In this article, Mr. Volpe addresses an emerging trend in the lighting industry: "serviceable lighting", focusing on the European framework. More articles, press releases, and presentations are available at https://www.lighting.csilmilano.com/showPage.php?template=news_articles&masterPage=news_articles.html&search=&id_field=&id=63&sar-at-qo-tutte_news=0

1. www.worldfurnitureonline.com 43WF • March 2019
FOCUSCSIL MARKET RESEARCH
STUDIES
oday’s discussion in Europe is if
lighting has to be ‘serviceable’ or
not. On the one hand, it is a non-
sense to consider as a ‘waste’ a
product that has, for example, a bro-
ken driver but the source of light is
still running.
On the other hand, lighting manufac-
turers do not want that their original
device is managed from a unskilled
electrician, or a quality customized
component is substituted by ‘a
someone’.
First we need to define, what ‘ser-
viceable lighting’ is. The simplest
definition is: if at least the light mod-
ule and the gear unit can be
removed and replaced, then the
product is ‘serviceable’, otherwise
not.
Enthusiastic people about servicea-
bility say: “It just isn’t sustainable to
sell so many sealed in unserviceable
units! People do not understand life-
time claims – they just don’t get it that
a 20,000 hours life means half will
have failed by then! If they are
sealed in, what do you do?... It’s a
huge issue that will cause a major
kick back from the end users very
soon”.
More cautious people (especially in
the project market) say: ”High end
projects need custom modules and
every high-end manufacturer wants
to manufacture (or repair) from
themselves. Lighting must not be a
commodity”.
Both parties agree that serviceability
has to be “at the conditions of manu-
facturer” and managed by skilled
professionals.
Serviceability is more important for
products having a longer longevity,
like street lighting and office lighting.
Whenever there is a specific IP reg-
ulation for indoor products (no
water/rain), servicea-
bility is hard to obtain.
The debate is today on
the agenda of EU
Commission (pushing
for serviceability at the
fingertips of every con-
sumer) and of manu-
facturer associations
(Lighting Europe),
pushing especially the
interests of the mass
production.
OUTDOOR
AND INDOOR
For outdoor products,
power supply is 80-
90% accessible with
replaceable compo-
nents (therefore ‘ser-
viceable’); the remain-
ing is not accessible.
For the optical com-
partment 65-70% is
accessible but with a
reduction of 10% of
those actually service-
able, according to the
definition of impossibil-
ity of actual replace-
ment. The road and
tunnel devices are usu-
ally inspectable and
with both components replaceable.
High-end indoor lighting manufactur-
ers give the possibility to replace the
LED module and the converter on all
fixtures, ensuring the availability of
these spare parts up to 20 years
from the purchase. Almost all drivers
can be changed (they are normally
the weakest link with the shortest
lifetime). Modules are mostly not
replaceable.
Serviceability for Home, Hospitality,
and Retail indoor fixtures is not quite
SERVICEABLE LIGHTING
IN EUROPE
T
common, as integral replacement is
considered less expensive. The life
span of products has to be consid-
ered also from a marketing point of
view: office lighting has to last (so
serviceability is an issue), while
retail or hospitality lighting is
changed more frequently, so serv-
iceability is a less relevant issue.
For the Home sector, serviceability
will become an issue further to the
market development of connected
lamps.
by Aurelio Volpe
CSIL International Market Research
Lightscrew ©Luminale. Photo Oliver Blum