Smart LED Lighting Controls
Smart LED Lighting Controls
Maximize Savings with Intelligent Automation
Upgrading to LED fixtures yields immediate energy savings, but pairing those fixtures with intelligent controls unlocks an additional 20% to 40% in electricity reductions. Leaving lights on in empty classrooms, corridors, and administrative offices is a leading source of energy waste.
E3 designs, programs, and integrates smart lighting control systems that automate your lighting based on occupancy, daylight availability, and centralized schedules, ensuring your facilities only use energy when necessary.
Core Components of E3’s Smart Control Systems
1. Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors We install dual-technology sensors (combining passive infrared and ultrasonic detection) to monitor indoor activity. We configure them to default to Vacancy Mode (manual-on, auto-off), which prevents lights from turning on automatically when someone simply walks past a doorway, capturing the highest possible energy savings.
2. Daylight Harvesting In classrooms, offices, and lobbies with large windows, daylight harvesting systems utilize photo-sensors to measure natural light levels. The system automatically dims the indoor LEDs (via 0-10V dimming drivers) when daylight is abundant, maintaining a constant, comfortable light level at desk height while reducing power draw.
3. Centralized Scheduling and Time Clocks Astronomic time clocks automate exterior and parking lot lighting based on local sunrise and sunset times. Indoor scheduling controls can automatically sweep lights off at designated times (e.g., 8:00 PM) to ensure lights are not left running overnight by janitorial crews or late-stay staff.
4. Building Automation System (BAS) Integration E3’s controls team specializes in integrating lighting platforms with your existing Building Automation System (BAS) using open communication protocols like BACnet or LonWorks. This allows facility managers to monitor and adjust lighting, HVAC, and building security from a single, unified dashboard.
5. Wireless Control Solutions For historic buildings or retrofits where pulling new control wiring is cost-prohibitive, we install wireless control systems (such as Lutron Vive or equivalent). These systems use reliable radio-frequency communication, significantly reducing installation time and physical wall damage.
Meeting Texas Energy Code Compliance
Modern Texas energy codes (IECC / ASHRAE 90.1) require advanced lighting control systems in new construction and major renovations. E3 ensures your facility meets all regulatory guidelines:
- Automatic Shutoff
Central controls to sweep lights off after hours. - Space Controls
Accessible manual dimming and scene controls in occupied zones. - Daylight-Responsive Controls
Mandatory daylight harvesting controls in sidelit or toplit zones.
Turnkey Design-Build Delivery
Through our integrated Design-Build approach, E3’s electrical engineers and controls technicians handle the entire design, hardware procurement, programming, and commissioning. We train your staff on how to use the system and adjust schedules, ensuring long-term operational success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is daylight harvesting?
Daylight harvesting is a smart lighting strategy that uses photo-sensors to measure the amount of natural sunlight entering a room. The system automatically dims the artificial LED lights to maintain a consistent, comfortable light level at the desk surface, capturing massive energy savings on sunny days.
What is the difference between an occupancy sensor and a vacancy sensor?
Occupancy sensors automatically turn lights on when someone enters a room and off when they leave. Vacancy sensors (manual-on/auto-off) require the user to physically turn the lights on, but still turn them off automatically when the space is empty. Vacancy mode is often preferred to prevent lights from turning on unnecessarily in rooms with plenty of daylight.
How much additional energy do smart controls save?
While upgrading to LED fixtures alone provides significant savings, adding a networked smart control system with dimming, occupancy sensors, and scheduling typically reduces lighting electricity consumption by an additional 20% to 40%.
Can lighting controls integrate with my existing Building Automation System (BAS)?
Yes. E3’s controls engineers specialize in integrating advanced lighting platforms into existing BAS networks using open protocols like BACnet. This gives facility managers a unified dashboard to monitor and schedule both HVAC and lighting systems.