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CATEGORY: Projects » Residential
By Lighting Controls Association, on June 12, 2009
Cherokee Investment Partners, a private equity fund managing institutional capital to acquire environmentally impacted properties, recently challenged itself to oversee construction of a sustainable residential project that, to prospective owners, would look and feel like a traditional home. The Raleigh, North Carolina project, dubbed the National Homebuilder Mainstream GreenHome, includes energy saving occupancy and vacancy sensors and time switches from Watt Stopper/Legrand throughout the home.
The Mainstream GreenHome, a living and evolving demonstration project that saw its first residents in 2008, has proved to be a resounding success, meeting environmental and efficiency goals and gaining public acceptance. It earned the first LEED for Homes Platinum certification in the Southeast and was awarded a 2008 Gold Energy Value Housing Award by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center and the Department of Energy. It has garnered recognition for outstanding contribution to education and society, including the City of Raleigh’s inaugural Overall Environmental Award in 2008.
Criteria for selecting lighting controls
The creator and force behind the project, Jonathan Philips, is a recognized national leader in bringing green to the mainstream and was Senior Director and partner of Cherokee when conceiving the project. Philips oversaw a team that researched products, materials and contractors for the home. Philips, now co-founder and Managing Director of the spin-off Anka Funds, wanted controls that were intuitive to operate, would control a wide variety of loads, were reliable and would fit with the home’s decor. After examining multiple brands, he selected Watt Stopper residential vacancy sensors and digital time switches based on the look and feel, the ease of use and the breadth of the line. These controls curtail energy use by automatically turning off the connected loads, either after a space has been vacated or after a selected period of time.
“Lighting technology is a perfect example of where green building technology intersects with mainstream convenience, comfort and aesthetics,” said Philips. “At Anka’s Real Estate Opportunity Fund, we’re taking severely distressed real assets, infusing them with capital and creativity, and repositioning them into productive and more planet-friendly uses. The use of Watt Stopper sensors illustrates how select green decisions can reduce our environmental impact while translating on every dimension to greater stakeholder and strong investor returns on capital investment.”
The research team specified multiple sensors, relying on RS-250 sensors and RH-250 multi-way sensors for the lion’s share of the applications. The RS-250 sensors control lighting in rooms with a single controlled load and a single switch location. The RH-250 sensors were installed in hallways, stairwells and rooms with multiple switch locations and provide 3-way or 4-way control.
The project also includes RS-350 dual relay sensors, which helped cut down on wall clutter by controlling two loads from one device in the home office, a bedroom and several bathrooms. RD-200 dimming sensors, which combine vacancy sensor control with full range dimming, were selected for several bedrooms. Porch lighting and several fans are controlled by RT-50 and RT-100 time switches that enable users to select the amount of time the lights will be on.
Selecting manual or automatic operating mode
Most of the sensors were installed with the factory default setting for vacancy sensor, or manual-on, operating mode. Sensors installed in closets, a rear entry and several staircase locations were configured for automatic-on operation. These devices turn loads on automatically when they detect movement. To prevent energy waste, an integral light sensor was enabled on several of the auto-on sensors to hold lighting off when sufficient ambient light is present.
The Watt Stopper sensors and time switches control loads including fan motors and CFL, LED and incandescent lighting. There are just a few incandescent loads in the GreenHome, and these are dimmed both for energy savings and aesthetics.
Project partners and conclusions
The GreenHome project was developed with assistance from architect Bill McDonough, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development, the NAHB, the Green Standard Organization and over 100 other partners.
According to Philips, the residents are extremely happy with the controls and quickly came to rely on the sensors to turn off lighting throughout the home, a big convenience in a large house with children.
Philips looks forward to working with Watt Stopper/Legrand on future projects, and to being an advocate for what he describes as, “these little cool, easy-to-install, easy-to-use, energy savers that make everyday life more convenient.”
By Lighting Controls Association, on February 12, 2009
 While planning the Palms of Perdido condominium project on beautiful Perdido Key, Florida, developers and resident owners Dick and Teresa Domurat spent several years researching amenities, including lighting controls. They selected Miro wireless RF controls and occupancy sensors from Watt Stopper/Legrand based on ease of installation, simplicity of system expansion and product performance and styling.
The new building is 14 stories with 23 luxury residences ranging from approximately 4,000 square feet to 5,400 square-foot townhouse penthouses with roof gardens. The architectural detailing is reminiscent of the classic hotels that are icons on the Florida coast. Mrs. Domurat, who is responsible for the interior design, explains that the project is very “design and detail sensitive, and Watt Stopper’s Miro architectural styling fits well.”
Residential lighting controls
In each residence, the GrandSalon has been equipped with Watt Stopper universal dimmers, driving a variety of downlighting and track lighting, and a room scene controller that allows residents to quickly set the mood with preset lighting. House scene controllers in the master bedrooms facilitate shutting down Miro-controlled lighting at night and turning scenes on remotely.
Additional Watt Stopper Miro controls have been installed in the penthouses for all the lighting and ceiling fans. In their own penthouse, the Domurats enjoy using a touch screen and have a time clock that executes basic scenes, including automatically turning lighting off at night. House-level scenes have been created for pathways of lighting throughout the residence and for security.
 This penthouse unit also serves as a showplace, and when new owners see the convenience afforded by the additional controls they, too, are choosing to expand their Miro systems. Mr. Domurat notes, “Our buyers expect the best products in every category. Watt Stopper delivers on that promise.”
