This video excerpt, from a 2020 Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit workshop, has Lauren Morlino, Emerging Technologies and Services Manager at Efficiency Vermont, providing utilities’ and energy efficiency organizations’ perspectives on the benefits of integrating building systems, including lighting.

This presentation from Michael Myer, Lighting Researcher at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, covers energy savings potential for lighting systems integrated with HVAC and plug loads, reviewing findings from several field project case studies conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy.

This presentation from Kandice Cohen, Director of Lighting Strategy at Trane Technologies, covers the reasons integrating lighting systems is beneficial, using a “Baker’s Dozen” commercial kitchen as a case study.  Kandice discusses the integration of the connected lighting control system with the building automation system and how it meets the customer’s needs.

This presentation from Kenny Seeton, Central Plant Manager at California State University – Dominguez Hills, covers the opportunities and benefits of occupancy-based unified controls using Welch Hall as a case study.  Kenny discusses the basis of controls design process, matching lighting and HVAC zones, and energy savings opportunities of integrating lighting with a building automation system.

This class examines examples of integrating lighting controls with other building controls, primarily HVAC. Rather than presenting a set of established best practices, it reviews a few notable case studies of commercial and institutional buildings where integration has been both successful and challenging. Presenters describe the design process, how key decision points were identified, and how issues were resolved. They also cover Owners Project Requirements, Basis of Design, and Sequence of Operations, and report on commissioning and post occupancy evaluations.

This course, available through Lighting Controls Association, an ILC Organizing and Supporting partner, is offered via its Education Express program.  Learn more about the Education Express program by filtering “Webinars | Training” on the right panel.

This fact sheet covers the potential for deeper energy savings and occupant comfort through the integration of lighting controls and automated shading. Research conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found an annual energy savings up to 30% in controlled zones compared to a baseline lighting system. Furthermore, occupant comfort (i.e., non-energy benefit) potential was identified, as the system maintained an acceptable level of Daylight Glare Probability at almost all times and maintained illuminance at the workplane at all times.

GSA's GPG program commissioned LBNL to assess wreless ALC at two federal sites in Northern California.  Results showed 54% normalized energy savings for GSA when fluorescent lamps with dimmable ballasts were retrofitted with wireless ALC, and 78% when the wireless ALC retrofit was coupled with LED fixtures. Wireless ALC integrated with LED fixtures is recommended for new construction and renovations, with simple payback between 3 and 6 years. It should also be considered for retrofits in facilities with minimal existing controls, high lighting energy usage, and high electricity costs.

Fact sheet of three-month study of NREL's Research Support Facility (RSF) that demonstrated that a device inventory and a limited device-level metering effort can produce a disaggregated plug load breakdown, uncovering energy savings opportunities. This study is limited to the RSF, however, and should be validated in other buildings to see if the method is generally effective.

NextEnergy's Lighting Technology Energy Solutions (LiTES) Program, a three-year public-private partnership with the DOE, DTE, Consumers Energy, and IBEW.
The LiTES Program sought to reduce energy use in small and medium commercial buildings by accelerating the adoption of advanced/networked lighting controls (ALC/NLC) through contractor training and technology deployment. Leveraging recommendations already outlined by the Design Lights Consortium Commercial Advanced Lighting Controls (DLC CALC) project, NextEnergy led an effort to train contractors, evaluate the experience of ALC/NLC demonstration projects, identify opportunities to reduce market barriers, and accelerate the increased adoption of ALC/NLC technologies within SMCB, which represent 90% of the U.S. commercial building stock.