By BetterBricks
Compared to a full redesign, a lighting retrofit is enticing for many reasons, including no additional wiring and no moving fixtures. So, researchers at The University of Oregon wanted to know: Would a 1:1 retrofit with no moving of lights provide a quality lighting product with energy savings equal to a full lighting redesign? To find the answer, they conducted a study at a lab space on campus. Four Luminaire Level Lighting Control (LLLC) systems were chosen from the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) Networked Lighting Control Qualified Products list to represent the 1:1 replacement retrofit solutions, and a fifth NLC system was chosen as part of a full redesign solution. You can learn what they discovered by watching the 2-minute video below.
LLLCs integrate daylight harvesting and occupancy switching controls with LED fixtures, while also streamlining installation and programming. The key differences of the redesign NLC system include individual ceiling-mounted daylight harvesting and occupancy switching sensors and luminaire grouping of daylight harvesting and occupancy zones via the control software.
All five systems were compared to a fluorescent baseline, and the redesign solution employed a zoning approach that grouped luminaires into perimeter, middle, and core zones. Each system was installed and tested sequentially in three-week periods. Participants were recruited to perform computer- and paper-based tasks and fill out questionnaires, including evaluations of light quality, brightness, distribution, and more while indoor and outdoor environmental metrics were recorded. Other factors included duration of install, equipment and labor costs, and other open-ended feedback from the installer.
In short, the results indicated that LLLC 1:1 systems range between one-third to one-half the cost of more comprehensive NLC solutions, while energy savings ranged from 50% to 74% over the baseline. These findings support the value of LLLC systems as a cost-competitive 1:1 retrofit alternative to NLC redesign solutions.
For more information on the study, you can watch a recorded webinar with the researchers behind the study here.
BetterBricks is a commercial building resource from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, which can be reached at [email protected].
