EDITOR'S NOTE
Hello readers,
Recently I wrote on the aesthetics of landscaping and today I want to write about lighting as an aspect of FM.
Few people pay attention to lighting possibly because it has become a norm. We see lights on the highways, streets, in buildings and all but hardly give any thoughts to how they are powered or what was put in place for the lights to come on.
Street lighting started with the use of oil lamps then candle lighting in the 15th century. Technological development brought about the candescent light and more recently the LEDs. Thanks to electrical engineers in FM who design, install and maintain most of the lighting effects on our streets, highways and facilities.
Enjoy your read.
PATIENCE E.C. OKONTA
Recently I wrote on the aesthetics of landscaping and today I want to write about lighting as an aspect of FM.
Few people pay attention to lighting possibly because it has become a norm. We see lights on the highways, streets, in buildings and all but hardly give any thoughts to how they are powered or what was put in place for the lights to come on.
Street lighting started with the use of oil lamps then candle lighting in the 15th century. Technological development brought about the candescent light and more recently the LEDs. Thanks to electrical engineers in FM who design, install and maintain most of the lighting effects on our streets, highways and facilities.
Enjoy your read.
PATIENCE E.C. OKONTA
In theatres and cinemas lighting is used to determine the mood of the event. Even in homes, different light fixtures are used for different rooms within the house. For example, the lighting in the room is different from the one in the kitchen or study area.
Lighting in FM requires the expertise of electrical engineers and maintenance of its fixtures from time to time. It is not just about setting up globes of different shades at different location. Before the 21st century, lamps and lampstands (holders) were designed using gasoline to power them. This was costly to maintain and as such very few places had the privilege of using them but with technological improvisation, new powering (hydroelectric and solar) systems have been developed. Also, development in technology has created the LEDs (light-emitting diodes) which last 50 times longer than the incandescent bulbs commonly used and consume less energy. These LEDs are increasingly gaining widespread use and by 2020 would have sufficiently pushed the energy consuming bulbs to the background.
The effect of this is that FMs are beginning to adopt the use of LEDs as street lights on the highways, boulevards, closes, streets, avenues, crescents, gardens, lawns, event centers and as security lights within private facilities apart from its general use in homes and offices.
Also street lights are now powered by solar energy thereby reducing cost of using hydropower or generators.
FM engineers determine the size of the bulbs or
globes for different occasion and purpose that when put together they provide
better illumination at little or no cost.
These lighting fixtures come in different shapes or
These lighting fixtures come in different shapes or
design and that in itself adds to its beauty.
From the above explanation we can classify lighting into two:
1. Indoor lighting: examples homes, office spaces, cathedrals, theatres, shops, event centers and
2. Outdoor lighting: highways, streets, parks and garden.
From the above explanation we can classify lighting into two:
1. Indoor lighting: examples homes, office spaces, cathedrals, theatres, shops, event centers and
2. Outdoor lighting: highways, streets, parks and garden.
There are hardly any gardens or parks that do
not have a lighting system wired with it. This is because during the day the
sun itself provides the lushness with which they appear while at night,
artificial lights create even more grandiose illumination. Sometimes, you do not
need to have a garden or park but the combination of different light fixtures
can achieve the same ambience.
A good example of this is the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge during the day, at sunset and at night you can see the transformation brought about by illumination.
A good example of this is the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge during the day, at sunset and at night you can see the transformation brought about by illumination.
 | |
| DAYLIGHT |
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| SUNSET |
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| LIGHTING EFFECT |
Not only does lighting beautify and illuminate, it
also provides perception of safety.
A well-lit area in a neighbourhood can deter crime or prevent hideouts for street urchins or hoodlums and vandalism. A well-lit highway can help prevent accidents; it makes vision clearer for the driver at night and reduces the use of vehicle headlamps which can impair vision of other road users. So when next you hear the word "lighting", think maintenance implication – think FM.
A well-lit area in a neighbourhood can deter crime or prevent hideouts for street urchins or hoodlums and vandalism. A well-lit highway can help prevent accidents; it makes vision clearer for the driver at night and reduces the use of vehicle headlamps which can impair vision of other road users. So when next you hear the word "lighting", think maintenance implication – think FM.
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