In January 2021, the International Code Council published the 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which has been updated every three years since 2000. This new version reduces lighting power allowances, expands mandatory controls requirements, and issues clarifications.
2021 Nonresidential Construction Forecast: Decline but Rebound Next Year
In January 2021, the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) semi-annual Consensus Construction Forecast, a survey of the nation’s leading construction forecasters, projected a 5.7% decline in nonresidential construction spending in 2021. Construction spending is then projected to grow 3.1% in 2022 as the renewal of economic activity unleashes pent-up demand for nonresidential space.
Networked Lighting Controls: A New Sales Pitch
Networked lighting controls may get a boost in adoption by shifting the conversation beyond mere energy benefits, says Liesel Whitney-Schulte and Dan Mellinger.
Steve Mesh Talks Networked Lighting Controls Commissioning for Contractors
Actually – this isn’t just for electrical contractors! Just about anyone can learn how to commission a networked lighting control system (NLC), writes Steve Mesh.
Will Controls Be Key to Circadian Lighting?
While “circadian lighting” varies in definition, it generally refers to design that uses intensity and spectrum of light for a non-visual effect—namely, to support regulation of circadian rhythms. A new study suggests that by enabling intensity and spectral adjustment and optimizing exposure based on time of day, designers and owners can minimize the energy tradeoff imposed by associated typically much-higher light levels. This would entail use of an advanced lighting control system capable of scheduled dimming and perhaps spectral emission adjustment.
Nurses Want More Lighting Control
A U.S. Department of Energy-funded Pacific Northwest Energy Laboratory (PNNL) study found that hospital nurses value controllability in lighting and that this controllability can translate to greater satisfaction among patients.
Jeremy Day Talks Control System Design
Jeremy Day, Application Engineering Director for LumenPulse, wrote an interesting article laying out a simple process for designing a lighting control system.
Study Finds Large Untapped Potential to Reduce Building Energy Consumption Through Wider Use of Networked Lighting Controls
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) recently released results of a new study that strengthens the case for expanding use of networked lighting controls (NLC) to significantly drive energy savings in commercial and industrial buildings. The report found that energy savings possible by adding NLCs to LED lighting projects approach 70 percent for some building types, with savings across various categories of buildings averaging 49 percent.
NEEA Studies Luminaire Level Lighting Controls
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) recently published a study seeking to compare one-for-one luminaire level lighting control (LLLC) retrofits with a comprehensive networked lighting controls (NLC) redesign. Conducted by the University of Oregon, the study found that a one-for-one LLLC upgrade produced comparable energy savings and lighting quality at a competitive cost.
C. Webster Marsh on Contact Tracing Using Controls
“In my latest education express course, Integration and Building Automation, I discuss basic uses for a Building Automation System (BAS). One use not mentioned is Contact Tracing, which has been brought to the foreground primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic (also known as Coronavirus). Contact tracing is potentially an essential part of safely re-opening businesses during Coronavirus and since lighting fixtures and lighting controls are necessary wherever people occupy a building, building management can make use of intelligent lighting control systems to improve their contact tracing methods to ensure their occupants are safe.”
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