The Lighting Control Innovation Award was created in 2011 as part of the Illuminating Engineering Society’s Illumination Awards program, which recognizes professionalism, ingenuity and originality in lighting design. LCA is proud to sponsor the Lighting Control Innovation Award, which recognizes projects that exemplify the effective use of lighting controls in nonresidential applications.
This month, we explore an innovative lighting and controls upgrade at the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, British Columbia. Lighting and control design by Prism Engineering Limited. Photography by Rod Preston Photography. Controls by Eaton (Airmesh modules on luminaires interconnected via an Airmesh Hub), Synapse (SimplySNAP BMS gateway), and Delta Controls (BMS system).
The Richmond Olympic Oval is a large multi-use indoor sports facility with nineteen activity zones comprised of ice rinks, basketball courts, running tracks, and indoor soccer areas. Original lighting control for the event hall was limited to ON and OFF. Control operation required switching individual circuits, with multiple luminaires per circuit. Adjusting lighting specific to any one zone was limited, as the number of luminaires per zone varied. The metal halide lighting systems were not dimmable. A daylight harvesting system presented the only automated controls. The system would switch OFF half the luminaires near windows during times of high ambient illumination. This “every-other-light-OFF” pattern resulted in frequent “lights are out” complaints. Lighting circuits were controlled by the facility DDC system which had a graphical map of the luminaires. Selections for the ON/OFF of circuits were made via staff cell phones or operations computer.
Alongside replacing lighting systems with new luminaires, the client wanted to enhance and expand lighting controllability, and correct the daylight harvesting operation.
The new design introduced new LED systems with 0-10V dimmable drivers which replaced one-for-one the 304 luminaires. Lighting controls were upgraded with a new wireless mesh system that interfaces with the DDC system allowing staff to use the familiar graphical map and cell phone connectivity.
ON/OFF and dimming of all lighting is now available in multiple fashions; for the space as a whole, specific zones large and small, down to individual luminaire control. Daylight harvesting occurs along the four rows of luminaires closest to the fenestration. Depending on ambient illumination, each row now dims at different rates as low as 5% light output. Levels are adjustable by pre-set scenes, virtual slide dimmer, and percentage input for differing levels across the spaces allowing exceptional controllability, including full light output mode for high-definition filming requirements.
Below is the event hall with the new wireless lighting control system. The system allows control by individual zone or all at once from operations computer or staff cell phones.
Below is a pre-upgrade map of relays and courts within the event hall, showing color-coded zones/activity areas, with number of lights and circuits per zone identified.
Here we see the design settings for power/light output per area for weekdays. During commissioning, it was found that levels could be lowered and still be acceptable.
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