Improve Operations with Office Lighting

5 Ways Proper Office Lighting Can Improve Operations

While most people notice an office’s architecture and furnishings, they often don’t give the lighting a second thought. But lighting is actually one of the most important components of any office’s design and functionality. Lighting not only affects ambiance, it is also a big influence on productivity, employee health, safety, and a positive working environment.

In this article, the office lighting experts at Team Electrical Sales in Detroit, MI explain five of the most important ways that proper lighting can improve any office’s operations.

#1. Office Lighting Can Improve Worker Health

The right office lighting can help reduce eye strain for office workers. Today’s office workers necessarily spend a great deal of time in front of computer screens – making them especially susceptible to eye strain. But selecting the right office lighting can actually reduce screen glare, making it easier for employees to see their screens, which reduces eye strain.

When choosing office lighting, it is essential to ensure that it is not too bright or too dim. Glare-reducing light fixtures can also help minimize glare on computer screens to help reduce eye strain. Task lights can also help reduce eye strain for employees who work at a computer screen.  And, in offices where employees are doing a lot of paperwork, it is necessary to ensure that the lighting is not too harsh.

Studies have also shown that good lighting can engender a sense of calm and relaxation, improving employees’ mental and physical well-being. This translates into workers being happier and more productive in their roles. High-quality LED lighting has also been shown to help avoid circadian disruption that can lead to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and Seasonal Affective Disorder.

#2. Good Office Lighting Improves Productivity

Properly selected office lighting helps improve employee productivity in several ways. By reducing eye strain, proper office lighting not only helps office workers be more comfortable, but also reduces headaches as well as fatigue. This makes it easier for employees to concentrate on their work and enables them to work for longer stretches of time.

Good office lighting also increases employee alertness and energy, making it easier for workers to stay focused and motivated throughout the course of the day.

#3. Proper Office Lighting Saves Energy (and Money!)

When selecting the right office lighting, choosing energy-efficient light fixtures can help reduce utility costs while also benefitting the environment. Energy-efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs can significantly reduce any office’s electricity consumption.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps typically use up to 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. And, CFL and LED office lighting fixtures and bulbs also last considerably longer, which reduces office maintenance costs.

#4. The Right Office Lighting Increases Safety

Proper office lighting can have a big impact on workplace safety. It’s common sense that bright lighting helps people see better, while poorly lit areas can lead to accidents and injuries.

Sufficient lighting is especially important in high-activity areas, such as hallways, common areas, and stairways – to help people see where they are going and avoid trips, slips, collisions, and falls. Good lighting is also especially important in areas where there are heavy objects, hazardous materials, or any dangerous or complex equipment.

Good lighting also makes it easier to find things. This is important in areas where there are a lot of objects, such as storage rooms. Good lighting can help people see what they are looking for and avoid accidents.

There are more than 23,000 workplace injuries in the United States every day – adding up to 8.5 million injuries every year. The huge cost to businesses and insurers of these job-related injuries is $250 billion annually. While good lighting cannot prevent all employee injuries, it can definitely help reduce the occurrence of falls, collisions and dropped objects.

#5. Good Office Lighting Impresses Customers

Finally, the right office lighting can help make a good impression on a company’s clients. The aesthetic or ambiance of your office lighting plays heavily into how customers ‘feel’ when they spend time at an office. To begin with, lighting fixtures should complement the rest of the décor for aesthetic appeal. Exposed florescent tubes, for example, will detract from the appearance and the mood of the setting.

Office owners also do not want lighting to be too bright or too dim. Excessively bright lighting can be jarring and feel interrogational or institutional. While an office that is too dark can feel gloomy and depressing.

Office Lighting Sales | Detroit Area

When designing or upgrading an office, choosing the right lighting can make all of the difference. The office lighting professionals at Team Electrical Supply offer the widest selection of office lighting options in the Detroit area.  Our lighting experts can help you assess your needs and recommend the best type of lighting for your office space.

Improve employee health and well-being, increase productivity and safety, save money on utilities, and impress customers with lighting options from Team Electrical Supply in the Detroit area!

Call: 313-874-1000 or Click Here to Request an Office Lighting Quote

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System Basics

Installation, Usage & Compatibility of Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Systems

Bluetooth Mesh is an extensive computer networking technology that allows communication between ‘many-to-many’ devices. Bluetooth Mesh enables hundreds or thousands of devices to communicate effectively and securely, without any physical connection but within the same network.

