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.
This month, we will explore the role that lighting controls play in an outdoor LED retrofit. Lighting and control design by Ken Perez, Sr, President; Philip Dodge, Project Manager; and Kenny Perez, Jr., Project Manager of Visual Concepts Lighting, Inc. Photography by Chrysalis Effect. Lighting and controls by Cree and LSI.
The parking field at The Square, owned by the Irvine Company, was originally illuminated with 400W metal halide luminaires in order to achieve a 1.0 footcandle minimum per city code. While levels were achieved, there was poor uniformity.
Cree Edge Square 262W LED luminaires replaced the original fixtures while maintaining the same 1.0 footcandle minimum. Though the site now appears overlighted, this is only because of the nearly perfect uniformity ratio. A wireless dimming control system by LSI Virticus was utilized to reduce the light levels on demand. The photos demonstrate this ability, providing additional significant energy savings. At 100% of LED output, the energy saved was 44%.
By employing wireless dimming controls, the entire site was reduced by 20%. While energy was reduced by 53W/luminaire, no recognizable reduction in illumination took place. The site is still evenly illuminated, though saving additional energy. (Client maintained this level.)
The site, as shown, represents a 50% reduction in energy and light output. At this level, with enhanced uniformity, the site still appears brighter than the original 400W luminaires.
The below photo shows the site dimmed down 80% to provide afterhours security lighting. Previously, security lighting was achieved by turning off 50% of the site lights, leaving the site very dark in most areas. By dimming down the entire field, the designers achieved a more uniformly lighted site at reduced levels and thus a more securely lighted site. Police departments are satisfied, as they are able to detect suspicious activity more clearly utilizing this approach. An 80% reduction in energy dropped these luminaires to 53W.
Dimming controls resulted in greater energy savings–89.1KWH annually, equating to $14,256/year.
James Donson says
Great article, I love the repeated, consistent photographs. Really speaks to the performance.
I believe your energy savings claim at the very end is incorrect. at 89.1 kWh/yr, the energy cost would be $160/kWh. I think more likely the savings was 89,100 kWh/yr, but that still yields a $0.16/kWh electricity rate. Most users do not have $0.16/kWh rate overnight, so the financial savings are likely overstated regardless of the actual energy savings.