I know the correct answer is based on one of the NCARB study resources, but it seems like that information is outdated. There are now high-performance LED fixtures on the market with efficacies of around 200 lm/W, which are higher than high-pressure sodium.
If a question like this came up on the actual exam, would NCARB expect us to answer based on the study materials, even if they don’t reflect the latest technology?
@ema.markovska Great point! The efficacy of LED technology has improved significantly, so those ranges may not reflect current products. But yes - for the ARE, questions should be answered based on the information and references provided by NCARB rather than trying to account for every newer product on the market.
That said, you generally shouldn’t need to choose an answer you know is outdated. Focus on the concepts behind the question, and if an exam question seems technically outdated or ambiguous, flag it for review and provide feedback to NCARB after the exam.
Hope this helps!
Kiara Galicinao, AIA, NCARB
Product Coordinator
Black Spectacles