Ultraviolet from lighting

According to the Energy efficient lighting – guidance for installers and specifiers (2006 edition), it is true that lamps used for general lighting will emit some UV. However, this is at a much lower level than would be experienced just by being outdoors. Under typical indoor lighting, the UV radiation from bare fluorescent lamps would be less than 1 per cent of that received in average daylight (see LIF Technical Statement No.8, www.lif.co.uk) ten filament lamps hardly emit any UV because the UV is absorbed by the glass envelope. Most tungsten halogen lamps are now made with UV-filter quartz and this removes the need for additional filters in most applications. Further information is available from lamp manufacturers.

Very important TED talk on Climate Change

For all who have not heard a good talk on climate change

http://www.ted.com/talks/james_hansen_why_i_must_speak_out_about_climate_change.html

LED certifications

LED Certifications
The electrical performance of the fixture will need to be specified in terms of parameters such
as power factor and leakage current, often arising as a result of local regulations. Whereas
certain certifications may be mandatory, such as RoHS compliance or CE compliance, others
may be the industry norm, for example it may be usual for the product to have a UL listing. It
is incumbent on the end user to be aware of all certifications that are relevant and to ensure at
an early stage that the manufacturer is capable of delivering compliant products. A specialised
fixture manufacturer will be able to work with the end user to ensure that the end product is
properly certified.

Certifications are obtained as a result of product testing by relevant, independent and competent
bodies. The purpose of formal certifications is to ensure that the product meets certain minimum
agreed standards appropriate for the product and its working environment. These standards
cover such things as safety, electrical interference and environmental impact.


It is vital that the fixture manufacturer is aware of what standards and directives must be
met in order to achieve the regulatory compliance. For example, for CE certification the EU
Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive would apply to digital lighting whereas, say, the EU
Pressure Vessel Directive clearly would not. Furthermore, if a particular directive applies to a
product, it must be further established what standards within that directive are appropriate
and what specific tests must be carried out. The certifications required for a given product
are subject to local laws and ultimately it is incumbent on the end user to be aware of all
certifications that are relevant and to ensure at an early stage that the manufacturer is capable
of delivering compliant products.

Other certifications are not legally required, but there may be an industry norm, for example
it may be usual for the product to have a UL listing in a particular category. Again, the fixture
manufacturer will be able to draw on its experience in the field to provide advice on this and
be able to supply the correct product with best practice certifications.

http://www.nualight.com/images/Downloads/Nualight-White-Paper.aspx

Energy and efficacy of LED lighting

One of the fundamental specifications to consider when evaluating any lighting system is the
power consumption, as it forms a basis of its economic viability. Since there will generally be
some form of power converter (sometimes known as a ballast) between the mains input and
the lighting fixture, the end user must be clear in specifying that wattage will be measured at
the wallplug and not at the fixture. Furthermore, there may be local regulations regarding the
luminous efficacy of the installed system that stipulates a minimum lumens per watt value. In this
case, the end user must be careful in specifying the lumen output of each fixture to confirm that
the standard is met. Simply accepting the figure advertised by the lighting fixture manufacturer
on a datasheet is not advisable and it has been shown that manufacturers commonly exaggerate
the lumen output2. This misrepresentation is not always wilful but can arise through ignorance
of the technology. Typically an errant manufacturer will simply take the LED manufacturer’s
data for a single LED and multiply it by the total number of LEDs to arrive at the lumen output
figure, failing to take into account losses due to lenses, covers, reflectors, side walls, etc. These
can easily cause a 30 to 40% loss in lumen output. Luminous efficacy is dependent on lumen
maintenance, so as the output degrades over time so does the efficacy.

http://www.nualight.com/images/Downloads/Nualight-White-Paper.aspx

Refrigerant for Cars

The European Union (EU) Directive 2006/40/EC (1) prohibits refrigerants with Global Warming Potentials (GWP) greater than 150, starting from 2011

Current automotive refrigerant HFC-134a (GWP = 1,430) will be banned

•          in all “new type” vehicle models sold in the EU starting January 1st, 2011

•          in all new vehicles sold in the EU after January 1st, 2017

Why the Global Warming Skeptics Are Wrong

March 22, 2012

William D. Nordhaus

Suppose we were thinking about two policies. Policy A has a small investment in abatement of CO2 emissions. It costs relatively little (say $1 billion) but has substantial benefits (say $10 billion), for a net benefit of $9 billion. Now compare this with a very effective and larger investment, Policy B. This second investment costs more (say $10 billion) but has substantial benefits (say $50 billion), for a net benefit of $40 billion. B is preferable because it has higher net benefits ($40 billion for B as compared with $9 for A), but A has a higher benefit-cost ratio (a ratio of 10 for A as compared with 5 for B). This example shows why we should, in designing the most effective policies, look at benefits minus costs, not benefits divided by costs.

CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 4 milligrams (mg). By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury – an amount equal to the mercury in 125 CFLs. Mercury is an essential part of CFLs; it allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact (not broken) or in use.  Most makers of light bulbs have reduced mercury in their fluorescent lighting products. Thanks to technology advances and a commitment from members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the average mercury content in CFLs has dropped at least 20 percent or more in the past several years. Some manufacturers have even made further reductions, dropping mercury content to 1 mg per light bulb.

What are mercury emissions caused by humans? EPA estimates the U.S. is responsible for the release of 103 metric tons of mercury emissions each year. More than half of these emissions come from coal-fired electrical power. Mercury released into the air is the main way that mercury gets into water and bio-accumulates in fish. (Eating fish contaminated with mercury is the main way for humans to be exposed.)  Most mercury vapor inside fluorescent light bulbs becomes bound to the inside of the light bulb as it is used. EPA estimates that the rest of the mercury within a CFL – about 11 percent – is released into air or water when it is sent to a landfill, assuming the light bulb is broken. Therefore, if all 272 million CFLs sold in 2009 were sent to a landfill (versus recycled, as a worst case) – they would add 0.12 metric tons, or 0.12 percent, to U.S. mercury
emissions caused by humans
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

Minamata Convention

Update on UN Negotiations towards the Minamata Convention on Mercury

The 3rd round of discussions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC3) took place at the UN HQ in Nairobi, Kenya from 30th October - 6th November 2011. Over 160 country delegations were present, working together to establish a legally binding global instrument on mercury, to be known as the Minamata Convention. Fernando Lugris, Chair of the UN Negotiations, says he is looking forward to having a finalised global treaty in his hand when he launches our festivities at the ICMGP opening ceremony in Edinburgh in 2013.

The negotiations aim to produce a legally binding and comprehensive convention that will reduce mercury emissions from all sources. This includes gold mining, dental practices, chlor-alkali plants, coal combustion, medical uses as well as waste management, storage, fate and transport in the atmosphere and other related issues. Reaching global consensus on such a complex issue is a significant challenge but one which is unifying nations. The Minamata Convention will be a significant and historic document which will include legal requirements for mercury control as well as a financial aspect to ensure that emerging countries and economies in transition can be assisted in their participation.

What is cross cutting

What is a cross cutting issue?

A cross-cutting issue is a complex development challenge that interacts with (cuts across) and compounds core development areas of work.

How to obtain results

To solve any problem in society we need to understand its causes so we can take appropriate action to address it. First, however, the problem must be clearly defined

Great for business CSR

We believe that the following is rather true and is a great for business CSR:

One of the most obvious and surprisingly untapped ways that large companies can support development objectives in the countries and communities in which they operate is through spreading economic opportunity through a variety of small enterprise development, training and business linkage initiatives. Depending on the industry sector and the company’s business model, such initiatives can be supported through all three spheres of company influence: core business activities: social investment and philanthropy; and engagement in the public policy agenda.

Core business activity

Procurement

Agricultural outgrowers schemes

Manufacturing and subcontracting

Outsourcing non core functions and services

Distribution and retail

Franchising and leasing

Financial services provision

Utilities services provision – energy, water, technology

Social investment and philanthropy

Offering basic business training

Technical and vocational training

Volunteering management time

Donating premises, equipment, discards, cut offs

Innovative community financing

Funding research and development

Enterprise education in school

Source: UNIDO

How to buy LED Lighting

Before you embark on changing all your lights in your house to LED we urge that you take the time to learn what a good product is. A good LED light has the following features:

•transient voltage suppression chip

•certified to ROHS/CE/TUV/VDE standards where applicable

•high power factor where applicable

•Impose a certain IPXX rating where applicable

•Lifetime is not ideal as there is no validated way to translate the lumen maintenance curve of an individual LED module or LED luminaire.

•Complaince to IEC 62031 edition 1 publication 2008 for safety standards for LED modules for general lighting

•Compliance to IEC 60598-1 for LED luminaires

A new way of conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (in a Humanitarian Setting)

Having recently read the environmental impact assessment put up by the MRT Corporation for the Sungai Buloh to Kajang line, I wonder if the report provided sufficient analysis on the environmental issues that will be faced by the public with the existence of the project. Knowing very well that it is impossible for one report to analyse the entire spectrum of possibilities I propose to the readers a new way of thinking about environmental impact assessments. I propose the idea of adopting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) in a humanitarian setting. This approach does not require adoption of new methods; it only requires minor adaptation to existing and commonly used methods.

An EIA gives the environment its due place in the decision-making process by clearly evaluating the environmental consequences of a proposed activity. We hope that each EIA comprehensively and succinctly predicts the long term environmental ramifications of the development activity because sustainable development depends on protecting the natural resources which is the foundation for environmental and economic development.

We often do not consider deeper health issues. How often does a report dwell on the risk of chemicals and debris? Most often we find that only issues that are quantifiable monetarily are discussed and written to demonstrate reduction in the costs and duration of project implementation, avoid treatment/clean-up costs, and comply with mandatory environmental laws and regulations.

