Radio-frequency (RF) wireless lighting controls are control devices such as manual switches, occupancy sensors and photosensors that communicate via radio waves. Eliminating control wiring may reduce total installed cost while facilitating application of automatic lighting controls in existing construction where installing new wiring would be costly or problematic. As investment has favored existing over new […]
Lighting Research Center Proposes User-Based Definition for Lamp Dimming
The Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST), a program of the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, recently released a new publication that addresses the issue of how lamps should dim in terms of their “look and feel” during the dimming process. The publication, ASSIST recommends… Dimming: A Technology-neutral Definition, provides […]
Occupancy Sensors Boost Savings at Department of Labor Parking Garage
Republication of Postings from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting Program by Jim Brodrick, U.S. Department of Energy The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released a GATEWAY report on a parking-garage demonstration conducted at U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) headquarters in Washington, DC, which serves as a classic illustration of the savings […]
LBNL Publishes Study of Responsive Lighting Systems
In September 2012, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory published, Responsive Lighting Solutions for the General Services Administration (GSA). The report provides insight into the viability of highly responsive lighting control systems. It reports the results of installing advanced lighting controls in five Federal buildings. The existing lighting in these buildings was upgraded. A number of […]
Study Finds Commissioning of Daylight Harvesting Control Systems Critical to Success
Daylight harvesting control, or the practice of using light sensors to automatically reduce electric light in a space when sufficient daylight is present, has been demonstrated to produce significant energy cost savings in buildings. As a proven energy-saving strategy, it has been implemented into many sustainable building projects. It was also incorporated into ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010 […]
Navigant: Worldwide Shipments of Wireless Controls for Smart Buildings Will Exceed 36 Million Units by 2020
New research by Navigant suggests wireless technology is entering the mainstream of the commercial buildings controls market. While building automation and controls have been used for decades, wireless networks are enabling more granular control over building systems without many of the design and labor challenges involved with running traditional cabling to support communications and/or power. […]
IMS Research: Street Lighting Is Set To Become Smart
IMS Research forecasts that the uptake of smart lighting systems will increase considerably over the next five years, with more than 13.6 million smart street lighting components being shipped between 2010 to 2017. According to IMS Research’s recently published report The World Market for Connected Lighting Controls – 2012 Edition, the number of smart street […]
Lighting Controls Association Announces Results of User Satisfaction Survey
The Lighting Controls Association has announced the results of a recent survey of regular site users. The purpose of the survey, which was distributed to 15,000 subscribers of the LCA newsletter lightingCONTROL, was to determine satisfaction with the LCA website as well as the popularity of potential features. Respondents totaled 241, or 1.6%. The first […]
Defining Lighting Quality Based On User Satisfaction
Lighting quality is a critical consideration in effective lighting design, and often should take priority over energy savings and the economies of cost. But what is lighting quality? It goes beyond energy and cost and light levels to include brightness, light distribution, color, aesthetics, daylight, ease of use for controls, and other issues. While many […]
LBNL Estimates Average Energy Savings for Popular Lighting Control Strategies
Lighting accounts for about a third of electrical energy consumption in commercial buildings. As advanced energy-saving lighting controls still have a minority penetration in the existing building stock, building owners have a major opportunity to reduce energy costs with lighting control. Adoption of advanced lighting controls faces the usual hurdles affecting all energy-efficient lighting, including […]