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CONNECTED LIGHTING! EXTERIOR LIGHTING CONTROL!
LED LIGHTING MYTHS DISPELLED!
LIGHTING EFFICIENCY!
January-February 2017 | www.lightexpress.in Founder Editor-in-Chief Late Mr. Kanwar NS Managing Editor Reny Singh Editors Amrita Singh Sarvjit Kanwar
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Global Energy Efficiency “We need to improve energy efficiency by 50 percent, and we need to do so immediately.” In the previous decade, China’s energy intensity improved at a rate of about 3 percent per year, but that figure jumped to 5.6 percent in 2015, a pace that will have to be maintained for the next 15 years in order for China’s greenhouse gas emissions to meet the climate goals set out in Paris. The focus on China is important, as that country was responsible for approximately half of global energy demand growth from 2000 to 2015, according to IEA. The advances in efficiency across China are due to the national energy-intensity targets first set in 2006 in the country’s eleventh five-year plan. The most recent five-year plan has only strengthened those goals, with a target for energy intensity to be 44 percent below 2005 targets by 2020. Most of the savings are expected to come from the continued shift from heavy industry to a servicebased economy. Although gains in China will have the biggest impact on global energy efficiency and total final consumption (TFC) of fuels, all countries could strengthen efficiency standards, and some emerging economies in particular. Investment in energy efficiency topped more than $220 billion in 2015, but that figure needs to be much larger. Last year the gains in energy efficiency, as measured by the drop in energy intensity, were three times what they were in 2013. Energy intensity is measured as the energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product. The downward shift in global energy intensity has quickened its pace in recent years. But that still may not be enough to limit Earth’s temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency.
Secretary & Legal Advisor K.Surinder Circulation Surekha Gogna Production, Design & Degital Media Rakesh Sharma Marketing & Sales Lina Catherine Amy Lan Anna Mi Technical Advisors Alex Van Bienen/Lily - Nederlands Public Relations Director (UK) Mike Steele Advisor Internet Sukhbir Singh International Advisor (Australia) Andrew S. McCourt Germany Representatives Julia Rittershofer Steffen Schnaderbeck India (Head Office) D 182 PR House, Anand Vihar, New Delhi 110 092 INDIA Tel: +91 11 22141542 | 4309 4482 Fax: +91 11 22160635 info@lightexpress.in www.lightexpress.in
Brilliant Marketplace for Lighting HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) 2017 6-9 April 2017, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
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or a superb choice of new lighting designs and innovative lighting solutions, visit the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) 2017. With more than 1,300 exhibitors from all over the world expected, this will be a trading opportunity without rival in this region. The Spring Lighting Fair’s popularity and effectiveness attracted some 20,000 buyers from 108 countries and regions in 2016. Highlighted Zones? Sourcing is facilitated by the zoning of the Spring Lighting Fair, covering different product sectors. Hall of Aurora invites buyers to view stunning collections of high quality lighting products by leading brands. LED & Green Lighting is the answer for those looking for energy-efficient lighting and the latest in LED solutions. World of Professional and Industrial Lighting offers buyers a range of choice in stage lights, emergency & safety lights, architectural lighting, hospital lighting and other situationspecific applications, with LED options. Avenue of Chandeliers has a magnificent selection of this established favourite with many options in modern styling. Advertising Display Lighting is a specialised zone for options in lighting for advertising, marketing and promotional purposes. Activities with Value The Asian Lighting Forum brings
lighting industry experts to share their knowledge on important topics while other seminars and forums examine markets, trends and new technology as well as international regulations and certification. Attending the Networking Reception creates new industry contacts in an informal social atmosphere. Buyer Services for You Dragon Green, a lounge for VIP buyers, with complimentary snacks and beverages, internet access, newspapers and magazines, and private rooms for meetings; Courtesy Shuttle Bus service by which buyers can travel between HKCEC and major hotels and shopping centres in Kowloon and Hong Kong. First-time overseas buyers are entitled to exclusive travel incentive. Pre-registration is required. Please contact HKTDC at Tel: (852) 2240 4235 or Email: hklightingse.visitors@hktdc.org for details. Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) 2017 Date: 6-9 April 2017 Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Reserve your admission badge and save HK$100! Web: www.hktdc.com/ex/ hklightingfairse/16 Wap: hktdc.com/wap/lightse/T119
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Energy efficiency: HOW CAN INNOVATION HELP CONSUMERS REDUCE THEIR ENERGY USE? The overall aim is to help promote longer term changes in how people act and think to save energy and water, reduce waste, improve health and wellbeing and do something good for the local community. They can track how they are doing and share content with friends.
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lanet First ceo Steve Malkin says it's not always snazzy gizmos, but innovations changing human behaviour that are leading to the biggest wins in energy saving When we think about innovation in energy efficiency, we often only consider technological solutions — such as LED lights – and high tech new appliances. But these can be expensive or take a while to make a difference to household bills. It is in-fact the everyday actions in daily life that can have the easiest and most immediate impact on energy reduction. And this is where innovation is beginning to make a real impact.
Behaviour change through pledging A great example of this is Alan Hayes who ran the London Marathon and chose to ask people for pledges instead of money. He raised 54 pledges of support from 39 friends and colleagues. People doing one of the actions, Lights Off (making sure unused lights are switched off), saved 1,500 hours of shining light bulbs. In total the pledges saved 2,496 kgCO2 — that’s as much as 14 flights from London to Glasgow. Innovation has helped answer this question, for instance, not many online platforms have found ways to make switching off lights and turning down the heating can seem like fun and not a chore. The DoNation has developed a simple yet sophisticated online pledge platform to help make sustainable living mainstream. Individuals can choose and record personal pledges to do things like cycle to work, switch energy supplier, or eat local seasonal food.
Until recently, getting people to take action on saving energy at home and where they work has been underrated and considered more difficult than simply upgrading appliances. This view is changing. Research shows that as much as 40 per cent of energy reduction comes from 'behaviour change’, making it a key part of the answer energy saving over the long term. People need an incentive to do things differently Changing habits to help the planet is often not enough, people want to know 'what’s in it for me?’. 6 | January-February 2017 | lightexpress
"Research shows that as much as 40 per cent of energy reduction comes from 'behaviour change, making it a key part of the answer energy saving over the long term." Advances in technology now mean that we can combine knowledge of our behaviour with the better management of our energy at home. You may have seen the advertising for Hive, from British Gas, and Nest, from Google, both of whom have taken the humble thermostat and turned it into a desirable, funky gadget that brings smart control and intelligence to our home energy consumption. Both systems can provide a better living environment, reduce energy (and carbon emissions) and save you money. They are great examples of an acceleration in innovation that answers the question of 'what’s in it for me?’ for people, and for the planet.
LED Lighting Myths Dispelled
based on knowledge of legacy fixtures – that do not apply. In fact, for commercial and industrial applications, high-quality LED fixtures offer extremely low energy use, a long lifespan, high-quality light and durability. Additionally, there is none of the maintenance (re-lamping, reballasting) associated with traditional incandescent and fluorescent sources and there are inherent controllability aspects (instant on/off, full-range dimming) that create additional energy savings opportunities.
