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 explore an advanced lighting controls installation at the WAV PlayPark at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. Lighting control design by WSP. Photography by Richard Johnson.
Since 1974, the Hospital for Sick Children Women’s Auxiliary has operated the PlayPark as a place of respite and play for siblings of SickKids’ patients, children visiting clinics, and families. The service is free, and parents drop their children off knowing they will be cared for by Registered Early Childhood Educators and Volunteers. The Play Park helps build positive associations and memories of hospital visits.
SickKids Hospital engaged the design team to provide planning/design services to renovate the existing WAV Play Park. The electrical engineering team and architecture/interior design team worked together, exploring different lighting solutions. With equal accessibility, safety and security for the children in mind, the design creates opportunities for exploration, relaxation, and engagement for all. The team aimed to create lighting that was not only designed to meet accessibility, safety, and security needs, but also be able to engage children’s interests and enjoyment during their experience at the PlayPark.
The project utilizes high-efficacy LED luminaires with dimming capability for an opportunity to further lower energy consumption. One of the challenges in lighting control design is user friendliness for all hospital staff while achieving the desired light levels and energy savings intent. The PlayPark uses simple, user friendly, preset scene control keypads with time scheduling features. Each lighting zone is programmable and dimmable based on PlayPark’s operating hours, time of day, and activities. Lighting in washroom and sink counters are equipped with occupancy sensors to automatically turn lighting On/Off for energy savings and to potentially extend product life.
The PlayPark achieved a lighting power density of 9.6W/m², 15% less than maximum allowed in hospital buildings according to ASHRAE 90.1(2013).
The project utilizes high-effacy dimmable LED luminaires and LED retrofit T8 lamps, controlled by preset scenes and time scheduling features. All control devices and keypads are located behind the customer service counter at counter height, keeping accessible equality and safety as highest priorities.
Other than time scheduled pre-set scene controls, every sub-divided themed area can be individually controlled.
The performance stage has color-filtered downlights that are dimmable to suit the needs of
different activities, storytelling, and presentations.
The computer zone lighting is retrofitted with LED T8 lamps/illuminated skylight with supplementary
task lighting, all being tied to the new programmable lighting control system.
The quiet corner has fiber-optics star ceiling, which is controlled by handheld remote controller. Cove lighting is time scheduled.
The universal washroom is controlled by an occupancy sensor with a vacancy time delay set to 20 minutes,
the maximum allowed by ASHRAE 90.1(2013), for patients’ safety.
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