cse_2012_lighting_survey_online.pdf

7/27/2019 CSE_2012_Lighting_Survey_Online.pdf

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2012 Lighting Study



Background and Methodology

In October 2012, Consulting-Specifying Engineer conducted an online survey of its readers

regarding lights, lighting equipment and lighting controls. Survey topics included types of

products specified, challenges associated with lighting design, factors affecting product

selection, familiarity with selected lighting manufacturers and information sources used

when making decisions about lighting products.

The survey sample was selected from readers who had provided email addresses and whohad indicated relevant purchasing influence or authority. Survey questions further qualified

respondents to ensure they had appropriate involvement in the specification, design and

selection of lights, lighting equipment and/or lighting controls.

Survey invitations were emailed to the sample on October 22, 2012. By the closing date of

November 5th a total of 294 responses was received of which 238 met the purchasing

involvement criteria.



Involvement in design and product selections

6%

22%

25%

26%

27%

27%

28%

32%

40%

47%

48%

49%

55%

66%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Office Buildings

Industrial/Manufacturing Facilities/Warehouses

Educational Facilities

Hospitals/Healthcare Facilities

Government Buildings /Military Facilities

Research Facilities/Laboratories

Parking Garages/Service Stations

Engineered Multi-Dwelling/Retail Complexes/Restaurants

Utilities/Public Works/Transportation

Hotel/Motel/Resorts

Churches/Religious Buildings

Sports/Entertainment/Convention Center Facilities

Correctional Facilities

Other

For which of the following types of building structures do you specify, design or make product selections? (n=294)

In what ways, if any, are you involved in the selection of lights, lighting equipment and/or lighting controls? (n=294)

Note: those not involved were disqualified from answering the remaining questions.

Office buildings and industrial/manufacturing facilities/warehouses are the types of building structures for which respondents are most likely to specify, design or select products. The majority (81%) are involved

in the selection of lights, lighting equipment and/or lighting controls.

19%

5%

16%

27%

38%

50%

51%

52%

54%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Determine requirements/write

specs

Research and evaluate options

Supervise or consult on

projects

Recommend brand

Select brand

Appro ve purc hase

Place order

Retrofit systems only

Not involved



Job ti tle and type of company

Please indicate your primary job title/function. (n=238)

Which of the following best describes your company? (n=238)

Nearly half (46%) of all respondents reported they are professional engineers and most are employed atconsulting engineering firms or in-house engineering departments.

Job title/function

34%

9%

46%

6%5%

Ow ner, CEO, or Presi dent Other Mgm t. and Sr. Eng. Mgm t.

Pro. Engineer Other Eng. Ti tle

Other

Best Describes Company

38%

26%

16%

14%

6%

Consulting Engineering Firm

In-House Engineeri ng

Engineering/Architectural Firm

Design/Buil d, Construction/ Contracting Firm

Other



Number of employees and annual revenue

Approximately how many people are employed by your firm? (n=236)

Which of the following ranges best describes your firm’s annual mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design revenue? (n=231)

Respondents represent a mix of firms in terms of employee size and total revenue.

# of People Employed by Firm

28%

16%

19%

37%

1 to 19 employees 20 to 99 employees

100 to 499 em pl oyees 500 or more em pl oyees

Annua l MEP vo lume

21%

10%

13%

24%

32%

Less than $1M $1M to $5M $5M to $10M

$10M to $20M Over $20M



Years in design and respondent age

For how many years have you been involved in lighting design? (n=238)

Which of the following ranges includes your current age? (n=238)

Two-thirds of all respondents have ten or more years experience in lighting design. A mix of ages arerepresented.

Years involved in light ing design

19%

15%

22%

25%

19%

Less than 5 5 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 or more

Age

3%

19%

35%

25%

18%

40 and under 41 to 50 51 to 60

61 and ol der Prefer not to say



Office location

In what region of the country is your office located? (n=238)

7%

15%

30%

26%

22%

Northeast Midwest

South West

Based outside the U.S.

The vast majority of respondents were based in the U.S. with the largest proportions located in theSouth and Midwest regions of the country.



Annual volume of lighting products specified

What is the total annual dollar amount of lighting and lighting control products specified by your engineering firm for new and existing buildings?

(n=228)

23%

14%

13%

29%

21%

L ess tha n $100,000 $100,000 to $500,000

$500,001 to $750,000 $750,001 to $1,000,000

Over $1,000,000

Almost one-fourth (23%) of all respondents work at firms that specify over one million dollars of lightingand lighting control products each year.



Critical challenges affecting lighting design and retrof its

When asked to name, on an unaided basis, the most critical challenge or

issue affecting the future of lighting design and retrofits, the most common

responses pertained to three topics:

• Energy efficiency (36 mentions)

• Standards and regulations/code compliance (30 mentions)

• LED lighting (20 mentions)

What is the most critical challenge or issue affecting the future of lighting design and retrofits? (n=178)



Information needs

When asked what lighting information would help them do their jobs more

easily and effectively, respondents were most likely to mention technical

information, cost information and information about LED products.

