FMJ.CO.UK LIGHTING FOCUS
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY
Miguel Aguado, Marketing and Technology Manager at Lutron Electronics, makes the
case for wireless lighting systems
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 33
When installing a lighting
control system in a building,
facility managers have many goals,
including energy savings, optimising
building operations and access to
data. But the bottom line is always
the same: creating value.
With wireless lighting solutions, the
value comes at every level. At the most
basic, wireless solutions are a more
cost-e icient way of adding control
to buildings than a typical wired
solution, particularly when dealing
with retrofits. Wired lighting requires
knocking holes in walls and fishing
wire throughout a structure; wireless
systems install much more easily.
Wireless solutions o en include
the same controls found in wired
construction, such as dimmer
switches, load controllers, occupancy
and vacancy sensors, and easily
programmable so ware. But because
of the simple installation, they scale
more easily, allowing you to start with
a single space and adding others as
you need them, connecting each area
wirelessly. Eventually, you may expand
to an entire floor, or even an entire
building over time as your budget
allows.
Moreover, some wireless systems
work with fixtures readily available in
the market, whether they are 0-10V
or DALI.
The scalability of wireless was
important to the Benbow Group,
a bespoke cra er of shopfitting in
Newton Abbot, Devon. “We needed
a solution that met our needs today,
and could easily scale in the future
as we added additional spaces,” says
John Bailey, the company’s director. “A
wireless system fulfilled our goals.”
Pat Henry, an electrician at Franklin
and Marshall College in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, was also impressed with
the benefits of wireless systems. The
college, which was established in the
18th century, wanted a solution that
was energy e icient, easy to install and
program, with minimal disruption to
occupants. It also wanted timeclock
functionality, the ability to load shed
and provide real-time energy savings,
all within the college’s budget.
The first challenge concerned the
buildings themselves. “On a campus
where some of the buildings date back
to 1792, it’s just not always feasible
to fish wires through the walls,” says
Henry. A wireless solution made the
most sense.
Installation proved to be simple
and fast. The college started the
installation in its College Square
administrative o ices. Henry was able
to install and program the controls
while the building was occupied,
without outside help. “We were able to
complete the installation and set-up in
a mere total of four days, working from
just 6 to 8am,” he says.
The retrofit makes use of various
Vive controls. Occupancy sensors
ensure that lights aren’t le on when
the space is vacant, daylight sensors
automatically reduce lighting levels
in perimeter o ices, and Lutron Pico
remotes allow occupants control over
their personal space.
The system has paid dividends.
With the existing fluorescent fixtures,
the administrative o ices were using
130 kWh during the measured time
period. A er the lighting and controls
retrofit, the space used 60.86 kWh over
a comparable time period – a total
electricity saving of 55 per cent.
OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENTS
Though energy savings are important,
employee satisfaction has also
become a priority for many o ices.
Research from the Heschong Mahone
Group and Future Workplace, among
others indicates that occupants value
features such as personal control and
access to daylight and views. Lighting
control can contribute to those
amenities, which not only contribute
to people’s comfort and productivity,
but may help to attract and retain top
talent.
Van Meter, an electrical distributor in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is an employeeowned
company that put employee
comfort at the top of its list when it
decided to renovate and expand its
central distribution centre and o ices.
“A pleasant, productive workspace was
one of our top priorities,” says Shaun
Myers, lighting specialist at Van Meter.
The company, which also used
the Vive wireless solution, wanted
automated control of both electric
light and daylight with simple-to-use,
intuitive options for manual control,
allowing the employee-owners to
make easy adjustments that would
suit their personal needs. Blinds had
their own wireless automated system,
while a Vive system handled the rest.
Van Meter expects future growth to
require additional space. The flexible,
scalable, wireless solution with appbased
set-up and control ensures Van
Meter will be able to tailor the lighting
to a changing floorplan and space
layout. The company used Vive Vue
so ware, which provides a graphic
representation of switching, dimming,
wall controls and smart sensors, all
under one so ware umbrella.
The result is seamless
communication between the wireless
components throughout the building,
with adjustments made from the Vive
app. If a change to zoning, scheduling,
dimming level, or even occupancy
sensor settings is required, it’s as
simple as logging into the so ware.
Wireless technology and intelligent
lighting control systems are saving
energy, increasing user comfort, and
o ering flexibility for a wide variety
of buildings. They are likely to play a
growing role in the years to come.