Developed in 2017 by Bluetooth SIG, Bluetooth Mesh is a reliable method of sharing information in large networks and has proven especially popular and efficient in controlling large lighting systems. Three components are required to manufacture, install, commission, and control a Bluetooth Mesh lighting system: hardware, firmware, and a software/mobile app.

In this article, the lighting experts at Team Electrical Supply in the Detroit, MI area discuss the components, compatibilities, and advantages of Bluetooth Mesh lighting systems.

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System Hardware

Bluetooth Mesh lighting systems are operated on ‘System on Chip’ (SoC), an electronic circuit that integrates all – or most – of the components of a computer/electronic system.

Nordic, Infineon, Qualcomm, Silicon Labs, and other major semiconductor companies manufacture Bluetooth Mesh SoC (as well as Bluetooth Mesh Software Development Kit (SDK), sample firmware code, and sample commissioning mobile applications for Android and IOS, and development kits.)

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System Firmware

Bluetooth SIG has developed specifications for 50+ Bluetooth Mesh ‘Standard Models’ (also called foundation models). Generic models can be used for all types of electronic device functions, including on/off, power level, battery, etc. There are also specific lighting models for luminaries, switches, and sensors that can set various lighting parameters, as well as define light fixture behavior. Device or fixture response to sensors, switches, and scheduling can be programmed into the models.

Most Standard Bluetooth Mesh models provide sufficient capability for establishing the behavior of a robust smart lighting system. Additionally, in cases where Standard Models firmware does not meet all of the systems requirements, a software developer can extend them to fit more exacting lighting control needs.

An additional benefit of Standard Model firmware is that components from the different vendors – luminaries, switches, sensors, etc. – can be mixed and matched to work together.

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System Software

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Systems also require software and/or a mobile app to configure and control the network’s devices. For smaller projects, a stand-alone mobile app not linked to back-end cloud software is often sufficient.

For larger commercial Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Systems, a mobile app connected to cloud software with a back-end database is usually required. Commercial customers who need to control multiple Bluetooth Mesh networks can either own, buy, or lease cloud or local network software. This configuration is not only much more secure, but also much more robust than stand-alone mobile apps.

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Compatibility

Because all Standard Bluetooth Mesh-certified lighting accessories are compatible with each other, users can mix and match lighting fixtures, sensors, switches – and even add HVAC and security systems – into the same Bluetooth Mesh network.

And because of the growing popularity of Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Systems, vendors are also offering many compatible non-Bluetooth Mesh lighting accessories that can be integrated into the Mesh network. This enables users to control both their lighting system and other building smart functions using the same smartphone mobile app.

In May 2020, Bluetooth SIG partnered with the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DIIA) to develop a standard uniform interface that would allow luminaries that support DALI protocol to become a part of a Bluetooth Mesh network. Now manufacturers are able to offer products that make DALI-based lighting systems compatible with the Bluetooth Mesh hardware and software, as well.

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System Advantages

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Systems offer significant benefits for electrical manufacturers, distributors, builders/installers, and customers.

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting Systems require less wiring and therefore need considerably less labor to install – reducing project costs. Instead of connecting light fixtures to controls via wiring, installers simply add hardware to the network using software and/or a mobile app on a smartphone to connect them. This requires less time and labor, fewer materials, and even less qualification from the installation workers.

And end users, including commercial building managers and tenants, appreciate the ease of control, remote control capability, and energy savings of Mesh Lighting Systems. Additionally, because Mesh enables users to control their lighting network with devices they already have, such as phones and tablets, there is minimal to no investment in controls.

Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System Distribution & Sales

As you can see, the advantages to installing or upgrading to a Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System are many. If you are interested in incorporating a Bluetooth Mesh Lighting System into your next construction project, new build, or upgrade project, the electrical product experts at Team Electrical Sales in the Detroit area are here to help.

At Team Electrical Sales we pride ourselves on representing the highest quality of electrical products and the best customer service in the industry.

Call: 313-874-1000 or Click Here to Request a Bluetooth Mesh Quote

New T8 Lamp Rules

New T8 & T5 Lighting Rules In Effect

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued new energy standards for general-service fluorescent lamps in 2015 – however the new standards contained therein affecting T8 lamps were not mandated to go into effect until January 26, 2018.

These standards identify categories of lamps and impose minimum efficacies, which are expressed in lumens/W. With the new T8 standards going into effect this week, we recap some of the important provisions of these new lighting requirements.

