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 a powerful lighting controls installation at Capital One’s new corporate headquarters in McLean, Virginia. Lighting control design by MCLA. Photography by Garrett Rowland and Connie Zhou. Lighting controls by Lutron Electronics (Quantum Lighting Control System installed in high end conference spaces and public areas to provide optimal integration with AV systems and control of DMX luminaires).
This financial firm challenged the design team to consider both the client’s current and future control needs for its new international headquarters. The 31-story tower stands 470-feet-tall, the tallest occupied building in the region. The building is LEED v2009 Gold Certified and the interior lighting power density is 43% below ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007. The lighting control system is designed to be expandable, as the client develops its headquarters campus. The building’s energy savings is displayed throughout the building to assert the firm’s commitment to sustainability.
The all-glass tower allows 75% of regularly occupied spaces to receive sufficient illuminance from daylight and 90% of regularly occupied spaces views to the exterior. This achievement came with the challenge to control direct daylight within work areas. Automatic shades and photocells are implemented in all regularly occupied spaces to control glare, while not impeding views to the exterior.
Linear lensed luminaires in a staggered pattern uniformly illuminate the open work areas with an average to minimum ratio of 1.5. The luminaire arrangement provides a flexible workplace, where furniture and partitions are reconfigurable without relocation of the lighting. Standard 4-foot and 8-foot length linear luminaires were incorporated to limit luminaire and installation costs for the 23-stories of office space. Reprogrammable, digital addressable drivers allow for future spatial reconfiguration and provide status reports for maintenance. Lighting controls allow for load shedding during peak demand. After business hours, the control system dims the perimeter zone of staggered luminaires to 10% light output and turns the interior zone of luminaires off. This satisfies the emergency lighting requirement, reduces energy consumption, and minimizes exposure of the security guards inspecting the floors in the evening, which was a security concern. The resulting lighting effect is a compelling evening presence suitable for a leader in its field.
Interior enclosed offices have locally controlled wall-box dimmers with occupancy sensors to limit cost. Flexibility in the lighting allows for inclusivity of all associate’s working-style.
Staggered linear luminaires provide a relief from the structured office space. Glare from daylight is mitigated through automatic shades and photocells continuously dimming the luminaires.
Open office luminaires are zoned to dim the interior zone and perimeter zone separately. Zoning is indicated with a blue line.
After business hours, the perimeter zone of luminaires is dimmed to satisfy emergency lighting requirements, reduce energy consumption, and provide a presence to the building.
Multi-preset lighting scenes allow for flexibility in the usage of collaboration work areas.
Theatrical lighting, integrated into the continuous architectural shelf of the events spaces, is controllable through both a theatrical DMX board and the dimming control system.
Touch panels with individual zone control and multi-preset lighting scenes, along with infrared partition sensors allow for various spatial functions.
RGBW color changing lighting is integrated in the amenity prefunction area for branding. The backlighting is programmable for static and dynamic lighting effects.
Dimming in large-scale spaces allows for three-dimensional art installations to pop among a subtle background of lighting.
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