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CATEGORY: Content » Projects
By Lighting Controls Association, on October 11, 2011
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. In this award’s first year, eight projects were recognized with an Award of Merit, with one further recognized with a Special Citation Award.
This month, we will explore the role that energy-saving lighting controls play at the University of Colorado Center for Community in Denver, which applied for LEED Gold. Photography by Paul Brokering Photography. Control manufacturers/products: Encelium’s Energy Control System. Lighting control design by M-E Engineers, Inc.
A sustainability plan was put in place to achieve LEED Gold. Lighting controls were implemented in various areas in the 302, 000 gross sq. ft. campus. Dining, student center, gathering spaces, meeting rooms and underground parking garage to name a few.
The owner wanted centralized control of HVAC and lighting systems to seamlessly integrate with a building management system. The goal was to maximize lighting energy savings, increase occupant comfort, integrate with BMS, and reduce costs. Lighting technology was used to layer six strategies (Daylight harvesting, Occupancy Sensing, Personal Control, Task Tuning, Time
Scheduling and Load Shedding) that integrated into the BMS system. Estimated lighting energy savings 50-75%.
Lighting Control System includes I/O Modules, Dimming Electronic Ballasts, Occupancy Sensors, Photo Sensors, Wall Controllers, Relay Control Panels, Communication Wiring, and energy and graphical lighting control software.
Typical graphical floor plan showing Daylight Harvesting.
Typical graphical floor plan showing lighting status On/Off.
Lighting Control Software provides two separate levels of PC interface: personal and central control to the administrator to perform energy management, configuration and monitoring operations.
Basis of Design included color coded drawings describing control strategies by type of space. Area A (Green) Individual fixture control, wall mount occupancy sensors, controlled by exterior daylight sensor. Area K – Conference rooms and similar: Ceiling mounted occupancy sensor, individual fixtures control, and time clock control. Rooms with 2 zones or less provide individual zone control. Rooms with greater then 2 zones provide scene controller and individual zone controls.
Typical lighting energy consumption savings chart.
A centralized Lighting control system provided multiple lighting control strategies to maximize savings while minimizing the amount of product and labor. Example: Common hardware (dimming ballasts) are used for 4 different lighting control solutions. Daylight harvesting, Load Shedding, Task Tuning and personal control.
Got a project? Criteria for the new award, along with submissions forms and procedures, can be viewed at www.IES.org/programs/ia.cfm.
By Lighting Controls Association, on September 20, 2011
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. In this award’s first year, eight projects were recognized with an Award of Merit, with one further recognized with a Special Citation Award.
This month, we will explore the role that energy-saving lighting controls play in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Research Support Facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a net-zero-energy office building. Lighting design by Rachel Petro, Lighting Designer for RNL. Photography by Ron Pollard Photography and Frank Ooms Photography. Control manufacturers/products: Cooper Controls’ GreenGate Microset Occupancy Sensors, Sensor Switch’s PIR/Microphonic Ceiling Mounted Sensors (private offices), Douglas Lighting Controls’ W2000 System.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus houses the nation’s largest net-zero energy office building. The 222,000 square-foot Research Support Facility is pursuing LEED Platinum certification and is designed to consume 50% less energy than a baseline code-compliant building.
The challenge was to design lighting and control systems to complement a day-lit building that consumes as little energy as practical to provide a safe and pleasant working environment, inside and out, within a conservative budget.
Daylight harvesting is utilized in all spaces with daylight contribution. Public spaces are programmed for manual on with time-clock off sweeps. Enclosed spaces are vacancy controlled with occupancy sensors.
The building’s 60-foot width and east-west orientation allows for full daylight penetration. Detailed control zones were implemented to maximize potential energy savings; small switch zones overlap local and
global daylight harvesting zones.
Efficient dimmable, direct/indirect luminaires, compliment exposed structure while running parallel to the windows for optimal daylight harvest zoning.
Private office furniture partitions were integrated with wall-box occupancy sensors, programmed for manual on, control independent 8-foot luminaire sections.
