Lighting Energy Efficiency Visibility Effectivity Correlation

This paper describes an example of augmenting classroom lecture and experiments with an actual engineering job-related experience. The impetus is to fulfill a student’s need to see how their academic education is relevant to industry practice. Students from the ECE Department Courses Introduction to Illumination and Lighting Control/Design were offered the opportunity to participate in an applied research project sponsored by the Southern California Edison ( SCE ) company which was performed at the Cal Poly Pomona University (CPP). The courses cited provide instruction on illumination parameters such as spatial and spectral distribution, total luminosity, power and energy consumption, dimming, and design application of light sources. The experiments are bench top models of calculation, design, construction, and measurements. Present curricula methodology involves a strong reliance on software simulation. Students and faculty often become so dominantly indoctrinated and highly skilled in this mode that it can compromise the relationship between the learning experience of appreciating and distinguishing the relationship between physical reality and validation of actual and simulated results. The SCE project involved the measurement of illumination intensity and data reduction from a student questionnaire. The questionnaire sought to determine if there was a correlation between the visual effectiveness of high pressure sodium (HPS) versus pulse-start, metal halide (PSMH) luminaires in the Cal Poly Pomona parking lots. The Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering maintains a strong interactive relationship with industry advisory and partner committees to help make the engineering program as relevant as possible for it 4,700 students. This type of academic course-industry project is encouraged for many upper division classes.