7 Ways Commercial Lighting Control Systems Are So Much More
You specify a lighting control system in the building design because code required it, or your client’s desired use of lighting requires more than standalone lighting controls. But did you know the lighting control system you specify can be so much more than just controlling lights. Integrating with other building systems, lighting controls collect and provide data to the building management system, helping to optimize operations of a commercial building. The advanced lighting control system you specify can inform everything from cleaning procedures to energy efficiency measures and more, making it more valuable than just lighting and illuminating efficiency.Today’s commercial spaces incorporate technology at almost every level to operate automatically and efficiently with consideration for occupant comfort, health, and safety. Technology has changed the way a building’s system operates and, also, how people operate within the building. Lighting control systems can help. The density of lighting and lighting control devices in a space makes it the ideal system to provide this integrated functionally versus the added cost and complexity of an additional, or redundant, system. Through sensors used in the lighting control system, other systems can know when to operate and how to operate, optimizing a building’s environment and efficiencies.
Beyond environment and efficiencies, these sensors can also affect workplace health and cleaning procedures. There’s no talking about office buildings today without addressing the effect COVID-19 has had on the traditional workplace. From shutting it down completely to cautious re-entry, health and safety measures, including office space reconfiguration, are arguably more important than ever.
1. Building Health and Safety
Supporting the health of the occupants in a commercial building is likely at the forefront of design considerations during and post-COVID-19. Knowing the population density in any setting and tracking it to identify trends in number of people that have occupied a space over a duration is valuable when considering exposure ramifications. The sensors used in a lighting control system can count the people in a room – not just detect motion, but the actual number of people in the room.
Data about the density of a room and how often it’s used provide a facilities management team information to help determine cleaning schedules and the type of cleaning needed for the space. More people using a space more often correlates to a more frequent cleaning regimen and likely a deep clean and sanitization of the area. The data can also help with COVID-era commercial office space design and reconfiguration strategies to achieve proper distancing among workspaces and assisting in enforcement of capacity requirements and restrictions applied to commercial spaces.
2. Human centric lighting and the effect on mental health and productivity
There is a memorable scene at the beginning of the movie Joe Versus the Volcano where Joe, played by Tom Hanks, sits in a windowless, basement-type office space with flickering fluorescent lighting. The misery on all the faces in the room is palpable. It becomes a focal point of Joe’s farewell outburst as he leaves his job on what he believes to be his final adventure in life. Looking back on this movie scene and the diatribe, while exaggerated for effect, they illustrate the effect lighting has on a person’s productivity and mental health in the workplace.
A lighting system plays a crucial role in providing a comfortable commercial environment in which to be productive and efficient. With networked lighting controls, bringing the dynamics of natural daylight into a commercial space through effective artificial lighting becomes possible. In combination with color tuning fixtures, the lighting system controls light level, spatial brightness, and color output to mimic daylight color temperatures and manage natural and artificial light in the space. Monitoring ensures uninterrupted lighting for occupants in a commercial space.
3. Air quality control
CO2 builds up in a space over time, especially when populated with people. Air can become stale and stagnant, decreasing occupant comfort. Typically, CO2 sensors will trigger air dampers to let outdoor air into the building when a threshold is met. Current CO2 sensors can’t always see the density of population in a space and can result in delayed action. However, occupancy data provided by the lighting control system can be more accurate and predict sooner than CO2 sensors when and where fresh air is needed.
4. Temperature control and energy savings with HVAC
HVAC is the number one source of power consumption. It’s also important to occupant comfort, which correlates to their efficiency and productivity. Any way you can build in efficiencies and cost savings for your client will be welcomed and appreciated. The lighting control system you specify can inform how, when, and how long the HVAC system runs. The room occupancy data the lighting control system collects communicates with the HVAC system to inform responsiveness when a room is occupied. This helps decrease energy consumption by limiting use of the system in the building during low occupancy. It can also trigger a change from conditioning the air to bringing in fresh, outdoor air – usually in the evening hours.
5. Proactive power usage diagnostic
The networked lighting controls system collects and provides feedback and control of energy use and management. Incorporating tools such a power metering and plug load controllers allows management of power consumption without disruption to operations. Sensors gather data on luminaire power usage and can detect if a luminaire is using more power than a luminaire next to it so the facilities team can diagnose the issue. Same with a cubicle or other workspace: If a cubicle is using more power than a cubicle next to it, the system can identify it and streamline the diagnosing the issue.
In terms of space optimization, sensors take in data showing a space, such as a conference room or training room, is unused and therefore the lights can be shut off, the HVAC to that space can be shut off, and the facility manager can update cleaning schedules to skip that space.
