Luminaire efficacy
According to BRE’s The essential guide to retail lighting:
A luminaire is a ‘Light fixture or fitting; an electrical device used to create artificial light and / or illumination, by use of an electric lamp.’
Luminaire efficacy is the ‘Light output of an entire luminaire divided by the total power consumed by the lamps and ballasts. Equal to the lamp efficacy multiplied by the light output ratio of the luminaire.’
It is expressed in lumens per Watt (lm/W).
Ballast or control gear, is ‘Part of the control equipment of fluorescent or discharge lamps, used to stabilise the current. The older, traditional main-frequency ballast can consume up to 20-25% of the total lamp current. A modern electronic ballast working at high frequency consumes about 30% less current, and can be used to regulate or dim the lamp output.’
[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.
- Discharge lamp.
- Extra-low voltage lamps.
- General lighting v task lighting.
- Illuminance.
- Lamp.
- Lamp efficacy.
- Lighting.
- Lighting energy numeric indicator LENI.
- Lighting of construction sites.
- Luminaire.
Featured articles and news
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.





















