I{out"Cool" Lights Can l{eat aBwilding

Fluorescent lamps, today's standard for cornmercial buildings, light

to%
are thought of as cool light sources. How can they generate
enough heat to warln a buiiding?
A person standing under a fluorescent fixture has the sensa-
tion of ffrore light and less heat than he would expect from an
incandescent fixture of equivalent wattage. Watt for watt the
fluorescent radiates about half as much infra red and twice as
much light as the incandescent"
Above the fixtures however, considerabiy more heat is rising
ffi
ionduction-
convection
zoTl
.'..,rballast
t''. 147a

conduction-
convection
30 70

frorn the fluorescent heat from the tube, ballast, and metal general service rapid start
-
housing being carried off by air convection. The sum totatr of
incandescent fluorescent

the radiated and non-radiated energy is the sarne for both types
of light source. Because of the relatively iarge srze af the fiuores-
cent fixture, nlore of the heat from the larnp, ballast, ar-ld fixture
housing is carried off by air convection.
Taking advantage of this characteristic, air-handling troffers
are designed to route return air over the heated surfaces where
it captures 50 to 70 percent of all the energy dissipated by the
fixture.

f{owN[uchLightT
Preceding all other ccnsiderations, the amount of tright required
for each type of spafe occupancy should be deterrnined by a
person qualified to elo so. {llumination requirements should be
essentially fixed before the heating systern is considered"
Beginning at about 100 footcandles average light intensity
(3-4 watts per square foot), the heat generated by the lights can
contribute to the comfort and economy of a buiiding" At abotlt
150 footcandles (4-6 watts per square foot) the heat of the
lights can replace a conventional heating plant, even when the
outside ter-nperature apploaches 0 degrees. These light trevels
are well within the range now recornrnended for office spaces
by the Illuminating Engineering Society.

Further reading: Economics of Hent of Light Design, by Melvin Cohen. "ll1u-

rninating Engineering", March L966, page 152 (5 pages). Successful Examples
af HeatlLight Applicatlons. "Illuminating Engineering",l\latch 1966, page 148
(4 pages).
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Even more important, the use of air-handling troffers results in a
better design of interior spaces and more comfort for the people work-
ing in them.
When the air supply and return vents are incorporated in the light-
ing fixtures, they become nearly invisible. Ceilings have a clean, un-
cluttered appearance. Dirt streaks do not form on the ceiling because

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because thermostats can be placed in the moving return air stream
(off the wall and out of sight).
'-^^o;.iin. problems familiar to air conditioning engineers is
'l:*ilf g:.fi ff l'*'^n::-r*:'"lifll#3ffi[";3:l
of the heat from the lighting fixtures never enters the space
and therefore does not need to be tempered in the space by
cooled air. It has been calculated that in a 100-
foot-candle installation, one-third less cooling
air is required in the occupied space when
heat-removal troffers are used. The higher
the illumination level, the greater the
advantage of air-handling troffers. The
'
savlngs are reall
1'zedinless
ducting, valves, controls, maintenance, etc.
It is always desirable to reduce the cost of installing and maintaining a lighting
system, and in a well lighted building, savings are even more to be sought after. Air-
handling troffers produce more light per watt because they are cooled by the return
air stream. In other words, fewer troffers are needed to produce a given light inten-
sity if they are heat removal. Data from existing installations shows that the number
of fixtures can be reduced to % to 20%.
Further reading: Coordination With Air Conditioning, by ]ohn E. Flynn. "Lighting, July '1,965, page 38
(3 pages). Electric Heating Systems: "Heat of Light", by Paul Greiner, "Actual Specifying Engineer", April
7966, page 76 (8 pages). Saloing Problems of Heat in Lighting, by Berlon C. Cooper, "Electrical Construc-
tion and Maintenance", October 1961, page S7 (24 pages).
The lntegrated System
Normally the heat created by lights , people, and equipment is more than enough to
heat interior spaces. Such spaces always present a heat removal problem. Perimeter
spaces, on the other hand, require either heating or cooling, depending on the outside
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temperature, exposure to the sun, and other factors. In a conventional system, warm
air or cool air is supplied as necessary. In an integrated system, heat from the lights
is captured for use where heat is needed and is prevented from entering spaces where
cooling is needed.
The operation of an integrated system is described in the following paragraphs as it
meets the varying requirements of different seasons. The system illustrated is by no
means the only type that could be called integrated. Many variations are possible. The
principles, however, remain as stated above.

