Fortunately there have been major advances in the design and capability of control and management systems, for indoor and outdoor lighting. Some of these controls are cloud-based wireless and can easily be retrofitted to existing premises, forming part of a lighting upgrade or easy to incorporate into the design for a new build. They are also able to integrate with building management systems and are compatible with other control gear. Being wireless, there is also no need for extensive and disruptive rewiring, or complex, time-consuming and expensive configuration.
Once installed these lighting solutions allow users to take complete control of all their lighting, and by using the very latest innovations in software they also have excellent monitoring and analysis capabilities. Detailed energy consumption data allows for precise energy mapping, which can be used to inform the implementation of the most effective energy efficiency strategies. These may include time scheduling by using pre-programmed lighting by area or room, load shedding to reduce lighting loads at peak times and scene setting to create lighting to suit the activity taking place.
Through an intuitive Graphic User Interface (GUI), a facility manager can control all the lights on the system, either as individual lamps or groups of luminaries, to ensure there is optimum lighting. Indoors this helps to create a dynamic and user- friendly working environment that can enhance well-being and boost employee output at the same time as delivering energy savings.
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For street lighting this controllability may include the dimming of lights in residential areas during the early morning hours whilst maintaining full light intensity near busy road junctions. Some local authorities forced to make tough decisions to save money and reduce their carbon emissions have resorted to turning street lights off in residential areas for up to five hours- a-night, however this has proved very unpopular with residents who feel they have been placed under curfew. Fears have also been raised as traditional lighting systems do not have the ability to be switched back on in case of emergency.
“Indoor lighting contributes to over 40%
of commercial electricity consumption in the UK”
Outdoor lighting controls overcome these problems by delivering complete control, including the instant restoration of full light intensity if required. The installation of a system that enables lights to be dimmed rather than just on or off can maintain safer streets, ensure residents’ confidence and well-being whilst delivering much needed energy savings to cash-strapped, legislation-bound local authorities.
Technological developments in lighting controls are driving growth with the lighting controls market set to double by 2024. Overall the UK lighting market was worth £1.7 billion in 2014 with an estimated growth rate of
around 8-9% for 2015. End-users will be the ultimate beneficiaries of these developments through lower energy costs and complete controllability.
Harvard Engineering, a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of energy saving lighting solutions, has brought to market two innovative control systems, LeafNut, for outdoor and street lighting; and EyeNut, for indoor applications. LeafNut is a future-ready solution that has already been installed in over 100 locations across the world, across more than 400,000 light points. LeafNut’s established technology, developed by Harvard’s large R&D team, has formed the basis for the ingenious EyeNut system, which offers 500 light-points from one wireless gateway, compared to DALI’s 64. This advanced technology is able to handle more diverse and complex situations throughout multi-use buildings and across multiple sites.
The arguments for change are compelling as large organisations and local authorities face increasing challenges from many different quarters. Stringent environmental legislation and increased financial pressures demand a review of existing energy consumption patterns. However wireless control and management systems, for indoor or outdoor lighting, are far more than just tools to deliver energy efficiencies, although they perform this function admirably; they also offer a significant improvement in the lit environment for everyone through the delivery of complete control.
www.harvardeng.com LIGHTING | 25
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