Innovative Lighting System

In addition to the windows and atrium, which reduce the need for artificial lighting in the building, energy use in the MEWC LEO building is optimised by high-efficiency light fixtures with electronic ballasts instead of the normal energy consuming magnetic ballasts.

The lights function automatically to switch off when there is sufficient daylight to provide an illumination level of about 350 lumen (lux), meeting the new standard for non-residential buildings as stated in the MS 1525 of between 300-400 lux, which has been reduced from an overly bright 500 lux previously. In addition, the lighting system is combined with a motion detector which automatically switches off the lights and air conditioning in a room once no physical motion is detected, indicating that the room is vacant. The lighting system has distinct circuits such that lights along the windows operate independantly of the others.

Given these measures, electricity consumption for lighting and cooling in the MEWC LEO building has been reduced by 50 kWh/m2 per year.