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 flexible lighting controls installation at a versatile conference room in Los Altos, CA. Lighting controls by Lutron Electronics (Quantum with Ecosystem drivers and SeeTouch wall stations). Lighting control design by Loisos + Ubbelohde. Photography by Cesar Rubio Photography.
The Heising-Simons Foundation is a family foundation awarding grants to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance the education of children, and support human rights. Their office expanded to incorporate more workspace, a small conference room, and a flexible video conference room. This challenging room is fitted with large screens, cameras, and microphones to facilitate high quality video conferences, classes, lectures, and presentations.
The lighting and controls concept for this room was to provide a different scene for each arrangement of the modular furniture that reflects a different use. Integral to the lighting design concept is a customized recessed linear fixture with separate dimming control of the left and right oriented narrow beams. This allows scenes to be programmed with higher illumination levels at occupant task areas and lower levels elsewhere.
The lighting designer confirmed with the manufacturer that a simple rewiring of their standard product could achieve the control desired. Concealed cove fixtures to wash the arched ceiling provided another layer of light and control. The lighting and controls strategy was communicated to the architects and owners through sectional photometric diagrams of the space and advanced RADIANCE simulations. Close coordination with the architect was required to mesh architecture-driven geometry with lighting-driven geometry. Wall control buttons were engraved with intuitive names for the various furniture arrangements. Occupants have additional manual control, being able to dim down or ramp up each individual scene. In addition, automated daylight dimming was layered over the preset scenes. For any given scene (Board Meeting, Large U, Theater End, Theater Side), less than one third of the recessed linear installed lighting power is used, resulting in an effective LPD of less than 0.7 W/sq.ft. or less than 60% of the 2016 code allowable.
Concept diagram with fixture photometrics and separate left-right control for “Brd Mtg” scene. Recessed linear fixtures set to illuminate narrow central table and graze wall.
“Brd Mtg” scene. Each linear fixture has left and right channels. Table is illuminated by left channel of one fixture and right channel of another.
“Brd Mtg” scene and simulation with isolux contours shown on the workplane. Table receives highest illumination ranging from about 30 to 50 footcandles.
“Large U” scene and simulation. Versatility of design can be seen in ability to achieve lower illumination values between the arms of the “U” configuration.
“Thtr End”. More uniform and lower illumination levels (10 to 20 footcandles) throughout the room illuminate a broader area with less task oriented use.
“Thtr Side”. Recessed linear lighting has forty individually programmable channels. Speaker’s central location (in left diagram) is highlighted by right channel of central module.
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