Most EIAs highlight the potential problems but do not take into account the risk of environmental degradation. For example, if project planners are designing a water supply project for a community. An EIA will help to determine if drawing from the water source will negatively impact neighboring communities who may depend on it for health or livelihoods. A humanitarian based EIA can determine the environmental issues associated with using clay bricks as a building material. Project managers may discover that the local clay mine is contributing to landslides, water pollution, and negative impacts on local health.

Social impacts from employment are rarely if at all considered. Our construction industry relies heavily on the use of foreign workers. We also do not consider the higher volume of traffic flow which can damage main arteries in the road network. Rarely do we consider if there is adequate housing and effects to the local community from the presence of the foreign workers. Most importantly I have not found a report which tackles the issue of livelihood of the existing and migrants.

Emergency waste and operational management which is critical to some activities are not discussed and the public is often kept in the dark of the possibilities and risks involved. We often lose sight of the indirect damage to natural resources that support livelihood. These have a bearing on safety, sanitation and hygiene issues especially when large amounts of soil have to be removed and relocated to another site. This is typical of urban project where damage to the ecosystem is considered insignificant in an already built up environment. How will those at risk protect themselves without knowledge or insurance?

Most EIAs are only submitted once at the inception of a project. A short-term approach to the preparation of an EIA can fail to consider the broader aspects and impacts of a disaster. Such approaches are often justified by demands on time, resource availability and money.

Perhaps a good place to begin discussing change is in relation to one’s self. Think for a moment, how difficult it is to change one’s point of view (not just for the sake of being agreeable, but actually change one’s position on a matter), to change beliefs, to give up a habit, to change the way one approaches issues.

Why do people smoke

How green is smoking? Why do people continuously smoke? Can lasting change be obtained for a smoker? Think of how hard it is to give up smoking, knowing the health risks associated with smoking. It should be a shut and close case. But it isn’t!


Do people smoke because it is a sign of virility and a legitimate excuse to interrupt the day for a moment of pleasure which is comparable to sucking at the nipples of a gigantic world breast? 

Cognitive science in Lighting

Could adaptable lighting systems such as the play with darkness to repel people and light to attract people be used to direct people in emergencies?

Climate change and us

Real world cities are not necessarily sustainable. The denser a city the greater the heat island effect. What do we do then to combat this? It seems counter intuitive as dense cities should achieve better resource use and better resource distribution. Will this create a negative offset when compared to the additional energy required to mitigate the heat island effect?

Addressing climate change through a sectoral, traditionally economic, cost benefit approach is common practice. Are cost benefit approaches equivalent to life cycle analysis and are life cycle analysis of everything even possible? It seems we are doomed to be making decisions which are nearly impossible to holistically evaluate. Taxation, trade policies, and technological approaches that do not adequately reflect the social infrastructure and consequences of such methods are just unknown.

Are countries with high corruption ratings most susceptible to climate impacts?

Manufacturing for Malaysia

What we think as a natural or smart move in a knowledge driven post industrial world that services are the way forward in reviving an economy was put into perspective by Prof Ha-Joon Chang. Control of knowledge has always been key to economic prosperity (Take home point). Spin out and outsourced knowledge intensive work out of the manufacturing sectors has been the cause of the misconception. Wrong to separate the manufacturing from the knowledge sector.Driven by demand for practical solutions grows knowledge. Little knowledge created through “pure” knowledge activities.Services can only be developed after you first acquire the ability to manufacture the relevant products. Services are sold mostly to manufacturing firms therefore prosperity depends on manufacturing success. Services will over time relocate to the manufacturing sites for logistical reasons.

Swiss has a high manufacturing value added per capita – Source UNIDO

India as the office of the world in trade specialisation – Until 2004 had deficit in service trade. Up to 2009, India trade surplus could not cover manufacturing deficit. They will face balance of payment issues without firm up rise in service trade surplus.

Consumer behaviour and the use of sustainable energy

Regarding the impact of age of energy consumers (or energy technology adopters), education, minority and other socio demographic variables, most studies again have been conducted on residential energy consumption. Lindén et al. (2006) find that younger people have better knowledge about energy- efficient measures, and Carlsson- Kanyama et al. (2005) find that younger households tend to prefer up- to- date technology, and that lower uptake of energy- efficient technology by older people may correlate with older people fewer years of formal education.

From the Handbook of Sustainable Energy edited by Ibon Galarraga, Mikel Gonzalez-Eguino and Anil Markandya

Mercury Poisoning from Compact Fluorescent Lights

Mercury vapor released from broken compact fluorescent light bulbs can exceed safe exposure levels

Read at: http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-07-mercury-vapor-broken-compact-fluorescent.html

Ladder of Sustainability

From Ekins: UNESCAP

Where are we on the ladder of sustainability?