A Guide to Lighting Types

Light is a very critical part of our world. Without light we would not be able to see anything. Man has created a number of sources for providing artificial light. Learn about the various types of lighting options that you can chose from, their features and applications.

Incandescent Light

Incandescent lighting uses a filament of tungsten to produce light. This is the most common residential lighting source. Although cheap to buy, it is not very cost-effective to operate. The most common types of incandescent light are:

• Standard Incandescent - Usually refered to as "A-type" light bulbs, these are the commonly used bulbs in our homes everyone knows about. But these bulbs are very inefficient.
• Tungsten Halogen - These bulbs are more efficient than the standard incandescent bulbs. These bulbs are filled with a gas and are coated on the inside for better light generation. These bulbs are quite expensive and hence are only economical for use in commercial applications.
• Reflector Lamps - are used for floodlighting, spotlighting and downlighting. Usually refered to as "Type R", these bulbs are only used for specific applications like theatre lighting etc.

Fluorescent Light

This lighting type is much more energy efficient than the incandescent. The light is produced by passing an electric current through inert gases which fill the tube. This kind of lighting has a longer life as well. The most common types of Fluorescent lights are:

• Tube Fluorescent - These types are also very popular and are available in 4 foot and 8 foot long tubes. These are used for providing ambient lighting in offices, as they donot produce glare.
• Compact Fluorescent - This is the lighitng type which is the most energy efficient option for residential applications. They are produced in sizes that can be used in most home applications and provide the savings of using fluorescent lighting. They cost more to purchase but last much longer.

High-Intensity Discharge (HID)

This lighting source is the most efficient lighting type. They can save upto 90% of lighitng costs as compared to incandescent lights. Common types of lamps are:

• Mercury Vapor - The light quality is blue-green. This light is mostly used for street lighting where the color rendition of the light is not much of an issue.
• Metal Halide - These have better color rendition and higher lighting output. They are used in outdoor areas and in large indoor areas where color rendition is important. Some common applications are gymnasiums, car parks etc.
The copyright of the article A Guide to Lighting Types in Building Construction is owned by Shefali Kumar. Permission to republish A Guide to Lighting Types in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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