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Efficiency, aesthetics, and lack of waste enhance office environments
It's not fair.
Energy-efficient line voltage lighting, especially fluorescent, receives all the attention, it seems. But unheralded low voltage lighting saves energy, too, and offers benefits not available with line voltage lighting.
Low voltage lighting, by definition, operates at 30 volts or less. A transformer, either integral (part of the fixture) or remote (located in a service area), steps down line voltage to either 12 or 24 volts.
When powered properly, low voltage lighting produces two-and-a-half times as much light as line voltage incandescent lamps. Stated in other terms, a 50-watt low voltage lamp generates as much light as a 125-watt line voltage lamp.
The per-lamp savings for each 1,000 hours of operation can reach up to $7.50, based on a kilowatt-hour rate of 10 cents. This caliber of energy efficiency produces a compelling case to consider low voltage lighting for task, accent, and even general lighting applications.
Other reasons to consider low voltage lighting include: light quality, design flexibility, safety, and lack of waste.
It's the...