By : Emergency lighting is an integral part of all buildings, whether commercial, industrial or public. The emergency lights must always be installed in escape routes so that in case of an emergency, people can use the shorter routes to be out of the building quickly. Until now fluorescent lamps were used for all types of emergency lighting system. While many of the systems still use the concept, there are many others that use the new and the latest technologies of emergency lighting. The latest technological advancements in emergency lighting are capable of bringing about more safety, save energy and provide time and cost benefits.
The Emergency Lighting Techniques
LED Lamps
LED or Light Emitting Diode technique is the latest technique in the emergency lighting system. The LED lamps as compared to the earlier techniques of emergency lighting prove to be more economical, safe and effective. The White light LEDs provide uniform and bright light. When compared to the fluorescent lamps, LED luminaries and exit signs save more than 30 percent of the energy. This is possible due to their capability to direct the output in a better way. Almost being unbreakable, LED lights enjoy a long life. In addition, they are not affected by low or extremely low temperatures. The innovative LED emergency lighting luminaries can be integrated or designed in the structure of the building, a possibility that is not available with conventional lighting.
Photo luminescent Technology
As the name specifies, the photo luminescent technology is one that illuminates safety signs and exit signs by a chemical reaction that takes place in the lights. The photo luminescent signs and path markers glow in the dark thus guiding tenants and other people to safety in case of an emergency. The purpose of the photo luminescent technology is not lighting up a space but its purpose is to define a space so that people are able to judge by themselves, for eg they may be used at the leading edge of the steps and the landing of the steps making people aware that there are steps at the place. The photo luminescent technology is completely reliable as it does not rely on electricity in case of an emergency. Since the system gets charged in the normal course anyways, it is always remains charged and does not require electricity, otherwise.
The photo luminescent technology is one of the latest technological advancement in the emergency lighting arena. It has its benefits, being energy efficient the top benefit. It does not consume any additional energy for being charged as it gets charged by the existing light that is being used anyway. Therefore, the photo luminescent technology is considered the first Energy Star Program.
Fluorescent Lamps
The technique of fluorescent lamps in emergency lighting has been used since a long time but over the years, the technique has seen continuous development in the sense that these lamps have become more efficient. The latest technique of fluorescent lamps uses lesser amount of mercury inside while reducing the energy requirements. These lamps have the ability to be dimmed in case of an emergency, thereby saving the energy. The high efficiency optical designs along with better influx enable illumination of larger spaces. The fluorescent lamps are economic and comply with the application standards.
Emergency Lighting Regulations
Almost all the countries of the world use some of building regulations that specify the Code of Practice for emergency lighting. The prime concern of these regulations is that the occupants of the buildings must always be safe and they may be evacuated quickly in case of an emergency like fire. The emergency lighting regulations assess the requirements of the emergency lights of high risk areas such as kitchens, hospitals, stairs and other such places. The idea is to put such emergency lights that are not backed by electricity, which is the prime source of energy but also the prime source to be cut down in case of fire or any other such emergency. Therefore, while battery-backed emergency lighting have been used for some time, the technique is giving way to the photoluminescent technology as it does not rely on electricity or batteries for being charged.
Emergency lighting, as mentioned earlier is an integral part of any building and the interior decorators and architects are suitably designing new buildings complying with the emergency lighting regulations of their respective countries. The idea is to provide cost effective and well designed lighting that helps the occupants leave the place immediately and safely even if the mains power fails in case of an emergency.
Author Bio:
Jason Phillips is a famous tech writer and blogger. He is interested in writing about latest gadgets and is always updated by the upcoming gadgets. He last wrote about emergency vehicle light barswhich was appreciated by a large number of audiences.
