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).