Page 30 - EE Times Europe Magazine | April2019

30 EE|Times EUROPE

INTERNET OF THINGS
Efficiency and Energy Savings with

Networked Lighting Control

By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio

he main functionality of a lighting
system is to provide a space with the
amount and quality of illumination
T appropriate for the specific context
while minimizing energy consumption.
Lighting control strategies that sense and
respond to the presence of occupants, and
that adjust the output of artificial lighting
as daylight conditions change, can substan-
tially reduce electricity use compared with
traditional lighting systems.
The pairing of LED lighting with wired or
wireless network communication has allowed
the creation of intelligent lighting control
systems that integrate sensors, advanced Figure 1: Possible configuration of the LIGHTIFY system (Image: OSRAM)
information processing, and connectivity.
Networked lighting systems enable advanced form a network in which the addressable devices can be configured and
features such as presence detection, flexible programming, networking programmed individually or grouped into zones.
to the remote system, daylight adaptability, and real-time monitoring. Depending on the degree of complexity, the control system can be
These features help building operators reduce the maintenance costs confined to a single device or to a room, a building, or an entire urban
and increase the efficiency of their structures, improve the ambient area. As for the individual devices, some manufacturers offer solutions
environment for occupants, and exploit the new capabilities of IoT consisting of an LED driver that can be controlled remotely (via app
infrastructure. and Wi-Fi network, or by means of a special remote control) and sen-
After the adoption of LEDs, the advent of networked lighting control sors integrated in the same device.
is regarded as the second revolution in the lighting sector. Networked In terms of performance and benefits, whole-building lighting
lighting control systems offer a great opportunity for cost savings and control systems are the most efficient solutions. They enable accurate
improved environmental conditions in new structures and renovated multilevel control strategies, collecting consumption data for subse-
buildings alike. quent processing and analysis. This data proves particularly useful for
Wireless network technology, for example, leads to a reduction in supporting maintenance activities. Although the whole-building solu-
wiring with a consequent decrease in installation and maintenance tion is technically complex, it offers the greatest potential to reduce
costs, combined with the possibility of remotely controlling and energy consumption and provide the best possible lighting conditions
programming the brightness of different light points. LEDs require for occupants.
relatively simple control circuits, do not lose efficiency even at low The advantages offered by network lighting can be summarized
brightness, and withstand a large number of on/off switching cycles. In as follows:
addition to adjusting the light intensity, LED dimming lets occupants
and building managers dynamically vary the gradation of light in order Reduction of electricity consumption and costs associated with
to meet different lighting needs. lighting systems
Networked lighting combines LED technology with intelligent control All companies look to minimize costs in order to maximize profits. A
systems capable of maximizing energy savings through flexible and lighting control system can contain costs by ensuring that the correct
dynamic programming of light points divided into zones, remote control type of lighting is deployed and activated where and when it is required.
of operations via apps, and measurement and monitoring in real time. Lighting costs can account for up to half of a building’s total costs for
Features such as high data-processing capacity, wireless connectivity, electricity consumption. By using programmable timers, motion sensors
and the possibility of installing additional sensors in the LED light points (capable of detecting when occupants enter or leave a room), and
allow deployment of networked lighting systems suitable for supporting brightness sensors (capable of balancing artificially produced light with
the building internet of things (B-IoT). In a recent study based on the daylight), it is possible to reduce lighting costs drastically.
detection of electricity consumption in 100 contexts, the DesignLights
Consortium (DLC) found that networked lighting control systems can Improved maintenance
yield savings of close to 50% in an installation’s electricity use. Remote monitoring of devices connected to the network lets the system
automatically send alarm notifications via email or SMS when prob-
COMPONENTS OF A NETWORKED LIGHTING SYSTEM lems arise. It is also possible to produce daily reports indicating which
A networked lighting control system consists of dimmable drivers, devices require maintenance or replacement.
ballasts, intelligent light and temperature sensors, manual switches,
power supplies, and all the hardware and software components More efficient use of lighting within a space
necessary to perform the control, configuration, and programming of Presence detection allows optimized electricity consumption, auto-
the system, including storage of server or cloud information. Sensors matically dimming or switching off the lighting in unoccupied meeting
and control systems are connected via wired or wireless connection to rooms and offices.

APRIL 2020 | www.eetimes.eu