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n the last five years, LED lighting and controls have been widely used in a broad range of general lighting applications, from residential to commercial, but there are a number of persistent misconceptions about LED lighting – many
LED lighting is relatively new compared to legacy lighting types, and continue to be misunderstood in a number of ways, writes Digital Lumens in a new white paper devoted to correcting these misunderstandings. One common misconception is that LEDs are so efficient that controls are unneces-
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sary. In fact, while switching to LEDs creates a one-time savings event – typically reducing lighting energy use by up to 50% – integrated sensing and controls can nearly double those energy savings, making controls essential for maximum savings and project economics. Another misconception is that LED lighting prices will go down so it pays to wait. The truth, says Digital Lumens, is that the major LED chip price drops have already happened; the rest will be incremental. And the energy savings from upgrading to LEDs far exceed any modest price declines in LED-based fixtures. So waiting for a price drop will cost more in energy savings than savings from LED price declines. There is also a misunderstanding about the environment in which LEDs work, Digital Lumens says. While many believe that LEDs don’t work well in high-temperature
environments, the fact is that in temperature tests conducted by independent labs, LEDs performed equally as well as fluorescents and HID fixtures. Of course, the company adds, quality matters, and a well-designed lighting system that carefully manages heat dissipation is a prerequisite for lighting operating at any temperature — hot, cold, or anywhere in between. Interest in LED lighting is at an all-time high as energy efficiency and corporate sustainability initiatives are increasingly important worldwide. But because LEDs are fundamentally different from other lighting types, it is critical to understand the characteristics, benefits, and opportunities they present, and working with a partner who understands the best and economical lighting design for any particular building and organizational needs can make an enormous difference, according to Digital Lumens.
Choosing the most efficient lights
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electing energy efficient lights and fixtures is extremely important when seeking to reduce energy use. There are two types of lighting upgrades: a retrofit which changes only part of an existing luminaire system, such as lamp or control gear. replacing an entire luminaire with a new luminaire. Upgrading controls with sophisticated systems like sensor and timers can reduce the hours of lighting output, but they don’t address the basic efficiency of the light fixture itself. To help the decision-making process, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage’s Energy Efficient Lighting Technology Report gives details of lighting upgrade options with associated capital costs, energy savings, typical pay back, greenhouse gas reduction and energy reduction for a given quantity of luminaries. The report is supported by an excel tool to assist in comparing suitable technologies and by a template Request for Proposal document that a company can send to prospective suppliers.
that best suits the light source. Includes starters and ballasts.
applied for lighting upgrades. For more information on the options available see the Financing Sustainable Office Upgrades resources.
When selecting products, the choice should also adhere to your sustainable procurement policies. The Lighting Council of Australia provides a list of lighting suppliers.
Undertaking a lighting audit A lighting audit will assess what the tenancy currently has in place. It will require a map of the area, showing the type and location of each light in the room. A calibrated light meter should be used to measure and record illumination levels at key points in each room. The audit will likely document lighting area dimensions, fixture quantities, locations and mounting heights, lamp types, quantities and wattage.
Financing energy efficient lighting A range of financing schemes is available to assist with auditing and capital costs, implementation, and installation of energy efficient lighting. Broadly, the options available are: Loans and leases – includes Energy Performance Contracting, Energy Upgrade Agreements, and equipment leasing Grants and rebates – several provide subsidies especially for audits and there is support from the Commonwealth and State governments and city councils) White certificate carbon abatement schemes – those in operation are the Victorian Energy Saver Incentive (ESI) and NSW Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) All of these mechanisms can be
CitySwitch Energy Audit Toolkits have been developed to assist energy managers effectively manage their organisation's energy usage. They provide simplified checklists to help identify actions to improve energy efficiency and develop action plans. Lighting Audit and Lighting Control Toolkits (CitySwitch) NABERS Energy Management Guide for Tenants (NABERS) Whether lighting audits are done in-house or lighting specialists are used to assess your needs, energy managers will need to speak to staff about how the areas are used before making final recommendations. The audit results will help identify solutions including reducing light levels (de-lamping) and upgrade opportunities. A lighting or energy efficiency professional can make recommendations on an appropriate lighting system design, including sensors for less frequently used areas and more advanced control options. They should be able to estimate financial and greenhouse gas savings and make recommendations for financing options. The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage’s Lighting Technology Report is intended to help organisations confidently approach lighting suppliers and contractors and help to build a business case by modelling annual energy savings, capital costs and payback periods and providing examples. The calculite tool accompanying the Lighting Technology Report is an online calculator that suggests upgrades, compares options, and provides generic technical specifications to take to suppliers.
Key terms Luminaire - also referred to as light fitting or fixture, including the lampholder and lamp. The luminaire will also have a means of getting as much light as possible to leave the luminaire and travel in the required direction, for example reflectors, louvres, lenses or diffusers. Lampholder - part of the luminaire that provides electrical connection to the lamp and holds the lamp in place. Lamp - the light source mounted within a luminaire. Control gear - converts the energy supplied to the building into a form
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Smart Building Myths Exposed
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lthough smart buildings have been proven to save energy, streamline facilities management and prevent expensive equipment failures, many property owners and investors do not see the value in smart buildings, so Jones Lang LaSalle created a graphic that discredits the top 10 smart building myths. A summary of the graphic follows. Myth 10: Smart building technologies are expensive. Smart building technology investments typically pay for themselves within one or two years by delivering energy savings and other operational efficiencies. Myth 9: Smart buildings are only about energy. A smart building management system often can detect potential equipment failure. Knowing the right time to repair or replace equipment extends
machinery life, and reduces facility staff, operations and replacement costs. Myth 8: Smart buildings and green buildings are the same thing. Smart buildings maximize energy efficiency from building systems and ensure air quality, while a complete “green” sustainability program includes strategies beyond building automation systems. Myth 7: Industrial facilities or laboratories can’t become smart buildings. All types of buildings — whether residential or commercial — can be built or retrofitted to become highly automated and smart, even highly specialized facilities such as laboratories can be outfitted with smart building technologies. Myth 6: Smart buildings can only be
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new buildings. Some of the smartest buildings in the world are not new at all, but have demonstrated the return on investment in smart technologies. Myth 5: Smart building technologies are not interoperable. In the past, building automation equipment and controls were designed as proprietary systems. However, affordable new technologies now make it possible to gather data from disparate systems produced by any manufacturer. Myth 4: Smart systems don’t make a building more attractive to tenants. Anything that improves energy efficiency, reduces occupancy cost and improves productivity is valuable to tenants, as numerous studies and surveys attest. Myth 3: Without a municipal smart
grid, a building can’t really be smart. Smart buildings gain functionality when supported by advanced electrical grids, but even without a smart grid, owners and investors can draw a wide range of benefits from smart buildings and a smart building management system that can monitor entire property portfolios. Myth 2: Smart buildings are complicated to operate. Combined with a smart building management system, a smart building is often easier to operate and maintain than a building that lacks automated systems. Myth 1: Smart buildings are a nobrainer. This myth isn’t a myth at all — it’s actually true. As affordable new technologies are adopted, tenants are beginning to expect smart building features.
Green Buildings Market Grows to $260 Billion
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onstruction of green buildings rose to 325 million square meters of new floor space in 2013, representing a $260 billion market, according to a report by Lux Research. In addition, green buildings are delivering predictable internal rates of return of 5 percent or more.
Buildings with LEED Gold certification outperform their baseline peers. As an example, the report notes that higher rental income added $4.1 million in value to a model 80,000 square foot commercial building in Los Angeles.
Lux analysts studied utility savings, rental rates, resale value and government incentives in green buildings and their impact on internal rate of returns. Among their findings:
Internal rates of return are increased from subsidies. Incentives like Germany‘s subsidized interest rates for energy-efficient homes, or government cash rebates in India, can lead to an internal rate of return of 5 percent to 6 percent over 15 years.
Green certification fuels growth.
Energy efficiency codes offer market
opportunity. While green building standards like LEED helped build market demand for green buildings, building energy efficiency codes such as ASHAE 90.1, IECC and ECBC India can create a much larger market opportunity. In Germany, Lux estimates that in 2013, new floor space compliant with the EnEv 2009 code was 50 million square meters, or about 36 percent of overall new construction. In the US, green buildings make up an estimated 20 percent of new construction. In June, a report by McGraw Hill
Construction showed that Canadian companies investing in green buildings were realizing a significant return on their investments. As a result, companies there are expected to increase their green practices from one third to one half by 2017. In addition, at Greenbuild last month, McGraw Hill, CBRE, the US Green Building Council and a number of other organizations presented a report indicating that about 47 percent of building owners cut their healthcare costs for employees in facilities with green building features.