Local photocells provide dimming daylight harvesting, while global photocells provide on/off control for when dimming isn’t enough.
LED site lighting is aggressively controlled for optimal energy savings; accent lights are on during regularly occupied hours of darkness only, full cut-off area lighting is controlled at low-medium-high output levels by a combination of photocell, time-clock, and occupancy sensors.
Occupancy sensors were integrated into the area poles to control pathways, reducing every-other pole to low and off when unoccupied.
The resulting facility is striking, utilizing light only when and where needed, minimizing energy consumption, maximizing occupants’ experience. The control system greatly optimizes performance over the
connected load, resulting in an approximate daily average usage of less than 0.08 W/SF, far surpassing baseline energy code standards.
Got a project? Criteria for the new award, along with submissions forms and procedures, can be viewed at www.IES.org/programs/ia.cfm.
By Lighting Controls Association, on May 13, 2011
WattStopper’s Digital Lighting Management and technical lighting control expertise facilitated completion of Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ new iPrep Academy within tight timeframes. The fast track remodeling project challenged the design and construction teams, as the work had to be completed in just three months.
When Miami-Dade County Public Schools set out to create an engaging, high tech learning environment for its new iPrep Academy, the project team selected Digital Lighting Management (DLM) controls, including dimming devices, personal controls and occupancy sensors. The controls enhance the remodeled Miami school, updated with colorful open spaces incorporating digital teaching tools, while also meeting the requirements of the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 energy code.
Head Electrician Guillermo Lugo was delighted to discover how easy it was to connect the DLM products. “The wiring is extremely simple, and Plug n’ Go automatic configuration is a real time saver.” Lugo had the controls installed and operational just two weeks after they were specified.
A variety of Digital Lighting Management room controllers and occupancy sensors were selected to switch and dim the lighting, including the LED luminaires, in classrooms, offices, restrooms and the school’s iCafé lounge. For traditional classrooms, an open classroom environment and the lounge, dimming room controllers were utilized along with wall mount dimming switches and several handheld scene remotes. The personal controls allow students and teachers to easily adjust the lighting levels for different activities, including working on computers and viewing other high tech displays. In the rooms with wall mount switches, DLM self-configures for manual-on control, meaning that occupants switch lights on only when they are needed. This sequence of operation saves the most energy.
iPrep Academy is an optional program for the district’s top 11th grade students, who must interview in order to gain acceptance. Students are challenged by a rigorous curriculum including honors and advanced placement courses. Instruction focuses on leadership and problem-solving skills, and the program offers internships with local corporations and government offices. The project team included Capital Task Force Coordinator Roger Ball, Fletcher Vanyo of Fox-Rowden-McBrayer, and Head Electrician Guillermo Lugo.
By Lighting Controls Association, on May 11, 2011
For both energy conservation and economic reasons, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital, one of the largest healthcare groups in the Philadelphia region, set the goal of reducing its lighting energy consumption by at least 30% without sacrificing illumination quality. To accomplish that – and much more, Jefferson partnered with Encelium Technologies, the manufacturer of the Energy Control System™ (ECS). Encelium customized its innovative lighting control and energy management solution for Jefferson, which has more than 4 million square feet of clinical, research, teaching and housing property.
“The results far-exceeded our expectations,” said Randy Haines, energy manager for Jefferson’s complex. “By giving us the optimal control we wanted, ECS cut our lighting energy consumption by 51%, delivering a payback from energy savings in just four years. We also reduced our carbon footprint significantly with a CO2 reduction of 278 metric tons per year.”
ECS™ uses the collaborative power of addressable networking technology in conjunction with advanced control hardware and software. The system seamlessly integrates and simultaneously deploys six user-friendly energy-management strategies. These include personal controls, task tuning, daylight harvesting, smart-time scheduling, occupancy sensors and load shedding. For hospitals like Jefferson, ECS has been proven to reduce lighting energy expenditures by 50 to 75 percent while improving workplace comfort, ergonomics and occupant productivity. (See full case study: http://www.encelium.com/pdf/case-studies/Encelium_TJU_case_study_Feb_15_2011_O.pdf)
At Jefferson, Haines estimates that lighting represents approximately 15% of the healthcare facility’s electricity costs – nearly $1.7 million per year. Over the course of several years, he developed an advanced metering system for the facility, allowing him to compare energy information on an interval basis and make decisions based on the most current data. With this information, Haines determined just how effective an advanced lighting control system would be at Jefferson in reducing lighting energy and delivering a quick payback on investment.
