# Do's and Dont's for Lighting in a new build



## BMD (5 Mar 2011)

Hi,

I am just looking for some general advice for the lighting of a new build.

I like the idea of dimable downlighters...is there anything specific that I need to consider.

Also any thoughts on up lighters?

On a related matter, if I want to future proof my house for advanced technologies (e.g., multi room music, multi room tv etc.)...what do i need to do..cat 6 wiring?

I know the question is very broad but would appreciate any advice


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## LouisCribben (6 Mar 2011)

my advice about dimmable downlighters is not to have them on the ceiling beside the attic.
It means that the ceiling will not be airtight (heat loss, also condensation will happen in the cold attic). You'd never see dimmable downlighters in a passivehaus.   

Also regarding "dimmable",   only incandescent bulbs and halogen are dimmable.
Both these types are not energy efficient........they burn 4 or 5 times more current for the same light as cfl or Led.

If you want to lower your energy use, forget about dimmable.  Leds are not dimmable.  (Some very expensive cfls are dimmable, but they are not widely available)/


Id say chose lighting which use cheap and widely available CFLs (Edison screw, Small Edison screw, or bayonet. This is exactly what I did.  My lighting bills are very low, replacement bulbs are cheap, and my ceilings are airtight.


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## z107 (6 Mar 2011)

We put in Cat6, but never use it. Wifi is handier.

Problem with 'future proofing' is that you don't know what the future will bring. Maybe just put in conduit.


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## onq (6 Mar 2011)

+1 what both other posters have written.

"Dimmable" gives an illusion of control, which is fine, but its not the only way to do this.

Consider offset "fixed" lighting - these can be hidden behind cornices and pelmets or behind pictures, wall features and objets d'art.
Consider also occassional lighting in a room - uplighters on walls or in floors, wallwashers on ceilings, corner lamps, table lamps and reading lamps.

If you're really "mad" on the dimmers, you can get surface-mounted low voltage halogens with transformer in the fitting and directional 50W lamps.
You can then seal the supply wire coming through the ceiling as easily as any other kind of wired supply to the more economical kind of light fittings.
Just remember that a quadruple fitting with 4 no. 50W light fittings is 200W and ten hours of use is equivalent to a 2 bar [2Kw] electric fire for one hour.

ONQ.

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