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G.E. to Phase Out CFL Bulbs
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ust a few years ago, the compact fluorescent light was the go-to choice for customers seeking an inexpensive, energyefficient replacement for the standard incandescent bulb. But as the light quality of LEDs improved and their cost plummeted, manufacturers and retailers began shifting their efforts in that direction. Now, the industrial giant General Electric is saying farewell to the compact fluorescent light, or CFL. The company said on Monday that it would stop making and selling the bulbs in the United States by the end of the year. “Now is the right time to transition from CFL to LED,” said John Strainic,
chief operating officer of consumer and conventional lighting at GE Lighting. “There are so many choices that a consumer has for one socket in their home that it’s overwhelming. This will help simplify that.” Compact fluorescents were the first big energy-saving alternative to standard incandescents, which no longer meet government standards for energy efficiency in the United States and many places abroad. But consumers complained about the harsh quality of light of the early models. They can also be slow to warm up and difficult to dim, and they contain trace amounts of mercury. LEDs were more expensive, with bulbs
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often running $30, but the technology found fans who said they offered better light quality. Prices dropped steadily, falling well below $5 for a basic bulb last year, in part because of government regulations making it easier for them to qualify for generous discounts. As a result, customers have been migrating toward LEDs. In 2014, LEDs made up about 5 percent of the American market, Mr. Strainic said. According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, LEDs reached 15 percent of bulb shipments in the third quarter of last year, a jump of more than 237 percent over the same quarter in 2014. Halogen dominates standard bulb shipments, the association
reported, representing almost half of the total, followed by CFLs at about 27 percent, a share that is on the decline. Retailers have also been moving away from CFLs, which will have a harder time qualifying for the Energy Star rating under regulations proposed for next year, Mr. Strainic said. Those include giants like Sam’s Club and Walmart, which have fewer CFL options on shelves, he said. Ikea abandoned CFLs and started carrying only LEDs last year. For now, the General Electric move applies only in the United States. There has been wider acceptance of CFLs elsewhere, especially in Europe, Mexico and other parts of Latin America.
The Missing Link in a City’s Path to Smarter Street Lights
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o optimize the money and energy they spend lighting their streets, cities need a lot more data. These MIT researchers have figured out how to get it. Before cities can upgrade and optimize their street lighting, they have to know where it's located and how it's performing. Scientists at MIT have developed a new sensor system to cheaply collect this data, which few governments currently have comprehensive access to. Urban leaders are starting to unlock the benefits of "smart" lighting: replacing old bulbs with more efficient, networked LEDs that can be programmed to suit the needs of the location. These can save money and electricity by turning on when they detect people nearby, instead of running all night over empty streets. They can also modulate their brightness based on the time of day, instead of simply running at full strength or turning completely off. To maximize this potential and ensure that streets have just the right amount of lighting where they need it, governments first have to have a detailed inventory of their lamps, including attributes like location, height, bulb type and brightness. That's proven surprisingly hard to achieve. Despite the vital services of street lamps to encourage nightlife, deter crime and facilitate automotive safety, governments still largely rely on imperfect and pre-digital means to inspect and fix them when needed. At the moment, it would cost too much to put sensors on each lamp to signal when the bulb grows faint or dies, so cities use manual inspection, which is costly and time-consuming, or wait until citizens report an outage. That’s a precarious way to keep tabs on a
massive infrastructural asset: in just the U.S., nearly 40 million street lights consume 31 terawatt-hours of electricity each year. “If cities are trying to create a smarter, more sustainable environment, they need to collect data in a scalable, cost-effective way,” said Sumeet Kumar, who worked on this problem for his doctoral thesis at MIT. “You have to think about the cost of instrumentation.” Kumar and his colleagues at MIT's Auto-ID Lab, a long-time leader in "internet of things" research, have developed a more effective and less costly approach. Inspired by Google’s Street View cars, they assembled a vehicle-mounted sensor array that records the location and brightness of lamps. An accompanying algorithm processes this data to create a regularly updated digital inventory of the lamps in a city, which the government can use to address poorly lit areas or plan for upgrades. To further reduce the costs of data collection, the researchers suggest installing the sensors on government vehicles that regularly circumnavigate the community in the line of duty -- police cars, garbage trucks, buses and utility vans. This is what Auto-ID Lab Director Sanjay Sarma calls "incidental mapping" -- it leverages the work people are already doing to learn more about the
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environment they operate in. "I’m a big believer in using information to fundamentally transform the way cities marshal their resources," Sarma said. "We’re building a city model of light." The increasing availability of cheap, compact sensor technology aids this mission. Where accurate readings used to require bulky and expensive equipment, scientists can now take readings from a small contraption affixed to the roof of a car. Google popularized that method for photographically mapping the streets of the world, but, Kumar points out, the same approach could work for all aspects of city infrastructure. The MIT lab has already applied this methodology to inspecting street conditions (catching cracked pavement, debris, broken railings) and identifying heat leaking out of buildings due to inadequate insulation. It can be hard to generate excitement for smart city advances like this, Kumar notes, because “they lack the sex appeal” of more individually oriented products.
Anyone can grasp the value of an app like Uber or Lyft, because it gives the user a service right away; the ability to more cheaply and quickly identify malfunctioning street lamps really just applies to city governments and their contractors, because they're paying for that service in the first place. So far, Kumar says, they’ve heard more interest from European cities than American ones. In fact, the research grew out of a request from European construction and municipal services company Ferrovial, which was seeking a better way to optimize the lighting they were responsible for. They sponsored the project and are seeking to operationalize it. The sensors and the algorithms have been figured out, but, Sarma noted, "practical inelegancies" creep in during real-world testing. He estimates it will take a year's effort to roll out the light-sensing apparatus in product form. That gives other cities time to decide if they'd like a highly detailed map of their nocturnal illumination, or if they'd prefer to stay in the dark.
The Internet of LED Lighting Has Arrived
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he internet of things is so hyped that every LED vendor now needs its own "internet of LEDs" story. Any serious player must show off some form of network connectivity for their LED lamps, fixtures and systems -- either with their own or a partner’s. With so many internet-ready, wireless and wired control interfaces now on display, it’s easy to see why there is growing customer confusion. GE’s purchase of Daintree last is evidence that any big player will need its own network lighting system that can be easily connected to a building. We’ll expect more industry efforts like the EnOcean Alliance to push open wireless standards on behalf customers concerned about interoperability. Our team particularly liked several vendors showing simpler wireless commissioning tools. These enable LED fixtures, rooms and zones to be easily set up using iPhone apps,
Bluetooth connectivity and even pulsed light output from an iPhone’s camera flash. Once commissioned, they can self-connect to ZigBee mesh networks using less wiring and fewer gateways. LED tube costs plummet The debate over simple twist-in LED tube replacements versus directdrive LED tubes that require rewiring continues. We continue to help buyers work through their own tradeoff analysis that factors in the remaining lifespan on their existing ballasts and utility incentives in their region. One interesting technical advancement has been the quick shift by many vendors from plastic to glass LED tubes, where performance and lifespan increase as conductive glass provides better heat dissipation. But the latest market prices were the shocking part. Prices for comparable
LED tubes have dropped over 50 percent since last year. This has been easier as chip manufacturers have again delivered a 30 percent to 50 percent boost in LED performance, with LPW ranges now between 130 and 160. Overall, it’s a stunning reflection of how fast volume and competition play out in semiconductor-based products. Brand players struggle to differentiate themselves Acuity, Current/GE, Cree, Eaton, Hubbell, Osram Sylvania and Philips all showed off large, fully staffed booths with full LED line cards and new age controls. But their pace of new product intros has slowed and the visual differences between brand products have been marginalized. Many of them are playing in shifting sands, trying to determine their nextlevel positioning. GE is building and
branding Current on top of older businesses; Eaton is rebranding Cooper; Philips is either selling or having an IPO; and Cree’s recent financial performance has been a bit bumpy. At LightFair, all these companies were trying to market their broader vision for networked LED lighting. GE showed a Smart City lighting demonstration integrating gunshot detection, motion-sensing traffic flows and parking-space identification. Acuity showed off its LEDs networked with HVAC based on last year’s purchase of Distech Controls. So what was wacky? The team brought back a range of impressive promotional giveaways, including beach balls, whiskey flasks and LED ice cubes, bracelets and business cards. And they saw plenty of lowend Chinese products that reminded us that the market hasn’t yet totally matured.