6. Asset tracking
Larger commercial buildings tend to have more devices, equipment, inventory, and/or machinery. Attaching trackable tags or bracelets to moveable items in combination with a networked lighting control system can help locate essential equipment, saving time and often money. Collecting this data also identifies usage trends and status, which ultimately informs necessity and quantity needed.
7. Wayfinding or pathfinding
Navigating large buildings or warehouses can be challenging. Using indoor positioning and location-based data makes it easier. Sensors in a networked lighting control system interface with an app or a graphical user interface, allowing users to see where they are in the space. Known as wayfinding or pathfinding, users can use the interface to find their way to another location within the building, often using the fastest way to get there. While this integration is possible today, it is not yet widely used. The implications are beneficial for hot-desking in an office building. Employees can easily and quickly find and open desk to work at.
Specifying a commercial networked lighting control system today is about much more than controlling how users and occupants experience light. With technology constantly evolving, these seven trends in commercial lighting control are just the beginning in using lighting controls to transform and increase productivity of a commercial building. Networked lighting paves the way for smarter use of space and building diagnostics. Working with an experienced, reputable team in commercial lighting integration can help you help your clients realize all that is possible.
Supporting the health of the occupants in a commercial building is likely at the forefront of design considerations during and post-COVID-19. Knowing the population density in any setting and tracking it to identify trends in number of people that have occupied a space over a duration is valuable when considering exposure ramifications. The sensors used in a lighting control system can count the people in a room – not just detect motion, but the actual number of people in the room.
Data about the density of a room and how often it’s used provide a facilities management team information to help determine cleaning schedules and the type of cleaning needed for the space. More people using a space more often correlates to a more frequent cleaning regimen and likely a deep clean and sanitization of the area. The data can also help with COVID-era commercial office space design and reconfiguration strategies to achieve proper distancing among workspaces and assisting in enforcement of capacity requirements and restrictions applied to commercial spaces.
2. Human centric lighting and the effect on mental health and productivity
There is a memorable scene at the beginning of the movie Joe Versus the Volcano where Joe, played by Tom Hanks, sits in a windowless, basement-type office space with flickering fluorescent lighting. The misery on all the faces in the room is palpable. It becomes a focal point of Joe’s farewell outburst as he leaves his job on what he believes to be his final adventure in life. Looking back on this movie scene and the diatribe, while exaggerated for effect, they illustrate the effect lighting has on a person’s productivity and mental health in the workplace.
A lighting system plays a crucial role in providing a comfortable commercial environment in which to be productive and efficient. With networked lighting controls, bringing the dynamics of natural daylight into a commercial space through effective artificial lighting becomes possible. In combination with color tuning fixtures, the lighting system controls light level, spatial brightness, and color output to mimic daylight color temperatures and manage natural and artificial light in the space. Monitoring ensures uninterrupted lighting for occupants in a commercial space.
3. Air quality control
CO2 builds up in a space over time, especially when populated with people. Air can become stale and stagnant, decreasing occupant comfort. Typically, CO2 sensors will trigger air dampers to let outdoor air into the building when a threshold is met. Current CO2 sensors can’t always see the density of population in a space and can result in delayed action. However, occupancy data provided by the lighting control system can be more accurate and predict sooner than CO2 sensors when and where fresh air is needed.
4. Temperature control and energy savings with HVAC
HVAC is the number one source of power consumption. It’s also important to occupant comfort, which correlates to their efficiency and productivity. Any way you can build in efficiencies and cost savings for your client will be welcomed and appreciated. The lighting control system you specify can inform how, when, and how long the HVAC system runs. The room occupancy data the lighting control system collects communicates with the HVAC system to inform responsiveness when a room is occupied. This helps decrease energy consumption by limiting use of the system in the building during low occupancy. It can also trigger a change from conditioning the air to bringing in fresh, outdoor air – usually in the evening hours.
5. Proactive power usage diagnostic
The networked lighting controls system collects and provides feedback and control of energy use and management. Incorporating tools such a power metering and plug load controllers allows management of power consumption without disruption to operations. Sensors gather data on luminaire power usage and can detect if a luminaire is using more power than a luminaire next to it so the facilities team can diagnose the issue. Same with a cubicle or other workspace: If a cubicle is using more power than a cubicle next to it, the system can identify it and streamline the diagnosing the issue.
In terms of space optimization, sensors take in data showing a space, such as a conference room or training room, is unused and therefore the lights can be shut off, the HVAC to that space can be shut off, and the facility manager can update cleaning schedules to skip that space.
