Every industry has its own buzzwords and unfathomable acronyms - lighting is no different so we've put together a quick guide to clear the confusion so we all know what we're talking about!
Accent lighting - lighting used to highlight areas, signage or objects. It is often secondary/supporting source to the main lighting in a space.
Ambient lighting - the most common form of lighting, usually a bulb suspended from the ceiling and the main form of light in a room
Ballast - an electrical component that is used to run a fluorescent tube. It consists of an initial surge in voltage and then maintains a constant current. This is no good for LEDs as the initial power surge will burn out an LED - in this case a ballast bypass will be employed
Bayonet - the good old fashioned style of light bulb fitting - where you push and turn it to fit
BREEAM rating - Building Research Establishments' Energy Assessment Method - a measure of how environmentally sustainable a building is (not just used for lighting, although lighting is included in the overall assessment)
Bulkhead lights - these are designed for use where a highly practical, durable and long-life is required
Candela - measurement for luminous intensity. It is roughly based on the light emitted per candle, so 1 candela = 1 candle's power. (Comedian Rhod Gilbert describes this well in his 'million candles' sketch!).
CRI - referred to in a previous LAUK blog, the CRI is the colour rendering index, showing how accurate a colour is on a scale of 0-100
Driver - these change the voltage from the mains to a lower voltage where required
Edison screw bulb - again, another very common style of light fitting that screws in, as the name suggests
Flicker - the regular, rapid changing of intensity from one light source
Halogen - a type of incandescent light
Heat sink - this stops appliances from overheating by diverting heat away
Incandescent lights - those with an internal filament
IP rating - an indication of how resistant a light might be to dust, water or other irritants
Kilowatt - 1000 watts of energy
LED - light emitting diode
Lumen - the measurement of the total light emitted from a light source
Lux - the measurement of the amount of light directed in a particular area
PAR - parabolic aluminised reflector - the reflective housing around the light
PIR sensor - passive infrared sensor, sometimes called motion sensors
Task lighting - lighting used for a specific requirement or to highlight a particular place
Thermal management - the term used to direct heat away from a light source (see 'heat sink')
If there are any others you think we should be including, please email marketing@lauklighting.co.uk and we'll be sure to add them in! Now go and talk the talk!