2017 Lighting and Lighting Control Study

Lighting in research facilities, laboratories.

By Amanda Pelliccione, Consulting-Specifying Engineer October 27, 2017

The Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2017 Lighting & Lighting Controls Study indicated that 44% of engineers specify, design, or make product selections for research facilities/laboratories—and nine in 10 of these engineers are responsible for determining the requirements/writing specifications for these projects. Below are five lighting engineering and design findings as they relate to research facility/laboratory projects:

  1. Revenue: The average firm earns $728,000 annually from lighting and lighting control products specified into new and existing research facilities/laboratories, with 32% bringing in more than $1 million each year from these projects.
  2. Systems specified: The top three lights or lighting control products being specified into research facilities/laboratories are LEDs (93%); lighting controls and/or addressable systems (81%); and any size T5, T8, or T12 (54%).
  3. Challenges: When working on lighting engineering and design for research facilities/laboratories, engineers are having the most difficulty with insufficient budgets for high-quality designs (66%) and meeting a client’s expected delivery date (56%).
  4. Outlook: Engineers are most concerned about keeping up with new/changing lighting technologies; frequent changes to lighting codes and standards; and the usage of controls, building automation, and addressable systems with regards to future research facility/laboratory projects.
  5. Comparing products: Overall quality is most important when selecting a lighting product for a research facility/laboratory; engineers are also looking at product energy efficiency, manufacturers’ reputations, and their previous experience with manufacturers.

View more information at www.csemag.com/2017LightingStudy. Amanda Pelliccione is the research director at CFE Media.

  • 23: Average number of years a fire protection engineer has worked with in their professional field. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2016 Fire & Life Safety Study
  • 56% of engineers make electrical or power system selections for office building and/or industrial/manufacturing facility/warehouse projects. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2016 Electrical & Power Study
  • 77% of engineers have been affected by changes to lighting controls within the past 12 to 18 months. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2017 Lighting & Lighting Controls Study

More research
Consulting-Specifying Engineer covers several research topics each year. All reports are available at www.csemag.com/research.