6. Asset tracking
Larger commercial buildings tend to have more devices, equipment, inventory, and/or machinery. Attaching trackable tags or bracelets to moveable items in combination with a networked lighting control system can help locate essential equipment, saving time and often money. Collecting this data also identifies usage trends and status, which ultimately informs necessity and quantity needed.
7. Wayfinding or pathfinding
Navigating large buildings or warehouses can be challenging. Using indoor positioning and location-based data makes it easier. Sensors in a networked lighting control system interface with an app or a graphical user interface, allowing users to see where they are in the space. Known as wayfinding or pathfinding, users can use the interface to find their way to another location within the building, often using the fastest way to get there. While this integration is possible today, it is not yet widely used. The implications are beneficial for hot-desking in an office building. Employees can easily and quickly find and open desk to work at.
Specifying a commercial networked lighting control system today is about much more than controlling how users and occupants experience light. With technology constantly evolving, these seven trends in commercial lighting control are just the beginning in using lighting controls to transform and increase productivity of a commercial building. Networked lighting paves the way for smarter use of space and building diagnostics. Working with an experienced, reputable team in commercial lighting integration can help you help your clients realize all that is possible.
References
Van Den Wymelenberg, K., Mahic, A., & Ward, P. (2021, September 21). Smart Lighting Offers Facilities A Data Network to Support Health, Energy Savings. Facility Executive. https://facilityexecutive.com/2021/09/smart-lighting-offers-facilities-a-data-network-to-support-health-energy-savings/.
Ding J., Yu, C.W., & Cao, S.-J. (2020). HVAC systems for environmental control to minimize the COVID-19 infection. Indoor Built Environment, 29(9), pp. 1195-1201, https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X20951968
Wolgamott, C. & Kisch, T. (2021, April 23). Trends in Lighting Controls. Facility Executive. https://facilityexecutive.com/2021/04/trends-in-lighting-controls-luminaire-level-lighting-controls/.
DiLouie, C. (2019, September 26). 8 Important Benefits of Networked Lighting Controls. Facilitiesnet. https://www.facilitiesnet.com/lighting/article/8-Important-Benefits-of-Networked-Lighting-Controls--18591.
Satish, U., Mendell, M. J., Shekhar, K., Hotchi, T., Sullivan, D., Streufert, S., & Fisk, W. J. (2020). Is CO2 an indoor pollutant? Direct effects of low-to-moderate CO2 concentrations on human decision-making performance. Environmental health perspectives, 120(12), pp. 1671-1677. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104789
Ding J., Yu, C.W., & Cao, S.-J. (2020). HVAC systems for environmental control to minimize the COVID-19 infection. Indoor Built Environment, 29(9), pp. 1195-1201, https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X20951968
BetterBricks. (2021). Luminaire level lighting controls and the future of healthy buildings [White paper]. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. https://betterbricks.com/uploads/resources/FINAL-LLLC-HealthyBuildings-whitepaper.pdf
Van Den Wymelenberg, K., Mahic, A., & Ward, P. (2021, September 21). Smart Lighting Offers Facilities A Data Network to Support Health, Energy Savings. Facility Executive. https://facilityexecutive.com/2021/09/smart-lighting-offers-facilities-a-data-network-to-support-health-energy-savings/.
Ding J., Yu, C.W., & Cao, S.-J. (2020). HVAC systems for environmental control to minimize the COVID-19 infection. Indoor Built Environment, 29(9), pp. 1195-1201, https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X20951968
Wolgamott, C. & Kisch, T. (2021, April 23). Trends in Lighting Controls. Facility Executive. https://facilityexecutive.com/2021/04/trends-in-lighting-controls-luminaire-level-lighting-controls/.
DiLouie, C. (2019, September 26). 8 Important Benefits of Networked Lighting Controls. Facilitiesnet. https://www.facilitiesnet.com/lighting/article/8-Important-Benefits-of-Networked-Lighting-Controls--18591.
Satish, U., Mendell, M. J., Shekhar, K., Hotchi, T., Sullivan, D., Streufert, S., & Fisk, W. J. (2020). Is CO2 an indoor pollutant? Direct effects of low-to-moderate CO2 concentrations on human decision-making performance. Environmental health perspectives, 120(12), pp. 1671-1677. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104789
Ding J., Yu, C.W., & Cao, S.-J. (2020). HVAC systems for environmental control to minimize the COVID-19 infection. Indoor Built Environment, 29(9), pp. 1195-1201, https://doi.org/10.1177/1420326X20951968
BetterBricks. (2021). Luminaire level lighting controls and the future of healthy buildings [White paper]. Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. https://betterbricks.com/uploads/resources/FINAL-LLLC-HealthyBuildings-whitepaper.pdf