Traditionally, factories and warehouses with high ceilings have been using high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, such as high-pressure sodium (SON) or metal halide, as light sources. Because of the distance between these lamps and the areas where sufficient light is required, their high light output appears to have been exactly what factory and warehouse owners need.

However, in recent years, there have been considerable advances made in fluorescent light sources and fittings. In order to provide maximum benefits to their clients, it is important that those with lighting jobs explore the technical and financial advantages offered by these high-efficiency fluorescent lamps.

The ultimate goal of those with jobs in lighting is to provide an appropriate amount of light where it is needed. More importantly, the light fittings they specify and install should be both cost-effective and energy-efficient and offers great control flexibility.

In this case, those with lighting jobs would be glad to know that the benefits of fluorescent lamps have now been maximised with the use of photometrics, which allows them to become perfect light sources in low-bay and high-bay applications. Furthermore, significant improvement of lighting may be achieved by replacing HID lamps with fluorescent ones on a point-for-point basis, so that no extra cabling is required. This has got to make lighting jobs in factories and warehouses much easier.

Specifically, those with jobs in lighting would know that HID lamps can take up to 15 minutes to reach their full light output, which makes it difficult to quickly respond to demands for light. Neither can most HID lamps be dimmed, so that there is no potential for specific lighting management based on different times of the day. In sharp contrast, fluorescent light sources and fittings are capable of reaching full light output as soon as they are activated and can be easily dimmed whenever needed. More control options are therefore available to building owners and building services managers.

Indeed, to be able to have flexibility in lighting control is critical in factories and warehouses, as many aisles and areas are only used occasionally and do not require constant lighting. Furthermore, wherever there is daylight within the building, the lighting can be dimmed to maintain the desired illuminance. These two tasks faced by those with lighting jobs may be easily achieved by using fluorescent light sources and fittings.

Just as importantly, fluorescent lamps offer quality light without costing the same amount of money as their HID counterparts do. For example, a 400-watt SON or metal halide lamp can be replaced by a light fitting that uses four 40-watt fluorescent lamps to provide better colour appearance and rendering, while helping those with lighting jobs reduce the amount of energy used.

Finally, fluorescent light sources and fittings offer greater flexibility in the lighting design for different areas of a factory or warehouse. Those with jobs in lighting can select fluorescent tubes in a wide range of colour temperatures and colour-rendering properties to suit the activity in each area.