System flexibility
Miro’s distributed intelligence and wireless control combine to provide the flexibility that was required for the Palms project. Miro scene information is stored in the dimmers, so there is no need for a central processor. The dimmers and the scene controllers communicate using an RF protocol without any control wiring. These features make Miro easy and economical to install, expand and reconfigure.
There is no interference between the controls in different condominium units because Miro assigns a unique House ID to each system and codes all communications with that ID. This also prevents interference from any other systems using the 900 MHz frequency band.
Automatic control for public areas
In the future, a concierge will oversee the elegant Palms Club, but at present a Miro time clock reliably evokes lighting scenes throughout the day and night to establish the desired ambience. Residents using the club can easily adjust lighting levels as needed using individual dimmers or room scene controllers.
Watt Stopper occupancy sensors have been installed throughout the Fitness Center to automatically turn lighting on when the spaces become occupied. Passive infrared (PIR) devices were selected for the open club area while ultrasonic sensors, which can sense around partitions, were used for the restrooms. Dual technology sensors, which use both PIR and ultrasonic technologies, were selected for the locker areas. All of the sensors ensure energy savings by turning lighting off after each space is vacated.
 Future plans
The Palms developers intend to further enhance the property with landscape lighting and additional Watt Stopper controls due to their satisfaction with the products and service to date. They also plan to add plug-in lamp modules to the Palms Club system in order to include desk and floor lamps in the programmed lighting scenes, and use the occupancy emulation feature on a Miro repeater in the showcase penthouse for additional security.
“I love the simplicity of programming the systems, the local switches that permit easy override and the ability to expand. And working with the helpful sales and support teams, including AMA Lighting, has been a pleasure. We couldn’t be happier with our decision to use Watt Stopper controls,” Mr. Domurat concludes.
For more information about Watt Stopper/Legrand, visit www.wattstopper.com.
By Lighting Controls Association, on October 14, 2008
 When interior designer Katy Mellon, Allied Member ASID, undertook designing the complete remodel of a 1968 tract home in San Diego, California, she embarked on an eye-opening learning experience. The prime goal was to create a safe, efficient, attractive and accessible home for her son, Nathaniel Ladendorf. Ladendorf is disabled from a spinal cord injury and needs wheelchair access to all areas of his residence. Mellon also had to meet California Title 24 requirements, but did not want to compromise her design scheme in order to do so.
Lighting controls, including Watt Stopper/Legrand’s Miro controls and residential occupancy and vacancy sensors, played an important role in the successful completion of the project. Ladendorf moved into his home in December 2007 and Mellon says, “Every time I see Nathaniel come into his house and touch just one switch to light up his safe haven, I experience great peace of mind.”
Energy code and design considerations
California Title 24 allows only limited use of incandescent lighting in residential applications, but gives designers more leeway in selecting sources if the lighting will be controlled by vacancy sensors or, in some locations, by dimmers. Mellon learned about Watt Stopper/Legrand’s control options at an ASID seminar on Title 24 requirements and was pleased to find out that she did not need to sacrifice any of her design standards to achieve energy efficiency.
By using Miro dimmers in the living area and bedrooms, and vacancy sensors in the bathrooms, she was permitted to use decorative and flattering lighting including low voltage track lighting and incandescent bath bars. Additionally, since Miro Universal Dimmers are designed to dim incandescent, magnetic or electronic low voltage and dimmable fluorescent loads, she could specify the same dimmer type for all applications, simplifying the design and installation.
Miro’s Architectural styling also helped Mellon achieve her design goals. She selected warm white devices for their pleasing look on the walls and used matching Miro Wiring Devices throughout the home.
 Wireless scene controls
Mellon took advantage of Miro’s wireless control capabilities to create two layers of scene control and facilitate control of selected lighting from outside the home for safety and convenience. Ladendorf caries a Key Fob controller to turn lighting scenes on from his car when arriving home. He typically illuminates a pathway from the garage to the living room area.
Once inside, he can use wall mounted House and Room Scene Controllers to select a variety of lighting looks for either the whole house, including activating a pathway from the living area to the master bedroom, or just for the living area. Additionally, a handheld House Scene Remote, carried in his wheelchair, provides access to lighting scenes from any location.
The scene controllers send RF signals to the wireless Miro dimmers and to wireless Miro switches that were used for non-dimmable loads. Scene memory is stored in each power device, and controllers can activate any number of dimmers and switches.
Occupancy sensors
For additional security, a Watt Stopper occupancy sensor automatically activates garage lighting when motion is detected. Inside the home, vacancy sensors allow bathroom lighting to be turned on manually when needed. The vacancy sensors include LED nightlights that provide low level illumination when the lights are off. All of the sensors ensure energy savings by automatically turning lighting off when no occupancy has been detected following a time delay.
 Detailing the remodel
The 1,700- square-foot home was gutted, and the floor plan changed from the original four bedroom, two bath to a three-bedroom design that is barrier free and easily accessible from exterior to interior.
The 40-year-old wiring was replaced for safety and to meet current building code requirements, but controls had not yet been specified when the wiring was completed. Fortunately, since the wireless Miro controls communicate using an RF protocol, no control wiring was needed. Installing Miro did not cost any more than installing standard dimmers or switches.
Following installation, Watt Stopper’s support team provided advice and assistance programming the scene controls, and the system is operating as expected.
Living in the new home
After six months in his new home, Ladendorf is settled in and comfortable. “Nathaniel is very happy with the look of the controls and the simplicity of using his lighting system,” Mellon notes. She concludes, “This project has forever changed my approach to design. All future jobs will benefit from this journey.”
For more information about Watt Stopper/Legrand, visit www.wattstopper.com.
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