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It’s Time to Change Our Definition of ‘Real’ Energy in Developing Countries
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n recent months, GTM has played host to a debate about what delivering "real" energy means in developing countries.
for off-grid solar. What is relevant are the quantity and quality of energy services delivered.” So what is “real" energy anyway?
I have long argued for the rapid scale-up of off-grid, pay-as-you-go solar as a faster way to deliver energy and financial services to those without access to the grid or traditional banking. In January, Katherine Wolfram, a business professor at the University of California, Berkeley, argued that this model does not deliver "real" kilowatt-hours comparable in quality or price to the kilowatt-hours provided by centralized grids in the developing world. But it's not that simple. “It’s like comparing apples and oranges,” said Xavier Helgesen, cofounder and CEO of Off-Grid Electric. “Kilowatt-hours are irrelevant
Real energy is the amount of energy required to do what we want -- not some muscle-car measure of inefficient excess. It’s not surprising that customers in rural developing markets like Kenya entering the modern energy world feel the same; they want enough energy to do what they want without it costing them an arm and a leg. When people talk about "real" energy, they're talking about an overengineered model for the market.
Oracle enterprise suite? Oracle software is right for big companies, but a small business might run their numbers just fine in Excel. This idea is the same as assuming that most homes in Kenya need the same connection as a home in Kansas -it’s just not correct," said Larson.
not more, so they do not pay for more. From a rich-world perspective, it might not seem like the 'real energy' solution, but that is nonsense. You would not say that a small business running their numbers on Excel rather than Oracle is not using 'real software,'” said Larson.
Here lies the irony. A centralized system seems like it would offer the greatest return on investment. But that assumption is based on outdated economic thinking that’s expensive, wasteful and ignores new technology.
When examining how we achieve universal household energy access, it is critical to assess the use cases of households and end-use efficiencies and not just the load capability and levelized cost of energy services.
“Some may fail to see where the puck is going, as Wayne Gretzky famously said,” said Helgesen.
As 1.2 billion people exit energy poverty and enter into the modern energy world, high-efficiency appliances and energy access services that are engineered to meet customer demands at the right price points are necessary to accommodate power demand at scale.
Here's where the puck is going: “An industry operating at scale that captures the decreasing costs of solar, battery and LEDs coupled with innovative financing and ultraefficient appliances. We don't have to make a great mental leap to see that solar-plus-storage solves many more energy problems for many more households than it does today," he said. The idea that household distributed energy services are not “real" energy misses the point. Companies like Off-Grid Electric and M-Kopa have already launched high-efficiency TV sets, satellite decoders and base energy stations that power these and other appliances in a way that meets customers' needs.
“Imagine if other industries operated in this way,” said Chad Larson, cofounder and CFO of M-Kopa.
Companies are also developing high-efficiency refrigeration and other white goods that run on single-digit load percentages. These and other similar breakthroughs are examples of reverse innovation that will challenge notions about power requirements.
“What if the only software that was available to run any type of business was a full-blown million-dollar
"This is real delivery of energy as far as the customer is concerned -they get exactly what they need, and
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It’s time we break with the calcified mentality that bigger is always better. Bigger and excessive is usually inefficient and expensive. We should instead think about how to stretch a small amount of power a long, long way and yet get more of what we want. This is accomplished through designing energy solutions and approaching energy challenges with a mentality that doesn’t limit us to old thinking. “The world is very different today than when Edison created the light bulb," said Helgesen. “Technological developments in efficient appliances and distributed energy are surpassing traditional energy distribution systems. Now is not the time to fix the grid -- it is time to reimagine it.”
‘Most energy-efficient’ LED light revealed by Philips The company has not yet published prices but a spokesperson told the BBC that the cost would not be significantly more than current LED tube lights. The Energy Saving Trust - a UK charity which provides advice on how to cut carbon emissions - said manufacturers' claims always had to be treated with caution, but added that if Philips could bring the product to market it would represent a major advance.
What is LED lighting? Light-emitting diodes have been around for years.
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raditionally, they have been used as indicators on electrical devices, such as standby lights on TVs. This was because LEDs were available only in red, but recent advances mean that other colours are now available, and the light emitted is much brighter. White light (used for general lighting) using LEDs can be created via a number of techniques. One example is mixing red, green and blue LEDs. It is suggested that LEDs can last for up to 100,000 hours, compared with the 1,000 hours of traditional incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps' (CFLs) 15,000 hours. The technology is also much more energy-efficient, using up to 90% less energy than
incandescent bulbs. Lighting company Philips has developed an LED lamp that it describes as "the world's most energy-efficient". It said the prototype tube lighting LED is twice as efficient as those currently used in offices and industry around the world but offers the same amount of light. Being able to halve the amount of energy used could bring huge cost and energy savings. Lighting accounts for more than 19% of global electricity consumption. "This is a major breakthrough in LED lighting and will further drive the transformation of the lighting industry," said Rene van Schooten, chief executive of light source and electronics at Philips. "It's exciting to imagine the massive energy and cost savings it will bring to our planet and customers," he
added. The lamps are intended to replace the fluorescent tube lighting used in offices and industry, which currently account for more than half of the world's total lighting. In the US, for example, such lighting consumes around 200 terawatts hours (TWh) of electricity annually. Swapping to the energy-efficient lamps could save $12bn (£7.8bn) and stop 60 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, according to Philips. LED light bulbs are more efficient than traditional incandescent ones because there is less energy loss through heat. However they tend to be more expensive than ordinary light bulbs. Philips expects the light to go on the market in 2017, initially to replace office lighting. Ultimately though it is seen as a real alternative to lighting in the home.
The prototype tube lighting produces 200 lumens per watt (200lm/W) compared with 100lm/W for equivalent strip lighting and 15lm/ W for traditional light bulbs. The long lifespans and low energy use make LEDs economically attractive because even though the fittings cost more, the running and maintenance bills are lower. "The typical performance of LEDs we have trialled and tested before has typically been in the range of 50 to 70 lumens per watt which is significantly better than traditional lighting - so if this new Philips product can perform as claimed then it represents a huge leap forward in performance," James Russill, the trust's technical development manager, told the BBC. "It is also good that this product is aimed at office environments, where lighting is often left on for 24 hours per day - the potential for reducing electricity demand is therefore very high."
lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 19
Enlighted Raises $25M to Turn LEDs Into Internet-of-Things Nodes
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ED lighting fixtures could well become the nodes of ubiquitous wireless connectivity for the office buildings, warehouses, parking lots and other spaces they’re being installed in around the world. At least, this describes the internet-of-things plans of most of the companies in the networked LED business today, including Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Enlighted. Last week, Enlighted announced it has raised a $25 million Series D round to help bolster those plans. New investor Tao Capital joined previous investors Kleiner Perkins, RockPort Capital Partners, and Draper Fisher Jurvetson in the round, which brings the startup’s total venture financing to about $80 million. Enlighted also announced a new $20 million line of credit from Square 1 Bank, a division of Pacific Western Bank. The credit line is meant to provide capital to bridge the gaps between bank financing and customers for Enlighted’s Global Energy Optimization (GEO) program, which offers low-upfrontcost installations to its corporate customers. “We’ve been homing in on that strategy -- in my opinion, that's the only way we’re going to scale this portfolio,” CEO Joe Costello said in a Friday interview. “Going a building at a time is too slow.” While LEDs tend to provide high and predictable energy savings for most buildings, ranging from 50 percent to as high as 90 percent, payback times on LED projects can range widely, from about two years to as many as 10 years, he said. But bundling multiple buildings into a portfolio through its GEO program can allow Enlighted to get its LED nodes into more real estate, according to Costello.