“As with all hospitals, Jefferson is a 24/7 environment with different lighting requirements for its wide range of areas from patient care to administration to laboratories and more,” said Tony Marano, president and chief executive officer of Encelium. “Because ECS has the flexibility to meet those varied needs, we were able to provide Jefferson with an integrated approach to lighting control that saves both energy and money.”
In 2005, Jefferson began its pilot program for advanced lighting with the 10th floor of the complex’s historic, century-old Main Building. After that program’s success, Jefferson renovated the 5th floor of the Main Building in 2006 as well as the 2nd through 5th floors of the Dorrance H. Hamilton Building in 2007.
“We’ve seen numerous operational advantages with Encelium’s integrated lighting control system, but the bottom line is that ECS has helped us achieve unprecedented lighting-related energy savings,” said Haines. “And with the advent of real-time pricing of electricity, the ability to load shed all lighting with a single command is really powerful. We will continue to use the information from ECS to expand our energy conservation plan throughout our campus.”
In addition to healthcare facilities, ECS is ideal for retrofits or new construction of office buildings, schools, parking garages, big-box retail, stadiums and warehouse space.
As the most advanced lighting control solution for commercial buildings, ECS typically meets or exceeds today’s sustainable requirements for new or existing office buildings, including Title 24, ASHRAE 90.1 and is eligible for various utility rebate programs and local “green” building mandates. The system contributes up to 18 points, depending on the application, toward achieving the coveted U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).
By Lighting Controls Association, on March 16, 2011
 NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida hosts a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the space agency's most environmentally friendly facility, the Propellants North Administrative and Maintenance Facility in Kennedy's Launch Complex 39 area. From left, are Mike Benik, director of Kennedy's Center Operations; James Wright, deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Strategic Infrastructure at NASA Headquarters; Bob Cabana, Kennedy's center director; Ward Davis, president of HW Davis Construction Inc. in Cape Canaveral, FL, installed a light control system from Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. The Propellants North Administrative and Maintenance Facility is using innovative light control strategies to dramatically reduce energy consumption and maximize the use of available daylight.
“We are thrilled to help NASA achieve net zero energy use in their greenest facilty to-date with simple light control strategies that can save up to 60 percent of lighting energy and increase employee comfort and productivity,” said Andy Wakefield, Government Business Development Director at Lutron.
The light controls at the Propellants North Administrative and Maintenance Facility include wireless wall-mounted controls, digitally addressable electronic ballasts, occupancy sensors and daylight sensors to dramatically reduce energy use. “Many of the office walls are solid glass, so installing wireless wall-mounted controls was the perfect solution to allow the buildings to maximize use of available daylight at all times,” said Wakefield.
The recently rebuilt building will be NASA’s first carbon neutral facility, which means it will produce enough energy on site from renewable sources to offset what it requires to operate. The facility will also reach for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Platinum status, which is the highest LEED rating.
By Lighting Controls Association, on February 18, 2011
WattStopper’s Digital Lighting Management and technical lighting control expertise facilitated completion of Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ new iPrep Academy within tight timeframes. The fast track remodeling project challenged the design and construction teams, as the work had to be completed in just three months.
When Miami-Dade County Public Schools set out to create an engaging, high tech learning environment for its new iPrep Academy, the project team selected Digital Lighting Management (DLM) controls, including dimming devices, personal controls and occupancy sensors. The controls enhance the remodeled Miami school, updated with colorful open spaces incorporating digital teaching tools, while also meeting the requirements of the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 energy code.
Head Electrician Guillermo Lugo was delighted to discover how easy it was to connect the DLM products. “The wiring is extremely simple, and Plug n’ Go automatic configuration is a real time saver.” Lugo had the controls installed and operational just two weeks after they were specified.
A variety of Digital Lighting Management room controllers and occupancy sensors were selected to switch and dim the lighting, including the LED luminaires, in classrooms, offices, restrooms and the school’s iCafé lounge. For traditional classrooms, an open classroom environment and the lounge, dimming room controllers were utilized along with wall mount dimming switches and several handheld scene remotes. The personal controls allow students and teachers to easily adjust the lighting levels for different activities, including working on computers and viewing other high tech displays. In the rooms with wall mount switches, DLM self-configures for manual-on control, meaning that occupants switch lights on only when they are needed. This sequence of operation saves the most energy.
iPrep Academy is an optional program for the district’s top 11th grade students, who must interview in order to gain acceptance. Students are challenged by a rigorous curriculum including honors and advanced placement courses. Instruction focuses on leadership and problem-solving skills, and the program offers internships with local corporations and government offices. The project team included Capital Task Force Coordinator Roger Ball, Fletcher Vanyo of Fox-Rowden-McBrayer, and Head Electrician Guillermo Lugo.
By Lighting Controls Association, on January 7, 2011
As a manufacturers rep agency covering Tennessee, Arkansas, and Northern Mississippi, John Moore & Associates (JMA) had been singing the praises of Universal Lighting Technologies’ DEMANDflex™ ballasts and DCL® control systems since they were first introduced to the market in 2008. And yet, the company was still using 400-watt metal halide ballasts at its 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse just outside of Nashville. Finally, in August 2010, they decided it was time to stop wasting money and start practicing what they were preaching.
“The cost of waiting is something too many people don’t take into account, and we fell into that same trap ourselves,” said Troy Jennings, owner of John Moore & Associates. “First, every month you wait is another month of paying too much on your power bill. And second, it’s another month that could have been part of your payback schedule. If we’d acted a year or two ago, this installation would have already paid for itself.”
Now, the JMA warehouse is a showcase for the company’s customers to see DCL technology in action. When you first walk in, you’ll notice that most of the fixtures are dark. But as you approach an aisle, motion sensors activate the DEMANDflex high-efficiency T5 ballast in each four-lamp fixture several yards before you reach it.
The T5HO fixtures with DEMANDflex ballasts provide more light—and in a wider area—than the old metal halide system. As a result there are fewer dark spots, making it much easier to read boxes located halfway between two fixtures. When the motion sensors haven’t detected anyone for 20 minutes, the fixture automatically shuts off.
“We couldn’t do motion sensors with metal halide because of the warm-up time,” said Jennings. “DEMANDflex ballasts switch on instantly. Plus, we’ve installed photocells around the dock doors for daylight harvesting. When the door is open and sunlight is pouring in, we don’t need the motion sensors triggering the ballasts in that area. Aisles that have skylights are also dimmed to take advantage of energy savings with the natural light.”
When the lamps are off, the energy savings is (of course) 100 percent. But even when they’re on, each fixture requires only half as much power as before (232 watts vs. 464 watts). With a total of 158 fixtures in the warehouse, the company is saving 35 kilowatts even if the entire facility is lit and every ballast is activated.
“Even without the motion sensors, we’ve cut our warehouse lighting consumption in half,” said Jennings. “Then when you walk into the warehouse and see most of the fixtures are off, you know they’re using zero watts.”
JMA selected a DCL control system because it is designed to communicate with DEMANDflex ballasts at the circuit level without the need for additional control wiring. This kept the overall cost of the retrofit project at a minimum, allowing for a short payback period. DCL technology is able to precisely adjust the power level of a DEMANDflex ballast anywhere from full power down to 50 percent, in addition to turning it off and on. DCL control systems make it simple to integrate occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, or scheduling software that will automatically adjust power to the lighting fixtures at specific times during the day.
In addition to the energy savings, JMA wanted to bring DCL technology to its warehouse in order to experience the installation from a customer’s point of view, including filling out all ofthe paperwork necessary to receive power provider and EPACT incentives.
“There’s no substitute for experience,” said Jennings. “We know exactly what our customers can expect when installing DEMANDflex ballasts and DCL control systems. We’ve been through the process from start to finish, and now we’re reaping the rewards.”
 Warehouse power savings For more information about Universal Lighting Technologies, visit www.unvlt.com.
By Lighting Controls Association, on June 23, 2010
 When one of the nation’s leading commercial developer of green office and industrial buildings sought to optimize the economic, energy and environmental performance of its Malvern, Pa.-based corporate headquarters, Liberty Property Trust partnered with Encelium Technologies to reduce overall lighting energy consumption by 60 percent. The real estate investment trust, which owns 77 million square feet of office and industrial space in more than 20 markets throughout the United States and the United Kingdom, used its 31,000-square-foot office building as a pilot demonstration site of Encelium’s highly advanced Energy Control System (ECS) for use in its other properties.
Originally tasked with the goal of reducing lighting energy consumption by 50 percent and delivering a payback from energy savings in less than five years, the installation of ECS yielded better-than-expected results. With an annual energy cost reduction of $10,383 or about $0.33/square foot, Liberty also achieved its payback goal in less than four years. (See case study: http://www.encelium.com/pdf/case-studies/EnceliumLibertyPropertyTrustCaseStudy.pdf)
“We wanted to use our own office space to evaluate the system and determine actual savings and whether advanced network lighting controls made sense for all of our properties,” said Fred Dougherty, Liberty’s vice president of portfolio technology. “We are very serious about reducing our carbon footprint, increasing energy performance and looking to potentially include this type of lighting control system on other LEED certification development activities.”
Liberty has almost 8 million square feet of LEED space completed or under construction nationwide. The company has been acknowledged with numerous industry awards for its initiatives to develop, retrofit and operate its buildings in an environmentally sensitive manner.
ECS seamlessly integrates and simultaneously deploys six user-friendly energy-management strategies facility-wide. These include personal controls, task tuning, daylight harvesting, smart time scheduling, occupancy sensing and load shedding. Utilizing Encelium’s Polaris software, Liberty was able to collect data on each energy management strategy, validate the savings and further optimize performance and dollar savings.
“ECS is ideal for retrofits or new construction for all buildings types, including office buildings, schools, healthcare and public facilities, parking garages, big-box retail, stadiums and warehouse space,” said Tony Marano, president and chief executive officer of Encelium Technologies. “Not only does the system create economic value and give property owners, managers and end-users unprecedented digital control, ECS also effectively and efficiently improves workplace ergonomics, occupant productivity and tenant satisfaction.”
As the most advanced lighting control solution for commercial buildings, ECS typically meets or exceeds today’s sustainable requirements for new or existing office buildings, including Title 24, ASHRAE 90.1 and is eligible for various utility rebate programs and local “green” building mandates. Designed to reduce lighting-related energy costs by 50 to 75 percent, the system also contributes between 12 to 18 points, depending on the application, toward achieving the coveted U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).
Using the collaborative power of addressable networking technology in conjunction with advanced control hardware and software, ECS reduces lighting use and energy costs at a faster rate than other environmental measures and has an average payback on investment of two to five years. Since 2001, ECS has been installed in more than 25 million square feet of commercial space across North America and Europe. Encelium has posted a 200 percent annual growth increase during the last two years. Headquartered in Teaneck, N.J., the company also has operations in Canada and Europe.
For more information about Encelium Technologies, visit www.encelium.com.
By Lighting Controls Association, on May 23, 2010
 Kaiser Permanente installed WattStopper lighting controls as part of a warehouse renovation designed to improve lighting and reduced energy consumption. The upgrade resulted in better task lighting throughout the facility and energy savings of over 40%, as detailed in the following case study.
Managers of a 350,000 square foot Kaiser Permanente distribution warehouse in Northern California were dissatisfied with the facility’s lighting. Task illumination was ineffective, maintenance was difficult, and energy use was high. To improve the situation, they decided to completely retrofit the lighting and add energy saving controls.
Robert Ofsevit, vice president of Concord, California-based Alamo Lighting, coordinated a turnkey upgrade, including over 400 WattStopper occupancy sensors and time switches. More than a year after completion, Ofsevit’s design is exceeding expectations for performance and energy savings.
Warehouse lighting
Prior to the upgrade, much of the lighting remained on close to 24 hours a day from Sunday night through Friday afternoon. The space was lit with metal halide, high pressure sodium and older fluorescent sources. Light distribution was poor: illumination levels were insufficient for many tasks, but were far too high in some areas.
Before developing a lighting and control plan, Ofsevit assessed the safety requirements of the facility, as well as the tasks being performed. The new controls ensure that lights in many areas are not turned on until they are needed, and are turned off after they are no longer needed.
The new lighting uses just one lamp type – a 5000° Kelvin extra long life 4’ T8. Fixture types, reflectors and ballasts were carefully specified to deliver appropriate lighting levels for different areas and tasks. The overall connected load was reduced.
The upgraded fluorescent lighting provides better color rendition, less shadowing and less glare than the old lighting. Additionally, lumen maintenance is better and building maintenance is easier. Both the new lighting and the controls have been overwhelmingly embraced by employees, who now feel far more comfortable working in the space.
Integrating controls
WattStopper line voltage passive infrared (PIR) HB occupancy sensors control individual six-lamp high bay fixtures in the warehouse rack aisles. The PIR coverage, using aisleway lenses, ensures that lighting turns on in each section of the aisle as a worker approaches. Lighting in many rack aisles remains off for much of the day.
HB sensors also control approximately half of the fixtures in high-ceilinged packing areas and in the main aisles, which experience high levels of forklift traffic. The rest of the fixtures remain on during working hours. Keeping sufficient lighting on throughout the space helps workers feel secure and comfortable in the large warehouse space.
Previously overlit under-mezzanine spaces were efficiently retrofit, and a number of these spaces were rewired to create small zones of task lighting. Now, approximately half the fixtures remain on to provide illumination for workers walking through the areas. Workers can turn on the additional lighting in each zone as needed, using a conveniently located TS digital time switch. Lights turn off automatically following the user-selected time period.
 Bi-level lighting in private offices is controlled by DW dual technology, dual relay wall switch sensors. Dual technology was selected to best detect small motion. The first lighting level (66%) is switched on automatically upon occupancy. The second level (33%) may be switched manually. In practice the second level is seldom used, contributing to energy savings.
Controls in other areas were selected to suit the unique needs of each space. UT ultrasonic sensors, which can sense around partitions, control open office spaces, lunch and break rooms. A time clock controls energy-efficient lighting in a secure storage area, providing significant savings compared to previous 24/7 operation of older generation T8 fixtures. A low voltage digital time switch is available for after hours override.
Resulting energy savings
Kaiser Permanente’s Marvin Cave, Facility Manager, Regional Building Operations, NCAL, notes, “The lighting upgrade has improved the quality of lighting in both the office area and warehouse, and saved a significant amount of energy and utility costs.”
Analysis of utility records shows a reduction in energy use, measured in kilowatt hours, of over 40% for the 12 month period following installation. The energy savings will pay back the cost of the upgrade in three years, net of a $71,000 Pacific Gas and Electric rebate.
Selecting the controls
Kaiser Permanente managers selected the winning lineup of design, project management and lighting and control technology based on positive prior experience. The company in 2003 implemented a lighting upgrade with controls at another warehouse facility, using the same team, and that installation continues to perform successfully.
Kaiser Permanente is a leader in the health care industry when it comes to energy conservation. For over 20 years it has worked to reduce energy use and costs – from energy-efficient lighting upgrades, to harnessing renewable and sustainable energy to help power its hospitals, medical offices, and other buildings.
For more information about WattStopper, visit www.wattstopper.com.
By Lighting Controls Association, on January 23, 2010
 WearGuard-Crest, a division of ARAMARK, set an ambitious goal: to replace all the lighting fixtures throughout 280,000 square feet of office, manufacturing, and retail space at its headquarters in Norwell, Massachusetts, just south of Boston. Furthermore, the company wanted the project to pay for itself in energy savings.
J&R Wiring, Inc., took up the challenge. After researching the most advanced lighting control systems on the market today, J&R Wiring identified the one technology with the most powerful return on investment (ROI)—DCL® (Demand Control Lighting) from Universal Lighting Technologies.
Only DCL technology can reduce power to lighting ballasts as much as 50 percent without the need to install expensive control wiring. The DCL Control System can be operated manually or automated for “set it and forget it” simplicity. The control system communicates with the ballasts at the circuit level. Each lighting circuit can be controlled individually for zone programming. By eliminating the need for extra wiring, DCL technology is simple to install in retrofit projects or new construction.
After identifying DCL as the ideal solution, J&R Wiring worked with Universal Lighting Technologies to design an automated lighting control program that would optimize energy savings throughout the WearGuard-Crest facility. Lighting fixtures in the office, lobby, and hallway areas would be divided into eight zones with photocells for daylight harvesting between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. In addition, the entire facility would be controlled by scheduling software so that lights would automatically adjust to 50-percent power at 6:00 p.m. for cleaning crews and then zero percent at 11:00 p.m. Under this plan, J&R Wiring projected an energy savings of 539,531 kilowatt-hours, which represents a 45 percent reduction in power being consumed by the facility’s lighting fixtures. Next, J&R Wiring approached the local electric utility, National Grid, to discuss possible incentives for WearGuard. Through its Energy Initiative program, National Grid provides incentives for energy efficient retrofits for its commercial and industrial customers. For this project, National Grid performed an independent review of DCL technology and its benefits for WearGuard-Crest and provided significant incentives. Another advantage to WearGuard-Crest was that DCL allowed them to participate in National Grid’s Demand Response Program. Although no longer offered, this program gave National Grid the ability to request that participating companies voluntarily slash their demand by a set percent when the local electrical grid is approaching capacity.
This is occasionally necessary during peak hours for energy use, which is—not coincidentally—when electricity rates are at their highest. Cutting energy use during peak hour rates is a significant source of financial savings for companies with high energy bills. These savings are simple to achieve with DCL technology whether or not the company is part of a Demand Response Program.
In Sept. 2008, the installation began. First, J&R Wiring replaced the facility’s outdated lighting equipment with DEMANDflex™ ballasts from Universal Lighting Technologies. These high-efficiency T8 ballasts can be individually “tuned” by the installer to the appropriate power level (ballast factor) in order to ensure just the right amount of light for the application. This helps eliminate overlighting and wasting energy.
According to J&R Wiring President Jim Killian, the DEMANDflex ballasts at WearGuard-Crest were tuned ten to 20 percent below full power during installation for immediate energy savings even before the DCL Control System was installed.
 “There was quite a bit of saving from tuning alone,” said Killian. “We were able to reduce power levels ten percent or more, and the ballasts are producing better light for less energy.”
Installation of the DCL Control System began in January 2009. The daylight harvesting zones and automated scheduling software have performed exactly as demanded.
“The installation went off without a hitch,” said Chris Hart, senior electrician for WearGuard-Crest. “This is a powerful front-end control system that is also extremely economical.”
Once WearGuard-Crest has recouped its investment in DCL technology, the energy savings will continue to compile month after month.
“Daylight harvesting is knocking down power consumption significantly,” said Killian. “And I’m impressed with the extremely subtle and extremely smooth changes in lighting.”
National Grid encourages its other customers to aggressively investigate the power of energy-saving lighting technologies, especially “whole-building” solutions such as DCL technology.
“Addressable lighting control systems like this one have a lot of potential for energy savings and carbon footprint reductions,” said Thomas Coughlin, commercial/industrial lighting program manager for National Grid. “We’ve had a very good experience,” said Killian. “I’m very happy with the product overall.”
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to healthcare institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses in 22 countries around the world.
With more than 500 employees at its facilities in Norwell, WearGuard-Crest has been America’s premier direct mail retailer of work clothes and personalized uniforms for almost 50 years.
For more information about Universal Lighting Technologies, visit www.unvlt.com.
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