Discharge lamp
According to BRE’s The essential guide to retail lighting:
A discharge lamp is a ‘Lamp that produces light by discharging an electric current through a gas (neon, argon, krypton) or a gas / metal vapour mixture (mercury, sodium). For some types of discharge lamp, such as fluorescent tubes, the electrical discharge generates ultraviolet radiation, which is converted into visible light by a phosphor coating on the inner face of the glass. The type of coating determines the spectrum of light emitted.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Ballast or control gear.
- Colour appearance.
- Colour Rendering Index CRI.
- Daylight benefits in healthcare buildings.
- Daylight factor.
- Daylight lighting systems.
- Dichroic reflector.
- Extra-low voltage lamps.
- General lighting v task lighting.
- Illuminance.
- Lamps.
- Lamp efficacy.
- Light pollution.
- Lighting.
- Lighting energy numeric indicator LENI.
- Lighting of construction sites.
- Luminaire efficacy.
- Rights to light.
Featured articles and news
ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce.
Women's Contributions to the Built Environment.
Calls for the delayed Circular Economy Strategy
Over 50 leading businesses, trade associations and professional bodies, including CIAT, and UKGBC sign open letter.
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.





