History of DOE Lighting Energy Standards

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 implemented government regulation of general-service fluorescent lamps, to be enforced by the DOE. In 2009, the DOE expanded these regulations to include 8 foot T8 lamps, 4 foot T5 lamps, and a broader range of wattages of 4 foot T8 and T12 lamps.

In July 2012, the DOE rules eliminated the majority of T12 lamps. And, lower-color rendering 4 foot T8 lamps were granted a two-year exemption by the DOE, if a lamp manufacturer specifically requested it.

In 2015 new energy standards for T8 lamps were once again established – with manufacturers given 3 years to either discontinue or reengineer non-compliant T8 lamps. The three years have now expired, and enforcement goes into effect this coming Friday.

However, lighting distributors may still continue to sell non-compliant lamps until their inventories are exhausted – if the lamps were manufactured or imported before January 26, 2018.

General-Service Fluorescent Lamps

The new regulations for T8 lighting primarily impacts:

  • 4-ft. 32W T8 lamps
  • 2-ft. U-bend T8 laps
  • 4-ft. linear T5 and T5HO lamps
  • Some reduced-wattage T8 lamps

The 2015 rules changed the energy standards for T8 lamps by tightening the minimum required efficacy by an increase of one to four percent – up to the current maximum technology level available.

Minimum required efficacy for 4 ft. T5 lamps was increased by the DOE as much as 7% to 10%, while eight-foot lamps saw no increase. However, the regulations did extend the range of covered wattages for 8-ft. single-pin lamps and 4-ft. T5 and T5HO lamps.

Exemptions from New T8 & T5 Lighting Regulations

The DOE’s existing exemptions will continue to remain in effect. These include:

  • plant growth lamps
  • lamps for cold-temperature applications
  • colored lamps
  • impact-resistant lamps
  • reflectorized or aperture lamps
  • lamps for reprographic applications
  • UV lamps
  • lamps with a CRI of 87 or higher

Effect of New T8 & T5 Lighting Regulations

Back in 2010 the Department of Energy estimated that 4-ft. T8 lamps accounted for at least 20 percent of all commercial building sector lamps – as well as up to 44 percent of industrial sector lamps. This translates to more than 500 million 4-ft. linear T8 lamps in use in the United States.

However, many major manufacturers’ existing product lines already satisfied the new energy standards, or required only limited re-engineering. For this reason the commercial building sector has experienced only a very minimal impact on availability of affected T8 and T5 lamps.

The DOE estimates that over the course of the next 30 years, end-users will receive an average cost savings (factoring in energy cost savings and higher purchase cost) of $2 billion to $5 billion as a result of these new regulations.

In sum, the 2015 rules going into effect this week are one more step in removing the least-efficient and lowest-cost lamps from the market.

Detroit’s Leading Commercial Lighting Supplier

If you are an electrical contractor with questions about lamp availability or compliance under the new regulations, feel free to call the lighting experts at Team Electrical Sales.

LED Lighting Trends

Top 5 Market Trends in LED Lighting for 2021

As the Midwest’s leading supplier of LED products, Team Electrical Supply is pleased to observe that there is a new peak of expansion for the LED chip industry in 2018, and beyond.

While the current prices of LED chips are low – primarily because of competing Chinese LED manufacturing – it appears that China may have reached full capacity. This means that the US LED market prices are staying stable, while opportunities for growth in the mobile phone, TV and architectural lighting markets are expanding quickly.

According to the latest report from LEDinside (a division of market research firm TrendForce), LED market value in 2017 is projected to increase by 7.4 % year over year, to $17.16 billion US.  In this article, as 2017 draws to a close, we examine 5 of the top trends driving this increase in LED demand.

LED Trend 1
Mini LED Backlight Products for the Mobile Phone Market

Because of the current limited supply of AMOLED panels, Android manufacturers may be facing a hardship. Therefore many manufacturers are anticipated to begin combining mini-LED with a flexible substrate to achieve a high curved backlight in 2019.

LED Trend 2
WCG and QD (Quantum Dot) Products for the TV Market

While TV manufacturers still emphasize HDR, the demand for wide color gamut (WCG) is growing, and will increase even further in 2021.  Because of WCG’s increased range of “lifelike” colors, it provides more on-screen impact than simply increasing resolution – promising increasing demand.  Korean manufacturers have also developed “QD” which only requires a blue light LED chip, and no longer needs traditional phosphor powders.

LED Trend 3
General Lighting LED Market Growth

Because of global initiatives to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, roughly 12 billion LED lights were installed from 2012 – 2016. However, world potential for LED lighting is estimated to be about 60-70 billion. This translates to continued market increases in the general LED market until at least 2021, when market saturation is expected.