That, in turn, can expand the range of buildings that can afford Enlighted’s sensor nodes, he said. Since late 2014, the company has grown the share of built space using its LED-connected sensor and control nodes from about 45 million square feet to more than 100 million square feet today. “It’s a fortunate happenstance that the money you save allows the sensors to be installed,” Costello said, because it brings the opportunity to bring new applications to bear across a wider array of customer building space. In October, Enlighted launched the first two non-lighting apps to run over its networks -- Aire, to provide its ceiling sensor data for building HVAC optimization, and Space, to track and plan better building utilization. Using Enlighted’s sensors to track where people are in a building throughout the course of the day can help building facility managers fine-tune their HVAC operations, he said. The energy savings aren’t as great as they are for lighting, he added -- “You can probably save, on average, over time -- about 30 percent. But you use two to three times more energy on HVAC than you do on lighting, so the net energy savings will probably be similar.”
through sensors embedded in lighting fixtures or other locations, or by allowing employees themselves to provide data on where they are and how comfortable the temperature is. Oakland, Calif.-based startup Building Robotics has actually taken that initial approach with its Comfy app, and expanded it to include lighting data in partnership with CommScope’s Redwood Systems, Intel, Lutron and View. Enlighted’s second application, Space, is centered on using the same building occupancy and usage data and applying it to planning for its most efficient use. “This is the first time that people have had real-time data that accurately tells them how their buildings are being used,” he said. The applications for this data could range from tracking workflow in a warehouse, to better planning the use of flex-work facilities, he added. “We’re got a few more apps that are in beta right now,” aiming for release in the second quarter of 2016, according to Costello. One is asset tracking, using Bluetooth sensors in key pieces of equipment to find misplaced hospital equipment or shipping containers, for example, he said.
At least, that’s the theory. So far, Enlighted’s Aire application has primarily provided data to building owners, who may or may not act on the insight it delivers. “The truth is, most people don’t know what to do with the data, so we’re actually building more of that” capability inhouse, he said.
Others in the networked LED business are also pursuing these kinds of opportunities. Digital Lumens, which networks LEDs primarily for warehouses, food processing facilities and other largeformat spaces, is looking at using its sensors for building security and asset tracking, Kaynam Hedayat, the company’s vice president of product management, said in a recent interview.
Many companies are using this kind of data to improve heating and cooling energy use, whether
Boston-based Digital Lumens, which has raised about $65 million in venture financing, has also intro-
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duced an automated safety testing application, to allow for remote testing of emergency lights and other critical systems, and has built an app to allow different employees to have different levels of control over building LEDs through their smartphones, he said. About half of Digital Lumens’ business is outside the United States. Enlighted, which has about 75 percent of its lighting systems in office buildings, is also targeting international markets with its new financing, primarily Europe. While it hasn’t named any customers yet, Costello said it has some significant projects underway in the U.K. accounting for about 1 million square feet, a few hundred thousand square feet of projects in France, and a smaller pilot project in Germany.
LEDs offer a brighter future
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field trial of LED light fittings in social housing says the new technology can deliver huge energy savings, reduce costs and makes residents feel safer. The study, carried out by the Energy Saving Trust (EST), measured the performance of more than 4,250 LED light fittings installed at 35 sites. The EST said it carried out the trial because an increasing number of LED lights were now commercially available. It is predicted the technology could dominate the lighting market by 2015. "We like to test things in-situ in order to understand their real performance rather than rely on manufacturers' claims," explained James Russill, EST's technical development manager. But, he added: "We are at one of those rare times when there is a revolution, I think it is fair to say,
within the lighting sector. "LEDs promise to be the way forward for the whole sector, to be honest. There are so many benefits: they can be smaller, brighter; it is one of those rare technologies where the trial has shown it performs better than the lighting systems it is replacing but, at the same time, using less energy." LED appreciation At the 35 sites in the field trial, the authors of the Lit Up report calculated that the LED fittings saved more than three million kilowatt hours (kWh) each year when compared with the previous lighting. "The trial has shown that the installation of LED light fittings can be used to maintain or enhance light levels, and in both cases can generate energy savings," the report's authors wrote. They added: "The increase in colour temperature
typically produced by LEDs also improved the environments monitored in the field trial, a factor much appreciated by the social housing tenants. "With the rising price of electricity, the high efficiencies of LED lighting technology will make it an even more attractive investment in the years ahead." Mr Russill said that he thought that there would be a natural take-up for the new lighting systems. "I am already aware of many people that have bought LEDs without any subsidy or incentive," He told BBC News. "As with any new technology, there is a higher initial cost - these products are new to market - but people seem to be looking beyond that and seeing they last much longer. "LEDs will take over the market in due course because I think they are such better products, but I do think introducing them into a
subsidy scheme would be a real benefit to speed things up," he added. As well as the technical benefits, Mr Russill said feedback from tenants involved in the trial highlighted social benefits too. "Some of the comments we had was that the light was fresher, brighter and more like daylight," he said. "Generally, the feedback was that the lighting make it a nicer place to live." The brighter light levels also had a positive impact on people's sense of security, he observed. "We also did fit some lighting in external area, such as balcony areas and car parks. "People also did comment and did make the areas outside feel like a safer environment because it was better lit. "That also applied to stairwells as well which could be perceived to be an area where shadowy figures like to hang out."
lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 21
The Smartest Lighting Control Systems Consider People First
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oday, smart building technol ogy is changing the way we think about lighting control and building integration. Manufacturers can increasingly deliver components that maximize energy-efficiency and integrate with other building systems to provide automated, data driven control. But, as lighting controls become smarter, it is critical to remember that first they should create the best possible experience for the people who live and work in the space. Ultimately, the customer’s perception of quality starts with the expectation that whatever is installed in the building will work – that it will, first and foremost, achieve its intended purpose. A dimming system, for example can help optimize energy efficiency, reduce installation and operating costs, and integrate with building management systems – but most importantly it has to dim smoothly and improve the lighting environment.
expected results. 3. Manufacturers must be accountable for the performance of their products. No system is perfect, and problems will come up on some jobs. To account for this risk, it is important that the manufacturers have a service and engineering organization capable of quick response to solve the problem instead of creating delays and additional callbacks. 4. Devices have to be compatible across systems, even in the face of constantly evolving technologies. It is difficult to see the future of integration and interoperability. Systems must be designed with this in mind and allow for a wide breadth of existing and future integration possibilities. A smart lighting system considers both electric light and daylight
In regards to lighting control, quality can be defined by four basic principles: 1. Devices require a dependable control system. Think about what happens when a lighting control system fails. A single day of failure over the life of the system can cost a business almost as much money in productivity losses as the cost of the lighting control system itself. Lighting is one of the most operationally essential aspects of any building. 2. The lighting experience is important. Lighting control systems are becoming more complex, and greater integration is required. Manufacturers have to understand how to apply the best control strategies and how to properly integrate them to achieve high performance and deliver the 22 | January-February 2017 | lightexpress
control. Lighting systems must provide the right illumination levels for people to go about their visual tasks. And, although it is extremely difficult to isolate the productivity benefits of appropriate lighting levels, research has found a clear link between control over their personal environment and employees’ comfort and motivation. A comprehensive approach means that both electric light and daylight control are used to maximize comfort and energy savings. Shading systems, for example, are primarily designed to reduce glare and provide thermal protection for building occupants. Without effective glare mitigation, a shading system would provide little overall value. However, glare control does not eliminate the ability for advanced daylight harvesting, preservation of occupant views, and opportunities for passive heating or heat reflection.