Winter Condition The winter cycle is shown below left. spaces, stored hot water is pr
Air returns from interior and perimeter spaces through coils. Other sources of seco

the air-handling troffers picking up 50 toTO percent of the heated air, infra-red lamps, or,
energy in the form of heat. On beginning the supply cycle, require heat storage. Seconda
the air is routed in its heated condition to perimeter areas weekends, early mornings, an
or cooled and sent to interior areas. Temperature is sensed
by local thermostats controlling the cooling equipment or o
valves in the air ducts. Spring-Fall Condition The spr
In this example, the heat absorbed by the cooling coil is is essentially the same as the
taken to the heat pump, further heated, and placed in stor- extracted from interior spacr
age (water). When the heat removed from the interior maintain heat in the perime
spaces cannot supply current demand from the perimeter stored or sent to the cooling tr

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perimeter I hall nterior

area I
aTea
I

fan-coil .-l-- fan-coi1

pumped to perimeter heating
condary heat are electrically
which
>relectric strips, none of
dary heat may be required on
and extremely cold days.
o process. Since 50 to 70 percent of the heat energy gener-
pring-fall cycle (below center)
re winter cycle. Here the heat
lcesis more than enough to
neter spaces. Surplus heat is
;tower.
Summer Condition In the summer cycle (below right)
warm air is removed from both interior and perimeter
spaces and cooled air is supplied to both. Heat is ejected by
the cooling tower.
In summer, the integrated system contributes in a some-
what different way to the efficiency of the heat transfer
ated by the lighting fixtures is removed before it can enter
the rooms, less cooled air is needed in the rooms. This
means smailer or fewer cool air ducts, and lower air veloci-
ties. It also opens the way to higher light intensity levels,
formerly a real problem for the air conditioning engineer.

tt.Itfit it )
A
'd
perimeter I hall interior
area I atea
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fan-coil '-l---
\heater i

9
 €conomics of I{eat from Light

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". . . heat-removal lighting fixtures
put to work
already existing heat energy ."

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Light and Heat kesti'srlh;'sf, glaania
The,key pi€ce of equipment,,unique'to'heat'llight systems is the air-handling, heat-
removal lightingfixture.,In tOOa'}ylvania developed.and marketed an air handling
troffer that became'the foferunner,of toddy's,.,lifht and'heat,progqaq. A research
facility was,then,formed in the 511T;va;Aia',Ltghting,Center:in Danvefs, Massachusetts
to continue inrprowement of rlighting and heating, equipment, ,Today, Sylvania offers
thefinest.air-hand1inglheat'rern@..1ighting.'fiitures.ma'de,'':
The Sylvania Lighting Cmter'includes,, a',Light' and Heat Laboratory operating
under variable, simulated environmental conditions,(diagram below). The room that
represents a perimeter space is separated b,y'a floor'torceiling window from simulated
outside air,rvariable in temperature fforn,lOon io'0"F, An interioi room adjoins the
perimetei"room on the,side opp.osite ihe.window, Both rooms are'lig-hted by air-
handling lheai'removal'tiofferi'iil,'a'i.aiiable,layout. A ducting system connected to

out6ide
alr truef

ItL.Jr tl.*ilL. i .#r t%MilMt t !einperatule

sensing and
ewironmenta'l
suppl_v and he.rt rcnoval troFfers I srrpply and heal re[rov.rl troffers
control panel
\,.,do'u pcri nctet | :nt",io'
roorn I room

seconcl.rrl' he.rl sotrrce

+ (fan-coil)

Sylvmia Light and Heat Laboralory

(simplified)
the plenum collects room aii and fixture,:treat,'ie.turns,it to a central tempering system
andcarriesitback'tothesupp1y:sideoflthe'sametroffers,:..
By varyingi outside, temperatures ,and light levels, sylvania engineers found that
both rooms balanced'well, weri free ofdrafts, and remainedvery quiet' In one experi-
ment, the light intenSity,,l*vel,*ar,set:at lSO,footcandles in both rooms and the "out-
side" temperatur€- w&s brought down,,to Ou ,behind,,sin€1e*thickness,,glass' covering
the entire wa1l of 'the outer room: A srcady,'temperatufe,of 7.0"
wasmaintainedinbsthrooms:wjtho,utsupp.leql;entary,heat'
Various types lof air'handli4g troffers',are:,also'dev€1'., :

oped and tested at the Sylvani'artightiry.gentet,'.The

results of Sylvania's developmmt,'eff<xis''to,:dat€ or€'
described on the next:two p4ges.

butdoor
100 116 100 119

perimeter room

100 116 100 119

80 1zO

interior.,suppl)t uot IJU

perimetgr
140 'supply-,

100 116

100 116 lOO 116

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