Triple bottom line performance of lighting options: A case study at a university campus

Lighting is an important factor in providing the appropriate learning environment at universities and educational facilities. It affects the learning outcomes and contributes to the aesthetic, psychological and health aspects of students, teachers and other users. Providing lighting is also costly and impacts on the environment. Thus, in choosing between competing lighting options an assessment of performance in all three of the social (health), environmental and economic dimensions are desirable. This paper reports on a study at a university campus to compare such a triple bottom line performance of four lighting options: halogen incandescent lamps, standard fluorescent lamps, tri-phosphor fluorescent lamps, and compact fluorescent lamps. The comparison between options adopts the Triangle Tool of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Using the tool, the combination of weighting given to each of the three dimensions is analysed. This approach provides for transparency in the importance given to each of the dimension and also can be used by the stakeholders to discuss and build consensus to a certain preference. Results from this study indicate the best option for general lighting is the tri-phosphor fluorescent lamps, while compact fluorescent lamps are best for task lighting.