROSPERITY FOR MORE PEOPLE
Over the last year, following Philips’ listing on the Amsterdam
stock exchange as a standalone company, it has delivered
innovations that unlock the extraordinary potential of light to
bring about brighter lives and a better world. So says Reggie Nxumalo,
GM, Philips Lighting Southern Africa, who explains some of the in-
novations below.
Philips manages one of the world’s largest and strongest IP portfolios
and has established various research & innovation hubs around the
world that deliver region-specific innovations to address key challenges
facing local communities, where the relevant hub is located.
Lighting the way to change by helping to eliminate light
poverty
For more than a billion people around the world, electric light seems
like an unobtainable luxury. Without reliable access to it, entire com-
munities across Africa, as well as places like India, are
plunged into darkness at sunset. Unable to work or
study after dark, inhabitants are deprived of oppor-
tunities to build a better future.
Philips has designed a range of solar lanterns as
well as home lighting systems that enable off-grid
communities to access safe, renewable lighting after
dark. With this technology, social and business life no
longer has to stop when the sun goes down, while
light becomes a catalyst for recreation, productivity
and economic growth.
Enabling a smart way of using fewer city
resources
Smart cities use recent advances in communications
and digital technologies, data sharing and analysis, and intelligent de-
sign to make cities more liveable, resilient, economically sound, and
sustainable. However, smart cities do not always have to equate to
employing the latest and greatest technology or trends like IoT or big
data analytics to affect change. For instance, conventional street light-
ing can account for as much as 40% of a city’s total energy budget.
By switching to LED street lights alone, cities can reduce the energy
consumed by street lights by 30% or more.
Switching on to new thinking around lighting
To achieve sustainability, efficiency, and user experience goals, compa-
nies require professional, world-class luminaires and powerful, flexible
controls, all of which have been integrated into a single system.
By integrating wireless communications into the lighting system,
organisations can deliver location-based services and in-context
information viamobile apps to people in illuminated spaces. In addition,
connected lighting provides businesses with greater customer insight,
a superior customer experience, and creates personalised workspaces
by adding a layer of intelligence to the environment, which responds
and adapts to people’s preferences and needs.
Light at the end of the non-productivity tunnel
Philips connected lighting systems can precisely manage the lighting in
a facility with a combination of control strategies, allowing organisations
to deliver the optimum light levels for performing tasks safely and ef-
fectively. By integrating luminaires with sophisticated controls and com-
prehensive management systems, companies can streamline business
activities, while saving energy and ensuring employee satisfaction.
Enquiries:
Dimming LED strip lighting can be a chal-
lenge and, when attempting to do so, one can
sometimes feel that it would surely be less
tricky to put a man on Mars.
LED strip lighting is becomingmore efficient. It is also
getting brighter and is more commonly used, not only
for cove accent lighting,but also for general illumination.
As a result, proper control and dimming are important
for this increasingly popular LED light source.
With the new Intellibus SPACE Dimmer, Triac
has taken some of the mystery out of dimming.
Virtually all constant voltage LEDs are dimmable
with the SPACE Dimmer, even if the power supply
is ‘non-dimmable’. The SPACE Dimmer allows for
a perfectly smooth and stable dimming curve -
right down to 0.5%, providing stable light output
even if there are changes in main supply voltage
or frequency. The technology reduces the lumen
variation – associated with conventional phase
control dimming – from LED to LED. It also largely
solves the problem of colour shift common with
other conventional dimming methods. Last, but by
no means least, the SPACE Dimmer ensures users
will not see the 100 Hz flicker or stroboscopic effect
that is often evident with forward or reverse phase
control dimming.
The SPACE Master Dimmer is rated for maximum
of 5 A; adding a 5 A Slave SPACE Dimmer can easily
increase this capacity to cope with much larger
loads. The dimmer works with any conventional push
button, or can be incorporated into an intelligent
Intellibus digital lighting controlled system. The
SPACE Dimmer is affordable and ex stock, and
carries a three year guarantee. #Lightcontrolledright
Enquiries: +27 (0)11 462 6207
SPACE DIMMER:
DIMMING LED
STRIP LIGHTING