Healthcare Design - October 2015 - 10

MONITOR
Edited by Anne DiNardo

Left: NewYorkPresbyterian Weill Cornell
Medical Center in New
York City went to all LED
lighting inside its pediatric
oncology suite. Below:
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
employs LED luminaires
in the surgical areas of its
facility in Wausau, Wis.

LED technology's reputation as an energy-saving light source
and a good replacement option for incandescent and halogen
lamps has led to broader use within healthcare spaces.
However, the lighting source isn't always understood by the
people who specify it, use it, or maintain it, says Karen Murphy,
senior professional associate at HDR (Princeton, N.J.).
"There are misconceptions that LEDs last forever or that
you never have to maintain them," she says, and someone
who operates the technology that way may end up with
problems, including diminished light levels or inappropriate
color metrics.
Murphy and colleagues Marjorie Sobylak, senior project
manager at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and Lam Vu,
senior electrical engineer for the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs Facilities Standards Service, aim to dispel some of
the myths surrounding the technology and offer tips on
proper use and care during their session, "How LED Lighting
Is Impacting Healthcare," at the Healthcare Design Expo &
Conference, Nov. 14-17 in Washington, D.C.
Among the facts about LEDs that the speakers say design
professionals, healthcare providers, and facility managers
should know are:
* LEDs and fluorescent lamps don't operate the
same: Fluorescent lamps typically remain bright, losing
less than 10 percent of their initial light output and then
burn out. LED modules, on the other hand, gradually
become dimmer without burning out, making it difficult for
maintenance staff to know when the modules aren't giving
off the desired illumination levels and should be replaced.
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This can be especially problematic in certain areas, such as
surgery spaces, where appropriate light levels are important.
Therefore, facilities need to make sure they have maintenance
protocols for replacement, Murphy says.
* Today's sources are better at mimicking daylight:
New equipment is entering the market that offers improved
dimming and color-tuning properties. "We know that daylight
changes color temperature during the course of a day, and
we now have the ability with select color-tuning LED products
to control them with time clocks and adjust the color temperature of electric light similar to daylight," she says. "This will help
support circadian entrainment, which numerous studies have
demonstrated supports physiological health."
* Think variety of applications: LEDs have become a lamp
of choice for most surgical and procedure task lighting,
replacing incandescent and halogen sources. "Those sources
are much less energy efficient than LEDs, are physically larger,
and contribute more heat to the room," Murphy says. In addition, she recommends that clients consider LEDs for exterior
applications, decorative accents, downlights, narrow aperture
recessed fixtures, high ceiling areas, and imaging rooms.
"Understanding how LED technology works and preparing
proper protocols will help you avoid problems down the road,"
Murphy says.
For more on the Healthcare Design Expo & Conference
(Nov. 14-17 in Washington, D.C.), including details on educational sessions, networking events, and registration, visit
HCDmagazine.com/conference.

Illuminating ideas

http://www.HCDmagazine.com/conference http://www.HCDmagazine.com

Healthcare Design - October 2015

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