Trendlines: Lighting

These days, it’s hard to escape talk about budgets and recessionary spending when it comes to hotel design. Lighting, however, is one area where you can make upgrades while still lowering the overall budget.

Steve Pay, principal with Finnegan Erickson & Associates Consulting Engineers, says day lighting controls are a  must in just about any room of a hotel. Automatic dimmers serve the dual purpose of setting different moods throughout the day and providing energy efficiency.

Clients may need educated on specific lighting options so the bigger upfront cost doesn’t deter them from the long-range benefits. There is a sliding scale of energy-efficient lighting, says Karen Lee, head of marketing applications for Osram Sylvania. If guests complain about the light of a fluorescent bulb, instead of switching to incandescent—the least energy-efficient option—a halogen bulb may be the better choice.

“Take it the next step further to add controls,” Lee says. “A dimmed halogen can be just as energy efficient as a compact fluorescent. It’s the right light for the right application. If you flood a room with fluorescent light and over-light it, you’re back where you were [in terms of energy] with incandescent lights.”

Certain energy-efficient options may not work in certain situations. For example, occupancy sensors can be a nuisance in the guestroom but useful in the bathroom, where a guest is more likely to move around, Lee says.

Guestroom lighting should be broken into several zones, giving the guest lighting flexibility. Jerry Szwed, principal of RTKL Associates says to “put yourself in the guest’s position and recognize what they’d like to see. In Asia, the rule of thumb for guestroom lighting is functionality, reliability and controllability.”Szwed says to be sure any office or desk area in the room has its own personal light and that its arrangement allows for the proper amount of light and avoids leaving a glare on the computer screen. For the overall management of room light, Szwed recommends putting a master control at the bedside for best access.

LED lights are great for energy efficiency, longevity and creative design, says Lee, but they aren’t at the point where you could light a room. However, she says a white LED may be a creative, energy-efficient option for hallway lighting.