According to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2018 Lighting & Lighting Controls Study, 47% of engineers specify, design, or make product selections for hospitals/health care facilities—and 87% of these engineers are responsible for determining the requirements/writing the lighting specifications for these projects. Below are five lighting and lighting controls findings as they relate to hospital and health care facility projects:

1. Design value: Engineering firms are specifying $697,000 annually, on average, in lighting and lighting control products for new and existing hospitals and health care facilities, with 27% specifying more than $1 million.
2. Products specified: LEDs (97%), lighting controls and addressable systems (84%) and any size T5, T8, or T12 (52%) are the top three types of lights or lighting products being specified into hospitals and health care facilities.
3. Recent changes: When specifying lighting and lighting control products for hospitals and health care facilities, engineers are most affected by changes in LEDs (e.g., new technologies, specifications, organic LEDs) and energy efficiency and consumption requests/requirements.
4. Specifications: For hospitals and health care facilities, prescriptive lighting specifications are written 72% of the time, followed by performance and open: alternative or substitute.
5. Lighting challenges: Seventy-three percent of engineers agree that having an inadequate budget for good design is the top lighting engineering and design challenge for hospital and health care facility projects.

⅔ of engineers agree that the local authority having jurisdiction or local fire officials have the most input and impact on fire and life safety designs. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2018 Fire & Life Safety Study

65% of engineers are responsible for supervising or consulting on electrical or power system projects. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2018 Electrical & Power Study

3 in 10 engineers are currently specifying high-intensity discharge or solid-state lighting fixtures for projects. Source: Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2018 Lighting & Lighting Controls Study

More research
Consulting-Specifying Engineer covers several research topics each year. All reports are available at www.csemag.com/research.

View more information at www.csemag.com/2018-lighting-lighting-controls-study. Amanda Pelliccione is the research director at CFE Media. 

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2018 Lighting and Lighting Controls Study: Five lighting industry findings

Respondents to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2018 Lighting & Lighting Controls Study identified five high-level findings:

1. Total annual revenue: During the most recently completed fiscal year, the average engineering firm earned $7 million in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection revenue, 8.1% of which was generated through lighting and lighting control products specified for new and existing buildings.

2. Involvement: Eight in 10 engineers are responsible for determining the requirements/writing the specifications for projects involving lights, lighting equipment, and/or lighting controls; two-thirds research and evaluate the lighting options and/or recommend the brand to be used. The average engineer spends 24% of their time researching or specifying lighting and lighting controls.

3. Lighting technologies: Engineers most commonly specify LEDs, lighting controls, and addressable systems for new and existing nonresidential buildings. While still among the top lighting products in use, the popularity of any sized T5, T8, or T12 fixture has declined from 56% to 48% over the past 12 months.

4. Current challenges: Having an inadequate budget for high quality design remains the top challenge for engineers. Other difficult tasks include adhering to the expected project delivery date and keeping up with frequent changes to codes, regulations, and standards.

5. Design factors: When comparing lighting products, engineers are heavily weighing the technical advantages to each option, as well as the manufacturers’ reputations, initial costs, energy efficiencies, and overall quality.

Access the full 2018 Lighting & Lighting Controls Report to view additional findings.

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