LIGHTING
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The missing metric: introducing the Lighting Value Index By Callum Grant, Director — Prime Market Agencies F inding the right luminaire for a project is rarely straightforward. The market is crowded, and every supplier is convinced their catalogue holds the answer. Ask five suppliers, and you’ll get five different opinions and five different spec sheets to assess. You compare the numbers, weigh things up, and pick one. It feels analytical. But is it really? Honestly, not entirely. The way our industry evaluates luminaires has always been fragmented. Efficacy tells you how well a fitting converts power to light, but not how well it maintains that output over time. An A-rated lifetime tells you how long it should last, but not how confident you should be in that claim. Price tells you what you’ll pay today, but not what you’ll get for that money over the product’s life. We’ve been comparing complex products using inconsistent metrics and, in lighting, poor specification leads to years of wasted
plus a printable report for client files. It doesn’t replace photometric analysis or engineering judgement. Light distribution, thermal management, materials and driver quality still matter. The LVI sits alongside those, bringing structure to a commercial evaluation that, in my experience, is still done on gut feel more often than anyone admits.
energy, underperformance, and premature replacements. Every project aims for the best quality and longest life, but budgets force trade-offs, and the most expensive option is rarely the best value. So how do you decide? A single, objective score The Lighting Value Index (LVI) is a metric I developed to answer exactly that question. It combines efficacy, lumen maintenance, rated lifetime, expected reliability, and purchase price into a single objective score: a higher score indicates better value per Rand spent. A second metric, the Warranty Adjusted LVI (LWVI), then incorporates warranty confidence, defined as the gap between what a manufacturer claims and what they’re prepared to stand behind. A luminaire with a lifetime rated at 50,000 hours and only a three- year warranty will score lower than an equivalent 50,000-hour product with a five-year warranty. I’ve built both metrics into a free online tool that compares up to eight luminaires at a time. Enter the key parameters, and it returns scores, a ranked table, a visual chart and a clear best-value recommendation,
An invitation The industry would benefit from a standardised method for evaluating luminaire value. The LVI is my contribution to that conversation, and I’d welcome scrutiny and feedback from the professionals who use it. Try it free at www.primemarketagencies.com/ lvicalculator. Try it on your next comparison. See whether the numbers change how you think about the decision.
Helen le Roux’s journey through BHA Lighting’s Premier course H elen le Roux, a draftsman at Pienaar & Erwee Engineers (Pty) Ltd, recently completed the BHA Lighting Premier Course. Her journey into the field was sparked by a colleague’s encouragement to explore lighting design software. What began as a way to learn a new tool evolved into a deep passion for the discipline. Helen soon realised that true excellence in lighting design comes not only from mastering software but also from a firm grasp of illumination engineering principles.
Seeking to build a solid technical foundation, Helen enrolled in the BHA School of Lighting’s renowned programme. She describes the experience as transformative, equipping her with the technical and creative skills essential for modern lighting professionals. “The programme taught me to combine analytical thinking with creativity to develop solutions that are effective, efficient, and purposeful,” she reflects. Key skills Helen developed included manual lighting calculations, which deepened her understanding of the mathematical principles underpinning good design. This enabled her to move beyond reliance on software to validate and refine solutions independently. She also became adept at analysing photometric data sheets and evaluating lighting products, enabling her to select the most suitable luminaires for any project. In addition to technical skills, the course emphasised design sketching, conceptualisation, and the preparation of technical specification write-ups—critical for clear communication and documentation. Mastery of ReluxDesktop was another highlight, but more important was learning to apply sound design principles on the digital platform. Like any rigorous course, Helen encountered challenges. Modules on the control of light, reflection, and refraction required a new way of thinking about how light
interacts with its environment. The study of human vision and perception introduced scientific and physiological concepts, while topics such as photometry and human- centric lighting pushed her beyond her comfort zone. By dedicating time to research and revisiting course material, Helen turned these challenges into valuable learning experiences. Her understanding of lighting technology broadened considerably. She came to appreciate lighting not only as a technical necessity but also as an art, a science, an engineering discipline, a field of psychology, and a driver of innovation. The industry’s rapid evolution—with smart controls, energy-efficient systems, and IoT integration— underscored the importance of continuous learning. A key hands-on assignment involved designing a lighting solution for a simulated retail shop. Helen’s approach was systematic: analysing the brief, selecting suitable luminaires, simulating the designs in ReluxDesktop, and presenting clear technical specifications. This exercise brought together the programme’s teachings and gave her confidence in her ability to deliver effective, real-world solutions. The course also introduced Helen to best practices, including flicker control, emergency lighting, glare reduction, and safety in hazardous environments. She learned the importance of designing not only for aesthetics but also for human comfort and safety, while always complying with industry standards. Helen credits mentors such as Principal Philip Hammond and Daniel Hammond with shaping her learning experience and professional mindset. To future students, she advises discipline, curiosity, and strong time management. For those seeking a rewarding career in lighting design, she believes the BHA programme provides the ideal foundation.
SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS
JUNE 2026
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