LED Trend 4
Architectural and Landscape Lighting Market Growth

Cities across the globe continue to pour billions of dollars into tourist-enticing travel attractions. Dynamic image control technology with LED screens are increasingly popular for creating these entertainment experiences. The demand for this type of architectural and landscape lighting is anticipated to add billions of dollars to the US LED lighting market in the coming years.

LED Trend 5
Infrared LED Market Growth

With the release of various new applications that rely on infrared LED chips, including industrial surveillance security, virtual reality, facial recognition, and iris recognition, the infrared LED market continues to grow. In 2017 the infrared LED market is estimated to be approximately $441 million US – and is anticipated to grow to $699 million US by 2022.

Detroit’s Leading Electrical Supplier

Because of these emerging and expanding applications for LED chip technology, the total global LED market value is projected to increase sharply into 2021 and beyond.

Be sure to visit our blog often, where we will keep you posted on the latest trends in electrical and lighting supplies in Michigan and the Midwest, across the US, and around the globe.

Lighting Control Trends

Reducing Energy Costs with Lighting Controls

Even the most energy efficient lamps and fixtures are still wasting your company’s money if they are left on when they are not needed! Integrating automatic lighting controls into your operations saves you hundreds of dollars in energy costs, by ensuring your lighting is only in use when needed.

Today’s state-of-the-art automatic lighting control options are easy to use, adaptable to any environment – and literally “pay for themselves” by dramatically reducing unnecessary energy costs. Automatic lighting controls can switch off or dim your lighting based on time of day, occupancy or vacancy, daylight availability, or any combination of these factors. And, most automatic lighting control options are now also available in wireless models.

Below is a list of Automatic Lighting Control Systems:

Occupancy and Vacancy Sensor Lighting Control

Occupancy and vacancy lighting control sensors operate by sensing the motion, body heat, or both, of an area’s occupants. They can cut lighting energy use by up to 25 percent. Occupancy and vacancy lighting control sensors are ideal for use in spaces where personnel move in and out often, and/or in unpredictable patterns, including: offices, restrooms, conference rooms, stairwells, storage areas, break-rooms and warehouses.

Occupancy sensors turn lights on automatically when someone enters a room or area – and when no motion is detected after a specified time, the occupancy sensors then switch the light(s) off.

A vacancy sensors is similar to an occupancy sensor, however the vacancy sensor requires manual operation (button is pressed by occupant to turn on lights) – then the light is turned off when there is no longer motion in the room or area. This Combination of manually “on” with “automated off” prevents false turn-on events, thereby saving even more energy.

Occupancy and vacancy lighting control sensors can be mounted on walls, on ceilings, and even integrated in a room’s light fixtures. The latest generation of occupancy and vacancy lighting control sensors operate wirelessly – making them very easy to install, as well as ideal for retrofitting an existing space with energy saving lighting controls.

Photocells & Photo Sensor Lighting Control

Photocells or photo sensors detect changes in light levels, turning fixtures on when it is dark or overcast outside, and off when there is sufficient daylight. Photocells and Photo Sensor lighting controls are commonly used to control outdoor lighting. This type of basic lighting control has been in existence for a long time, and provides a simple and affordable option for outdoor areas.

Photocells and photo sensors simply turn lights on or off when certain external light thresholds are met. However, for indoor usage, “Daylight Lighting Controls” (below) offer a more sophisticated and adjustable lighting control solution, that adjusts light levels upward and downward in addition to simply turning lights on and off.

Daylight Lighting Control

Daylight lighting controls are among the latest, most sophisticated automatic lighting controls. Daylight lighting controls enable a space to utilize available daylight through windows and skylights – while providing electric light only as needed to supplement natural light. By adjusting the electric light output downwards when there is sufficient daylight, dramatic energy savings can be realized. And when cloudy days strike – or nighttime falls – light output returns to is upward adjustment as necessary!

Intelligent lighting control systems

With intelligent lighting control systems, the future of energy savings has arrived! These computer networked lighting control systems are able to “learn” your building’s use trends – and automatically adjust lighting as patterns change over time. Intelligent lighting control systems can optimize comfort and realize energy savings for a single room, a whole building or even multiple campuses. Additionally, integrated controls can also provide complete facility energy usage data. And intelligent lighting control systems also afford remote operation and control capabilities of your lighting systems. Giving you or your facilities manager(s) control over energy usage even from a remote location.