A truly high performance system understands the hierarchy of control and always maintains primary functionality first, before addressing advanced benefits such as energy optimization and data analytics. Energy efficiency is important – not only as a cost-saving factor, but as part of a growing global commitment to sustainability – but the emphasis on energy saving is relatively new. Lighting controls have been around for more than 50 years and the primary purpose has always been to provide a meaningful benefit to the people working and living in the space. As we evaluate building lighting control strategies, the first point of emphasis must be the sociological impact on building occupants. This results in bottom-line savings in terms of reduced energy consumption, employee effectiveness and overall well-being.
Overview energy efficient lighting WHAT IS ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING?
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aking lighting more energy efficient in an office tenancy can mean replacing actual light fittings, changing the lighting types or improving the lighting controls – for example, installing motion or daylight sensors, timers, and automatic dimmers. A lighting upgrade can also encompass specialist area lighting and desk lamps, meeting rooms, and bathrooms, as well as the ceiling lights. Why upgrade lights? Lighting upgrades can be relatively
straightforward, and offer very rapid returns on investment and then ongoing operational savings and reduced maintenance. Many business environments are over-lit compared to the level recommended by Australian Standard 1680 levels. For instance, there are a range of energy efficient lighting solutions that can reduce energy use by up to 82 per cent (NSW Office of Environment & Heritage). The reason that lighting upgrades can save so much energy is that modern fittings do not produce wasted heat which has the added advantage of lessening the load on
the office air-conditioner. How to improve lighting In many instances, immediate savings can be gained by simply making minor adjustments. In other cases organisations will benefit from engaging a lighting or energy efficiency professional who will step through lighting identification, technology choices and a business case, including schemes to help finance upgrades. For organisations proceeding with their own audit and upgrade, CitySwitch has created audit tools for lighting and controls and comprehensive information on lighting has been compiled by the NSW Office of Environment and
Heritage, NABERS, Sustainability Victoria and the Australian Energy Efficiency Exchange - see resources section below. Alongside technology considerations, there are a number of strategies to improve lighting performance: behaviour change to encourage a ‘switch-off’ culture use more daylight in place of artificial light get better performance from existing light fittings make use of controls like sensors and zoning areas de-lamping and daylighting for over-lit areas replacing whole fittings or lamps inside light fittings
lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 23
New Philips CityTouch saves energy, gives citizens safer lit streets LOS ANGELES BECOMES FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO CONTROL ITS STREET LIGHTING THROUGH MOBILE AND CLOUD-BASED TECHNOLOGIES FROM PHILIPS CONNECTED SYSTEM REPORTS FAULTS AND REDUCES COMMISSIONING TIME TO MINUTES. Wireless plug and play connector node protects city’s existing investment by networking streetlights from any vendor
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oyal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), the global leader in lighting, today announced that the City of Los Angeles (LA) will become the first city in the world to control its street lighting through an advanced Philips management system that uses mobile and cloudbased technologies. The new technology confirms LA’s Bureau of Street Lighting as a trailblazer in next generation LED street lighting with a new solution that saves energy, reduces maintenance and provides quality lighting that makes streets safer for LA residents. The technology also supports Mayor Garcetti’s Great Streets initiative, promoting the revitalization of neighborhoods through more pedestrian-friendly streets for LA’s citizens. LA has long been at the forefront of smart city innovations, including adopting new web-based technologies that will help city
administrators better manage city services such as street lighting. With the addition of the Philips CityTouch connected lighting management system, the LA Bureau of Street Lighting can remotely control lighting fixtures, as well as monitor energy use and the status of each light. Using mobile chip technology embedded into each fixture, the street lights are able to identify themselves and network instantly. This smart plug and play approach not only reduces the cost of programming each fixture, it also reduces the time of commissioning from days to minutes and eliminates on-site commissioning completely. Furthermore, the entire system can be securely controlled and managed remotely through any web browser. “LA has more LED street lights than any other city in America, with about 7,500 centerline miles,” said Ed
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Ebrahimian, director of the Bureau of Street Lighting for the City of Los Angeles. “This required a solution that would allow us to remotely control street lights and accurately report how much energy each light is consuming, while also being easy to install and flexible enough to adapt to broader Smart City plans. We piloted several solutions over the last year and decided to implement CityTouch as it required no further investment or intervention in our infrastructure.” While CityTouch is already in use in 31 countries, the LA solution is the first in the world connecting directly to each light point using the Philips CityTouch connector node, which can connect street lights from any manufacturer. This extends the life of legacy and LED systems alike, enabling them to become connected light points. CityTouch gives the Bureau of Street Lighting a clear
picture of the entire city’s lighting system at its fingertips, with mapbased visualization, charts and diagrams. The combination of LED technology and management software will enable the Bureau to better manage its assets, while Angelinos benefit from the increased uptime, with safer, well-lit streets. “Philips CityTouch supports Mayor Garcetti’s Great Streets program by taking the management of LED street lighting to the next level, increasing safety through uptime, ensuring better visibility and providing the capability to further adapt lighting to the needs of a particular neighborhood,” said Amy Huntington, president of Philips Lighting Americas. “Not only does better lighting management support the city’s energy efficiency initiatives, but it has a beneficial effect on the streetscape, contributing to more vibrant and engaged communities.”
www.siemens.com/buildingautomation
Smart Cities Require Smart Streetlights
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anaging a city today can be especially challenging. Making cities attractive for companies and residents, while still offering security and comfort requires city officers to carefully manage budgets so they can create opportunities and services to compete with neighboring cities. The term “Smart City� is often used to describe the cities that adopt and leverage innovative technologies that provide: safety and comfort for residents, lower operating costs and energy usage, deploy security cameras and safety sensors, reduce traffic, enhancing parking options and improving traffic management systems. More information is available now than ever before from smart sensors, while less energy is being consumed thanks to advanced building management systems and innovative streetlight control systems. Startups and established high-tech companies are increasingly rushing to provide cities with new solutions, more often proposing their own proprietary sensors, communication networks and software. On the other hand, the smartest cities are purchasing a standardized communication platform with central management software, so they can share a citywide communication network. This open, standardized approach allows all sensors and other smart city devices to communicate with each other and/ or with the central management software to provide more value to the city and its residents. Decision makers within these smart cities are asking what applications they should be deploying for such a city-wide network at a budget that will be able to support both current requirements and future enhancements? The answer is in what you see when looking through the window last time you landed by plane at night. With a light pole every 30 meters or so, networking streetlights are ideal to provide such
a city-wide network. These new streetlight networks pay for themselves by enabling cities to save energy by adapting light level to the time and the activity. These streetlights also save on maintenance because they enable automatic failure identification instead of receiving hundreds of thousands of calls from unhappy residents. Also, if the cities choose the right open and standardized networking technology, they can remotely communicate with parking sensors, traffic sensors, environmental sensors, safety sensors, electrical vehicle charging stations, advertising panels, trash bins, water/gas/energy meters and other communicating devices, while receiving live data for city officers to make smarter decisions. Many cities including Oslo, Paris, Berlin, Brasov, Lyon, Dongguan and GuangZhou, already understand the benefits their streetlight networks offer their cities. More of them are replacing conventional highpressure sodium outdoor lights with networked LEDs to drastically reduce their energy and maintenance OPEX budgets. A large part of the networked streetlight projects are based on open and standardized networking technologies that allow many manufacturers and startup companies to provide additional smart devices that can be used with existing streetlight networks. With more than 500 projects in 17 countries, the ISO/IEC14908 networking standard is probably the most widely adopted standard for networked streetlights. This open networking standard, managed by LonMark International, is the choice for many manufacturers of light point controllers because it provides cities with a competitively priced solution. The controllers based on this popular standard can save up to 50 percent in energy costs, while providing cities with Big Data resources to help with future planning. Christophe Orceau,
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Chairman Outdoor Lighting LonMark committee To learn more about LonMark International and its street lighting initiative, please visit http://www.lonmark.org/connection/solutions/lighting/ streetlighting.
lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 33
Smart Lighting - Smart Control
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ndustry leaders from around the globe predicted the next evolution in controls and warned that the lighting controls market is in danger of getting usurped by other industries.
is that they do not require a driver or transformer like Zigbee. According to a Berg Insight Smart Home report, it is estimated that 36 million homes in Europe and North America will be “smart” by 2017.
