Tubular fluorescent technology is a mature lighting technology that continues to get better. T5s use 69% less energy than the conventional 80 watt mercury vapour globes.
When combined with electronic ballasts, at low wattages (less than 30 watts), the efficacy of tri-phosphor fluorescent technology in converting electricity to light is hard to beat. T5 technology (5 = a diameter of 5/8”) offers excellent performance with low-cost lamps with a very low mercury content.
The Pierlite Greenstreet is currently the only available luminaire based on T5 fluorescent tubes. It is available in 2 x 14W and 2 x 24W models. The 2 x 14W is an almost direct replacement for an 80W mercury vapour in terms of the pole spacing.
Lamp life is also good, at 20,000 hours, with low lumen depreciation. The lumen depreciation curve of fluorescent lighting is also compatible with its failure curve – at the end of its life light output quickly drops as failure rates jump. This makes the lamp attractive from a maintenance perspective.
To see what specific questions councils around Australia have asked us about T5s see the Q&A Service.
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Note: the 2004–05 Victorian trials and demonstration projects mentioned below were undertaken as part of the 2004 Sustainable Public Lighting Initiative funded by the former Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria (SEAV).
City of Whittlesea, Victoria, 2008
Council will soon begin installation of the first 150 Pierlite T5 street lights in a new housing estate, with a total of about 1000 T5 lights to eventually be installed in the estate.
The cost savings to councils when using the Pierlite T5 lights for streetlighting are expected to be about $20 to $25 annually for each light when compared to existing mercury vapour streetlights.
Whittlesea’s announcement follows the approval earlier this year of the use of Pierlite T5 light fittings for public lighting by the Victorian Sustainable Public Lighting Action Group (VSPLAG).
Each mercury vapour streetlight that is replaced by the energy-efficient Pierlite T5 lighting is expected to save around 400 kg of greenhouse emissions annually. To contact the City of Whittlesea phone (03) 9217 2170.
Power and Water Authority, Northern Territory, 2008
One hundred T5 Fluorescent lights have been installed in the Northern Territory since 2004-5. This case study illustrates how adverse weather conditions were overcome with a simple design solution to allow the trial to be a success.
City of Whittlesea, Victoria, 2007
Sixty T5s have been installed in stages 5-7 of the Greenfields Aurora Housing Development in Epping North. In addition, a further sixty T5s have been installed in place of sixty 50 watt high pressure sodium lights installed in the Greenfields development in stages 1-3. For more information, see Bright Sparks Issue 1, Volume 2, June 2007.
Wodonga City Council, Victoria, 2007
Wodonga City Council is installing T5 street lights in a trial program and SP AusNet is installing 300 - 400 lights in a new residential development in the City.
NAGA-AGL Sustainable Public Lighting Initiative Demonstration Project, Victoria, 2004–07
The Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA) facilitated a demonstration project in which 116 energy efficient street lamps were installed in place of 80W mercury vapour in Banyule, Moreland, Darebin, Whittlesea, Hume and Maribyrnong. The project monitored 80 T5 fluorescents, 31 high pressure sodium and 5 compact fluorescents to determine their efficiency in the Victorian context.
Update September 2007: A report on this project has now been released, which recommends that the T5 be used as a standard direct replacement for the 80W MV. For more information see the report prepared by Kevin Poulton and Ray Simms.
City of Melbourne, Victoria, 2004–05
The Sandridge Bridge trial involved the installation of 40 catenary lights (20 watt metal halide) and 25 T5 flourescents (28 watt). Sandridge Bridge was selected as the location for this trial after heritage issues prevented it from going ahead at its original location in the Fitzroy gardens.
City of Whitehorse, Victoria, 2004–05
The Brentford Square project involved an upgrade of existing car park lighting, combining both retrofitting and the installation of new, more efficient light fittings. Electronic ballasts and electronic photoelectric cells were added to nine existing 150 watt metal halide lights and 12 existing 400 watt metal halide lamps were replaced with 18 T5 lamps (2 X 24 watt). In addition, 15 LED marker lights (1 watt) were installed in the carpark at the end of existing aisles.
The Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, 2004–05
This project is a demonstration of 12 tubular T5 fluorescent lights in two housing developments in the Shire of Hepburn, one at South Trentham and one at Daylesford. For more information, see the case study available from the Australian Greenhouse Office, in the Department of the Environment and Heritage.
Blacktown City Council, New South Wales
Blacktown City Council, in partnership with Integral Energy, trialled 1000 T5 14 watt fluorescent light globes along 4 suburban streets. After the trial finished, the T5s remained installed because there were no problems with them. The lights have saved the council 2653.88 tCO2e and have a payback period of 6.69 years.
For more information, contact the Environmental Projects Officer at Blacktown City Council via email or phone (02) 9839 6191.
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