BSEE ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Integrating controls into LED lamps multiplies the energy efficiencies, according to Saima Shafi, Sales and Marketing Director, of LED Eco Lights.
Advertising: 01622 699116 Editorial: 01354 461430
SEE THE LIGHT AND SAVE Taking LED lighting to a new level
‘
In the smart building, control of lighting now goes hand‐in‐ hand with some level of monitoring to deliver the necessary energy saving benefits. Major energy users are – or will be – finding ways to monitor their lighting usage not only to reveal patterns which will help reduce consumption, but also to have a better understanding of how their buildings are being used.
’
uThe G5 LED batten is suitable for use in car parks, retail stores, hospitals, factories, cold storage and warehouses, with an impact protection rating of IK08.
Whilst these improvements will doubtless continue, other exciting developments are taking place in parallel. Manufacturers are exploiting the inherent controllability of LED technology by integrating LED lamps and luminaires into smart buildings technology. An obvious first step is to link lighting with sensors – either built-in or connected. Integrating motion sensors into lighting directly, massively reduces the complexity compared with the traditional approach of using external occupancy sensors. Thermal sensors can also be added to improve detection of personnel in specific areas. Simplicity brings the rewards of enhanced reliability as well as performance – not to mention the savings in cost.
S
Older solutions quickly earned notoriety amongst users, who frequently had to wave their arms or walk around the building in order to bring the lights back on. Siting position and thermal sensors with the lighting makes this a thing of the past. Sensors that measure ambient light level similarly offer improvements over traditional timed switch- on/switch-off arrangements. Why turn the lights out at 7pm, just because it’s assumed that everyone has gone home by that time? Why wait until 7am to turn them on?
A further advantage of integrated sensors is that it removes the need for separate installation of PIR detectors and the like. Improvements in control and automation can be added step-by-step, instead of involving multiple contractors and projects. This expands the potential for including lighting into building-wide automation. This would allow lighting to be driven by users’ habits.
Smart technology starts learning for itself
For example, lighting units can be grouped together and communicate with each other so that they perform functions in harmony. Lights can be programmed to dim up and down according, not only to current but also to anticipated occupancy levels.
Another possibility is to switch lights on ahead of occupants moving through a long corridor, then dimmed or switched off behind. LED lighting is well suited to these applications, having many significant advantages over more conventional technologies.
LEDs are flicker-free, combatting the common problem with fluorescent lighting. They present no issues with being turned on and off.
ince 2006, we have seen great shifts in LED technology, delivering huge improvements in light output, colour rendering, reliability of electronic control gear and of course, vast difference in
purchase prices.
uThe G5 LED Batten has an optional emergency battery back‐ up (minimum three hours).
Another example is using central automation to control lighting in response to emergencies. For example, all lights in a building be switched on full in the event of an evacuation, with the building automation system switching-in backup power as required. These smart luminaires can also be grouped together so that banks of units can be controlled to the same parameters. A pre-set level of lighting can be maintained across the whole area if required.
Systems like the new Goodlight architectural lighting range of modular LED luminaires can be attached to intelligent controls that learn how the areas in an office are used, and adjust the lighting accordingly.
In the smart building, control of lighting now goes hand-in-hand with some level of monitoring to deliver the necessary energy saving benefits. Major energy users are – or will be – finding ways to monitor their lighting usage not only to reveal patterns which will help reduce consumption, but also to have a better understanding of how their buildings are being used, which can help to identify all sorts of user-related efficiencies.
What is the ROI?
Measuring return on investment is not a simple calculation. Estimating the ROI of a future installation project is especially challenging, because every building is individual. Potential adopters should look first at the returns enjoyed by organisations that have already made the switch to LED technology.
Evaluation of Goodlight retrofit LED lamps and luminaires has demonstrated energy savings up to 85%. In addition to this, maintenance savings of up to 100% can be made, and typical return on investment calculations show full payback within three to 36 months. To refine their estimates, new installers will typically calibrate their early estimates with real data from a pilot installation. Naturally, there is some resistance to adopting
this relatively new technology. In the past, lighting controls have been standalone systems, which are deemed to be quite expensive, delivering payback over decades. Conventional wisdom is that such an approach is more pertinent for fancy new builds than retrofits into existing buildings.
But integrating the control system within the light itself dramatically changes this model. Smart LED lamps are already relatively inexpensive, making automated lighting highly accessible. In the future, as integrated smart moves from an added extra for a lamp to a standard feature, making energy efficient lighting even more attractive not only to cost-conscious landlords, owner occupiers and facilities managers but also to users, who ultimately will gain control of the lighting in their surroundings.
Such appeal should be viewed through the prism of external regulation. Whilst lighting itself is not governed by any specific regulatory framework, here it is possible that legislation will emerge mandating smart lighting.
One area of concern – and a possible subject of regulation – is the issue of security. In connected buildings, security is only as strong as its weakest link. This is particularly true if lighting automation relies on connectivity, such as to the Internet of Things.
Consider, for example, a smart building in which a security breach allows hackers to turn lights on or off: on to highlight a target for physical attack; off to provide dark cover for intruders. Worse, poor security in a lighting installation could provide entry points into other systems, such as power utilities or customer records.
Despite these gloomy prognostications, the overriding advantages of connectivity and intelligence will continue to drive down the cost of intelligent lighting, with benefits right across the building automation sector.
www.goodlight.co.uk
28 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER SEPTEMBER 2017
VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
www.bsee.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224