Home-Lighting-Automation Just as the type of light sources gaining dominance over the past 10 years has changed rapidly from incandescent to compact fluorescent to LED, the controls market is undergoing a similar revolution. At the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair, experts from leading lighting companies participated in a panel discussion on the topic. For example, Megaman went from offering entirely CFL in 2009 to an overwhelming proportion of LED products today. “This is what’s happening in the whole industry,” noted Fred Bass, Managing Director for Neonlite, the brand owner of MEGAMAN® products in the UK. “We’ve changed our channels to market.” With the LED revolution has come another shift: lighting products and controls used to be separate entities, but now they are being combined into one product. This whole idea of “smart lighting” – where lighting is linked to a mobile device – has been spreading like wildfire. Whether it’s the surging popularity of Casambi – a third-party platform based on the dual-protocol Nordic nRF51822 SoC and designed to take smart lighting mainstream by integrating with LED smart bulbs, drivers, and lighting fixtures – or Osram’s Lightify (featured in last month’s edition of enLIGHTenment Magazine), or Philips’ Hue (which sold out in Germany within hours of being available on the market), the mass consumer public is embracing Bluetooth-enabled lighting controls. One of the advantages of Bluetooth controls, according to the panelists,
More importantly, there are consolidations and mergers occurring in the technology sector that will impact the lighting controls industry. For one thing, “controls” are encompassing a wide variety of functions that include heating and security. When Google bought Nest Labs for $3.2 billion (cash!) early last year, the news resonated with lighting industry leaders. “It’s possible – and very likely – that tech companies and not the lighting controls companies will be influencing the future of lighting controls,” one panelist said. Following the success of Hue in Europe and in the U.S., there are a host of companies on Philips’ heels, ready to launch RGB-changing Wi-Fi bulbs for residential and light commercial (i.e. restaurants, boutiques) purposes. “Lighting controls represents approximately two percent of the global lighting market, but no one really knows the exact amount for sure,” Bass admitted. Determining what constitutes “controls” can be vague. “Just putting in a simple control can save energy by 30 percent,” he said. “However, with the lighting market increasing by billions of dollars, [intelligent lighting] has become a real opportunity,” Bass noted. All of the recent activity regarding mergers and acquisitions in the “Internet of Things” (IoT) sector is creating a paradigm shift. In August 2014, Samsung bought SmartThings, which, for those unfamiliar with the brand, promises consumers they can “control and monitor your home from one simple app.” Once a
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homeowner has the SmartThings Hub and free app, they can add as many devices as they want to “customize their smart home.” Among the devices that the SmartThings Hub controls are: thermostats, open & close window/ door sensor, panic button, moisture sensor, wall outlets, smoke detector, smoke/carbon dioxide alarm, water valve shut-off, door lock and deadbolts, fan controller, motion sensor, plus lamps and lighting fixtures.
Simon Coombes, Chief Technology Officer for Gooee® presented a macro view of smart lighting and future technologies during the panel discussion. [Gooee is an M2M (machine to machine) and IoT technology business and systems integrator focused on the design, engineering, and supply of hardware, software, and data management components across the LED lighting value chain.] “The lighting industry is in a perfect storm of opportunity,” Coombes
stated. “LED lighting is forecast to be a $100 billion business by 2020 and we’re seeing an influx of capital into controls. Lighting is the Trojan horse into the [smart] home environment; it is more ubiquitous than any other device. Large multi-stack organizations are getting a marketshare of the control and home automation market and software will be a key element in lighting going forward.” While the IoT is relevant to smart lighting and appropriate software is critical, Coombes noted that the most important component will be the cooperation among companies to agree on a standard with the goal of creating greater interoperability. “We need mass adoption to realize this opportunity,” he said. “We’re
not just talking about lighting, but every appliance you want to control. Lighting is just part of a [larger] system.” According to a Berg Insight Smart Home report, it is estimated that 36 million homes in Europe and North America will be “smart” by 2017. The greater use of Radio Frequency (RF) will allow for mass adoption of the technology because no rewiring is needed. “These [technology] mergers and acquisitions will be part of going forward with mass adoption,” Coombes remarked. “Right now, it’s not easy to be compatible with everything.” Max Yue of Cree cited a statistic that estimates 25 billion
devices will be inter-connected in 2020, with 7 billion of that number being comprised of smart phones. “This means a lot more people will be using data,” he affirmed. “Two years ago, I was [using my devices] to check email. Now you can watch movies [via] live streaming. That’s a lot of data usage! The industry has to prepare for 1,000x growth, and it’s difficult to add the capacity to handle all that data.” Yue proposed that with LED lighting, we will be able to do much more such as data communication and LiFi experimentation. [Li-Fi, a term coined by Prof. Harald Haas during his TED Global talk, is bidirectional, high-speed and fully networked wireless communications similar to
like Wi-Fi, but using light.. With all of these various communication methods being used globally, the panelists agree that we are in the midst of a format war. “There needs to be standardization, perhaps from someone further upstream, to build an infrastructure for lighting companies to [have as a system],” Coombes said. “Until there is standardization, I think it will be frustrating.” Bass likened the situation to the battle between VHS and Betamax. “Will this be a Betamax problem? Can there only be one winner? There are so many players involved,” he commented.
lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 35
Energy-Efficiency Improvement Opportunities In Lighting System 1. LIGHTING CONTROLS Lights can be shut off during non-working hours by automatic controls, such as occupancy sensors which turn off lights when a space becomes unoccupied. Manual controls can also be used in addition to automatic controls to save additional energy in smaller areas. The payback period for lighting control systems is generally less than 2 years. 2. REPLACE T-12 TUBES BY T-8 TUBES In industry, typically T-12 tubes have been used. T-12 refers to the diameter in 1/8 inch increments (T-12 means 12/8 inch or 3.8 cm diameter tubes). The initial output for these lights is high, but energy consumption is also high. 3. REPLACE MERCURY LIGHTS WITH METAL HALIDE OR HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LIGHTS Where color rendition is critical, metal halide lamps can replace mercury or 36 | January-February 2017 | lightexpress
fluorescent lamps with an energy savings of 50%. Where color rendition is not critical, high pressure sodium lamps offer energy savings of 50 to 60% compared to mercury lamps. 4. REPLACE METAL HALIDE (HID) WITH HIGH-INTENSITY FLUORESCENT LIGHTS Traditional HID lighting can be replaced with high-intensity fluorescent (HIF) lighting. These new systems incorporate high-efficiency fluorescent lamps, electronic ballasts and high-efficacy fixtures that
maximize output to the work place. Advantages to the new system are: They have lower energy consumption,Lower lumen depreciation over the lifetime of the lamp, Better dimming options, Faster start-up, Better color rendition, Higher pupil lumens ratings and less glare. High-intensity fluorescent systems yield 50% electricity savings over
standard HIDs. Dimming controls that are impractical in the HIDs can also save significant amounts of energy. Retrofitted systems cost about $185 per fixture, including installation costs. In addition to energy savings and better lighting qualities, high-intensity fluorescents can help to reduce maintenance costs. 5. REPLACE MAGNETIC BALLASTS WITH ELECTRONIC BALLASTS
7. OPTIMUM USE OF NATURAL SUNLIGHT Many plants do not use natural sunlight to an optimum level. In addition to optimizing the size of the windows, transparent sheets can be installed at the roof in order to allow more sunlight to penetrate into the production area. This can reduce the need for lighting during the day.