• Technical/application information, guides and data sheets (16 mentions)

• Costs (13 mentions)

• LED-related topics (13 mentions)

• Product comparisons (8 mentions)

• Design assistance (6 mentions)

What information about lighting design, products and controls would help you do your job more easily and effectively? (n=156)



Lights or lighting products specified

What types of lights or lighting products do you currently specify? (n=145)

What types of lights or lighting products do you expect to specify in the next 12 to 24 months? (n=145)

Base: Respondents who determine requirements/write specs

43%

7%

41%

37%

32%

76%

74%

48%

79%

89%

86%

25%

14%

20%

50%

35%

57%

75%

74%

68%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

T5, T8 or T12 (any size)

Lighting controls

LED

CFL

HID (high-intensity discharge)

Halogen

Ceramic metal halide

Incandescent

Sodium (high- or low-pressure)

Other

Currently specify

Expect to specify

Currently T5, T8 or T12 (any size) and lighting controls are the most frequently specified lights or lightingproducts. Those same products plus LED are most likely to be specified in the next 12 to 24 months.



Biggest changes in lighting design or lighting products

Without a doubt, LED has driven the biggest changes in lighting observed by

respondents during the past 12 to 18 months.

• LED improvements, availability, implementation, cost reduction (68 mentions)

• Energy efficiency (6 mentions)

• Costs (4 mentions)

• Code requirements (4 mentions)

What is the biggest change in lighting design or lighting products that you’ve observed during the past 12 to 18 months? (n=116)



Types of lighting specifications

Of the total lighting specifications issued by your firm, how often are you using each of the following? (n=135)


47%

40%

37%

51%

24%

27%

10%

30%

34%

40%

31%

31%

53%

65%

13%

14%

14%

18%

25%

10%

10%

9%

4%

4%

2%

41%

13%

Performance spec totally open

Open spec, engineering approval

or brand required

Performance spec, writt en around

one manufacturer

Closed spec, multiple sou rces

Open spec, engineering approval

or brand not required

Closed spec, single source and

alternate

Closed spec, single source

Alw ays Freq u en tly Rarely Never

The most common way of specifying lighting is with a performance spec, totally open.



Difficulty of lighting engineering and design challenges

Using a 4-point scale where 1 is "not difficult" and 4 is "extremely difficult", please rate the difficulty posed by each of the following lighting

engineering and design challenges. (n=132)


48%

39%

30%

41%

35%

38%

19%

43%

46%

42%

36%

45%

2%

15%

9%

11%

31%

11%

9%

8%

6%

6%

23%

7%

Inadequate budget for good

design

Interoperability and

complementing systems

Speed of project delivery

LEED, Standard 90.1, sustainable

design

Energy efficiency

Codes and standards changing

frequently

Extremely difficult=4 3 2 Not difficult=1

Of the six challenges studied, “inadequate budget for good design” was rated the most difficult.



Payback period requested

What payback period is typically requested by your clients for each of the items listed below? (n=125)


Less than6 mos.

6 to 12mos.

13 to 18mos.

19 to 24mos.

25 to 30mos.

31 to 36mos.

More than36 mos.

Not sure/don’t know

Ceramic metal halide 3% 10% 5% 14% 2% 4% 3% 60%

CFL 3% 14% 12% 14% 5% 4% 5% 43%

LED 4% 14% 9% 18% 5% 10% 11% 29%

Halogen 3% 8% 10% 11% 2% 6% 5% 56%

HID (high- intensity discharge) 3% 10% 8% 13% 5% 5% 4% 52%

Incandescent 6% 6% 4% 6% 5% 4% 2% 67%

Lighting controls 3% 10% 10% 21% 6% 8% 4% 38%

Sodium (high- or low-pressure) 2% 6% 6% 10% 5% 5% 3% 63%

T5, T8 or T12 (any size) 2% 16% 14% 16% 6% 8% 2% 36%

For many of the products studied, the majority of respondents don’t know or are not sure what paybackperiod clients request.



Frequency of vendor involvement in completing specifications

2%

32%

56%

10%

Alw ays i nvo lved

Frequently involved

Occasionally involved

Never involved

How often are equipment vendors involved in helping you complete your specifications? (n=125)


Two-thirds of respondents always or frequently involve vendors to help complete specifications.



Importance of factors in selection of lighting products

In your design/specification activity, how important is each of the following factors to your selection of one lighting product over another? (n=191)

28%

31%

43%

41%

51%

60%

48%

48%

51%

57%

45%

54%

57%

15%

19%

19%

18%

16%

26%

21%

23%

2%

4%

2%

2%

3%

3%

4%

6%

3%

5%15%

22%

23%

23%

28%

30%

32%

33%

34%

36%

40%

62%

68%

6%

18%

13%

6%

1%

1%

2%

3%Product quality

Energy efficiency of product

Lifecycle cost

Service support

Initial product cost

Manufacturer's reputation

Previous experience with manufacturer

Warranty

Design support

Technical advantage of product

Lead/delivery time

Interoperability

Manufacturer's complete product series or system capabilities

Ex trem ely im po rtan t=4 3 2 N ot at all im po rtan t=1

Product quality is the most important factor in selecting one lighting product over another.

cse_2012_lighting_survey_online.pdf

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