Work in progress — Multidisciplinary laboratory for development, design and consumer testing of marketable residential LED luminaires

Electrical engineers and architects collaborate in ´real life´. In the university, this rarely happens. This paper presents novel approaches to a laboratory that brings electrical engineering and architecture students together. Lawrence Technological University is participating in the ´Solar Decathlon 2007´ international competition. Lighting is a critical part of this competition and ´lighting energy use´ is one of the ten competitions. The designed house will have varying lighting requirements, and innovative energy conserving lighting approaches are required. The LTU laboratory facility will eventually have several stations known collectively as ´The Lighting Lab´. Electrical engineering students work on the technical aspects of light measurement and the design and manufacturing of luminaires, whereas architecture students work on designing esthetically pleasing lighting luminaires that meet the illumination requirements. Equipment in the lab includes various luminaries, lamps, an artificial sky fixture, a direct beam sunlight simulator, light meters and demonstration displays. Students become familiar with direct/indirect light sources and conventional and low-voltage lighting, and then develop how it can be used for task, decorative and general lighting. A focus for research is the study of LEDs [light emitting diodes]. LED luminaries require further development to provide required illumination at work surfaces in an esthetically pleasing way.