Light years ahead

Sustainable design is not just a buzz phrase it's a design philosophy that is influencing every aspect of modern architecture, from building orientation to materials and lighting.

To showcase what sustainability means, Philips Lighting has developed a variety of innovative solutions, many of which feature in the new Philips New Zealand head office in Mairangi Bay (shown above).

John Braggins, Philips Lighting Luminaire product manager, says sustainable lighting goes beyond energy efficiency.

"It is also all about conserving resources while providing people with a better quality of light, and an enhanced lifestyle," he says. "The Philips brand promise of Sense and Simplicity expands on this."

Braggins says Philips, which was ranked among the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations at the 2005 World Economic Forum, provides intelligent lighting control systems based on need.

For example, LuxSense automatically adjusts the artificial light according to how much natural light is coming into the building. Philips also manufactures OccuSwitch, a movement detector that will switch lights in zones on and off depending on occupancy.

"These controls are advanced, yet they have been designed with the user in mind," says Braggins. "They have actually removed the human element from dimming decisions. On the other hand, the Philips Multi-dim system puts the human element back in where it's needed."

Multi-dim combines both dimming and switching functions, and can be used to create individual scenes relative to the time of day, or the mood of the occupant.

For further information, contact Philips Lighting, phone 0800 4 Light (454 448). Website: www.philipslighting.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas