The architecture of light: architectural lighting design concepts and techniques. A textbook of procedures and practices for the architect, interior designer and lighting designer pdfdrive com

Dimming: yes …but costly;
Many fluorescent sources can be dimmed, but this requires a lamp- specific dimming ballast and, often times, a specific type of dimming switch. It is advisable to get a controls specialist or lamp manufacturer’s representative involved when designing dimmable fluorescent lighting.
Instant on / off: Yes (with an electronic ballast);
An electronic ballast will allow a fluorescent lamp to start nearly instantly. Magnetically ballasted lamps tend to flicker and stutter when turned on.
Directability: Poor;
Because of their large size, fluorescent lamps are best used for a diffuse glow of light and are hard to direct as accents. Fluorescent luminaires tend to be quite large to accommodate the larger reflectors and optics.
Efficacy: Excellent (70 Lumens per watt average);
Fluorescent lamps have been refined to be exceptionally efficient. Ranging from 50 to 100 lumens per watt, these lamps consume as
little as 1/10th the electricity of incandescent lamps while providing the same quantity of light. Beware that high-efficacy lamps may compromise other features such as color rendering index (CRI) or lamp life.
Lamp Life: Excellent;
Fluorescent lamps are designed to last anywhere from 10,000 to
hours to 30,000 hours - anywhere from 10 to 30 years - between relamping. It is worth noting that a luminaire may fail due to ballasts failure rather than lamp failure; Check both.
Temperature requirements: Prefer warmth;
Fluorescent lamps operate better in warm environments and actually get brighter as they warm themselves up. Fluorescent lamps often don’t work in cold environments, so care should be taken when specifying them for such.
Heat Generated: Very little;
Efficient technology means that very little electricity is converted to heat, but these lamps still become warm to the touch.
Noise Generated: Some;
Lamps with magnetic ballasts can click and buzz. Electronic ballasts can also hum slightly. Lamps labeled as “high-output” can also give off a significant amount of noise.