Not only do Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLCs) save energy and installation costs, but the technology also offers an array of business benefits for buildings owners, managers, and occupants.
Often these business benefits never find their way into the controls conversation, and opportunities are lost to significantly enhance their building efficiency and occupant experience. Here are four elements that this group can benefit from the most.
1. Easy Installation and Use. LLLC fixtures have smart controllers with occupancy and daylight sensors already installed at the factory, whether it’s a new fixture or a retrofit kit. This takes all the zonal device installation labor out of the equation as the installation becomes a black-white-green connection to power. That’s it.
Also, most of these new LLLC systems use wireless programming through an app on a phone or tablet — systems simplify both the installation and commissioning.
2. Short-Term Flexibility and Long-Term Adaptability. LLLCs allow facility managers to work with occupants to optimize the system behaviors for current users. When a major change in space design takes place, such as with a new tenant, LLLC luminaires can be reconfigured and regrouped to meet the needs of the new business. Light levels or “use” settings adapt to new demands. Without concern for wiring and switch legs, these systems are just that easy to change.
3. Better Occupant Experience. For occupants, LLLCs allow for granular settings that can create a healthy and comfortable space. These settings include:
- Flexible light levels at set-up to meet task requirements or occupants’ requests
- Color-changing capabilities from warm to cool environments (when included)
- Dimming through scene controllers to fit the mood or task needs
- Daylight harvesting and glare control (windows, skylights, and shade integration)
4. Data. The most advanced versions of LLLC include internet connectivity and can further increase building efficiency, comfort, and safety by providing even more data. Through the integration of other systems such as mechanical, security, or fire/safety, the fixture-integrated, intelligent wireless sensor systems can report a wide variety of actionable information based on the needs of the facility. This keeps facilities running smoothly and optimizes the personal needs and comfort of occupants.
The benefits aren’t just limited to these four elements, however. As sensor technology evolves, we will continue to see an advancement in uses. Emerging benefits include:
- Asset tracking (e.g., equipment location such as wheelchairs in an airport or crash-carts at a hospital)
- Remote diagnostics (e.g., system tracking for predictive maintenance, real-time operational view of the system from offsite)
- Space utilization, where activity reports can inform on congestion, wasted steps, or traffic patterns for optimized use/reorganization of space
- HVAC environmental monitoring using added luminaire sensors, such as temperature readings in cold storage
- Enhanced safety systems (e.g., egress, chemical, and fire sensing)
- Building system monitoring, where sensors act as the building’s “eyes and ears”
In most cases, research and case studies show it’s the business benefits that are just as important to the owner than simple energy savings.
Owners not only get ongoing savings on energy bills, which puts cash back into operating budgets, but there are added opportunities to improve facility management, maintenance oversight, and improved occupant experience. These added benefits are what raise a building's inherent market value.
But what about the cost of LLLCs? In a recent LLLC cost study, published in 2021, incremental cost between 2017 and 2020 was shown to have decreased 16% to 28%, depending on the LLLC system installed. Pivotal to the upfront cost discussion, most LLLC systems are scalable, meaning an initial investment gets the integrated luminaires into a space, and expanded functionality can be implemented later.
Allowing a customer to install unintelligent LED luminaires limits added energy savings and controllability for a decade or more. Also, many utility energy-efficiency incentive programs support this technology and give an enhanced dollar amount when using LLLC.
As training and education manager, Barbara Hamilton designs, develops and manages effective programs for external clients and staff at Evergreen Consulting Group. She can be reached at [email protected].
