With the growing strain on the electric utilities driven by electric vehicle charging, electrification of heating, and energy-intensive technologies like AI and cryptocurrency mining, managing energy efficiently has never been more critical. Automated Demand Response (ADR) paired with advanced lighting controls offers a proactive solution to this challenge. By leveraging lighting control devices to reduce lighting at certain times, organizations can facilitate dynamic adjustments to energy consumption, helping to ensure utility grid stability while optimizing building performance.
Lighting Control: What’s in the New Title 24?
On January 1, 2023, the 2022 version of California’s energy code—Title 24, Part 6 of the Building Standards Code—takes effect, superseding the previous 2019 version. In terms of lighting controls, the numerous changes include various clarifications and tuning along with two major provisions requiring occupant-sensing in offices larger than 250 sq.ft. and demand-responsive lighting controls. Designers and specifiers need to understand these changes before they begin working on code-covered new construction and alteration projects that will go out for permit in California in 2023.
Lighting and Grid-Interactive Buildings
In A National Roadmap for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings, DOE outlines its national goal to triple the energy efficiency and demand flexibility of buildings by 2030. A subsequent report, published in December 2019, specifically evaluates the potential for lighting and electronics (primarily consumer plus IT equipment) to optimize energy efficiency and comfort while providing services back to the grid. This article examines lighting’s potential to support grid interactivity, primarily in the form of networked lighting controls and automated demand response.
Commercial Lighting’s Role in Automated Demand Response Programs
LD+A recently published an article by the California Lighting Technology Center’s Cory Jackson, discussing why commercial lighting remains sparse in demand response programs and what can be done. She writes: After nearly two decades of support and research focused on automated demand response (ADR), lighting remains underutilized as a demand response resource. Beginning in 2007 […]
Lighting Control and Demand Response
Average commercial building energy costs are based primarily on two components: energy and demand. Energy is recorded kWh consumption. Demand (kW) is based on the maximum level of power demanded by the building. While project proposals are often based on a reduction in energy costs, in some regions of the country where power production is […]
BUILDING OPERATING MANAGEMENT Publishes Article About Implementing Energy-Saving Lighting Controls
Lighting expert Steve Mesh authored a five-part article recently published by BUILDING OPERATING MANAGEMENT, which covers how to save energy with advanced controls, commissioning, load shedding, what to consider when choosing controls, and how facilities managers can implement advanced control systems. Read it here.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Publishes Article on Demand Response
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR recently published an article by Craig DiLouie, LC about demand response. The article defines demand response, describes active and passive ways lighting controls can contribute to reducing demand, and features interviews with Lutron, Wattstopper and Encelium. Read it here.
CSE Publishes Article on Integrating Lighting Controls Into Demand Response Strategies
In an article recently published by CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER, Scott Ziegenfus, senior applications engineer with Lutron Electronics, defines a role for lighting in demand response strategies. Check it out here.
Experts from Energy and Building Community Team to Enhance Demand Response LEED Pilot Credit and Roll Out Utility Market Pilots
Skipping Stone, Schneider Electric and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recently announced the formation of a committee tasked with enhancing the current Demand Response LEED Pilot Credit. The team, led by Skipping Stone and composed of Schneider Electric and the Demand Response Research Center (DRRC) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will collaborate on enhancing the credit to enable commercial building owners and LEED green building projects to earn credits in LEED for enrolling in utility or wholesale market demand response programs.
NEMA Commends FERC on Demand Response Compensation Ruling
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) commends the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a recent decision that will improve the reliability and efficiency of the electric grid. In its final rule, FERC has allowed locational marginal price (LMP) to be paid to demand response (DR) resources in organized wholesale energy markets. This means that […]