A ballast is a mechanism that regulates the amount of electricity required to start a lighting fixture and maintain a steady output of light. Electronic ballasts save 12 – 25% of electricity use compared to magnetic ballast. 6. OPTIMIZATION OF PLANT LIGHTING (LUX OPTIMIZATION) In production and non-production departments In many plants the lighting system is not specifically designed for the process. There are lux standards for each type of textile process. For instance, the required lux for weaving is usually higher than that of wet-processing. Even within just one production process, the required lux varies by the process step. For example, in a cotton spinning process, the required lux in the blow room should be much lower than that of ring frame section. If the lighting provided is higher than the standard (required lux) for any part of the production, this results in a waste of electricity. Therefore, the plant engineers should optimize the lighting system based on the standard lux specific for each process step.
lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 37
Technology: KNX over IP – New Solutions for KNX Installations
KNX TP cable
By Dr. Thomas Weinzierl, Weinzierl Engineering GmbH.
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hile KNX has grown into the most important building automation standard, Ethernet has evolved into a universal communications solution that can also be employed in automation systems. Because of their different system characteristics, KNX and Ethernet complement each other well. The advantage of the KNX bus is that it is optimised for the special requirements of building control. It uses a single twisted-pair (TP) cable to network all of the devices to be controlled, as well as supplying them with power. Its relatively low bandwidth of 9600b/s is sufficient for communication within a bus line, and had the advantage of allowing
long cable lengths and a free topology. It also reduces the energy consumption of devices since the power consumption of a microcontroller depends heavily on the clock rate. KNX TP is easy and inexpensive to install, because the bus can be looped from one device to the next without a hub or switch through. Above all, KNX devices are functionally and mechanically designed specifically for building installations. Ethernet on the other hand, supports high bandwidth communication between relatively low-cost components. Its use is widespread, not only for networking computers
in offices, but also for multimedia applications in the home and for industrial automation.
ture for building networking. Tunnelling: PC access via a LAN connection
While LAN networks support the high transmission speeds required for certain applications, they cannot replace the KNX bus due to its lowbandwidth nature, so the combination of KNX TP and LAN would be an optimal solution for future building automation.
An important application of IP within the KNX system is the functionality of an interface to the bus. KNXnet/IP tunnelling describes the access, for example, from a PC to a KNX network during configuration and commissioning. The focus is always the connection of a client (PC) with a bus line. The tunnelling protocol only uses UDP, but includes a connection-oriented layer, so that telegrams will be repeated in case of an error.
KNX TP is primarily suited for local control, while the LAN is used for inter-system communication. The transmission of control commands can take place in a LAN network together with Internet use, PC networking and multimedia. Overall, this results in a hierarchical architec-
The tunnelling protocol can be selected in the Connection Manager of the ETS program and is also
The Weinzierl KNX LineMaster combines the essential functions of a KNX bus line: KNX power supply with choke, KNX IP router and KNX IP interface. The Weinzierl KNX IP Interface 730 (left) and how it can be used for KNXnet/IP tunnelling (right).
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routers in the network receive these telegrams simultaneously and use their routing tables to determine whether to forward the telegram to the connected KNX line. The routing protocol can be used to connect an unlimited number of visualisation devices to a KNX installation with an IP backbone, but does not support the bus monitor function. Object server: from the telegram to the data point The Weinzierl KNX IP Router 750 (left) and how it can be used for KNXnet/IP routing.
suitable for remote access over the Internet. It can also be used to connect a visualisation device to a bus line. The tunnelling protocol supports the bus monitor function. Routing in hierarchical architectures A major motivation for the extension of the KNX system using Ethernet/IP was to increase the transmission capacity of the overall system. While the transmission speed of KNX TP is perfectly adequate to build a bus line with up to 256 participants, a much higher bandwidth may be required in the backbone. This is especially the case when central devices such as visualisation tools are connected, to which all telegrams must be transferred. In this case, there can be no selective
routing. Here, the high bandwidth of a LAN network offers an optimal solution. While with KNX TP a maximum of only 50 telegrams can be transmitted per second, transmission via LAN exceeds 10,000 telegrams at 10Mb/s. To process this traffic without loss, high computational power in addition to an adequate telegram buffer from IP to KNX TP is required. Since Ethernet forms the backbone of the system, a corresponding protocol was standardised in KNX. The routing subtopic of the KNXnet/ IP specification describes how KNX/ IP routers forward telegrams via IP. For forwarding via Ethernet, the KNX telegrams are individually packed in UDP/IP telegrams and sent as multicast telegrams. All KNX/IP
For an increasing number of devices, such as in the areas of multimedia and security technology, it is important to be able to exchange control information with the building automation system. However, for certain devices, it would preferable to access the bus indirectly by establishing a connection to the KNX system via Ethernet. Communication via Ethernet is particularly interesting for devices that are already equipped with a network port. If the protocol stack for TCP/ UDP/IP already exists in the operating system, applications can communicate with other devices via Ethernet with little additional effort and thus also with KNX. This applies to many devices based on Linux or Windows CE. If you were to use tunnelling or routing as a solution, the devices would be able to access the KNX network but would still have to generate and interpret KNX
telegrams. It is far simpler for the KNX/IP interface to take over this task. In addition to the standard interface functionality, which enables access to the KNX bus on the telegram level, the KNX IP BAOS (Bus Access and Object Server) provides direct access to the data points (communication objects) of the building. In other words, the KNX stack in the device assigns the received data packets to their associated communication objects and holds their values in memory. Registered clients are automatically informed of any changes to the data points. The communication object values are automatically updated upon receipt, even when clients are not connected. This allows, for example, a smartphone to instantly access the state of the KNX bus from the BAOS device, without loading the network with a burst of read requests. In order to send data to the bus, a client has write access to the communication objects. The device can independently generate and send group messages. The configuration of the data points within the BAOS device is performed with the ETS, in which the device appears as a conventional bus participant. Within the parameters dialogue, the data types of the communication objects can be set and the group addresses are assigned as usual. Using the BAOS protocol, a client
The Weinzierl KNX IP BAOS 771 (left) and how it can be used with the BAOS protocol (right).
Typical Application of the KNX IP BAOS (Bus Access and Object Server). lightexpress | January-February 2017 | 39
An example of a PoE switch (source: Netgear)
The Weinzierl KNX BAOS gadget (left) and how it can function in principle (right). can access and control data points of other bus participants without having to know the encoding of KNX telegrams. The client addresses the data points on the same number that they have in the ETS. If the group addresses in the KNX network are modified, the interface can be updated automatically by an ETS download, and the client application can remain unchanged. The Weinzierl KNX IP BAOS 771/772 for example, offers two separate client access protocols: • Binary Protocol The device supports an extension of the KNX BAOS binary protocol that is implemented by the BAOS 770 (Protocol Version 1). The KNX IP BAOS 771/772 device implements Protocol Version 2.0, an improved version. It is available over TCP/IP and UDP/IP. The binary protocol is particularly suitable for devices that support traditional programming languages such as C, C++ or C#
and IP sockets. • Web Services The KNX BAOS binary protocol typically precludes the development of client applications that run in a web browser. For this reason, access to the object server is now possible via the new KNX BAOS Web Services, based on HTTP and Java Script Object Notation (JSON). This means it is now possible to embed KNX IP BAOS 771/772 directly in your own web applications. The Web Services offer the same feature set as KNX BAOS binary protocol, however they use a familiar text-based syntax that is sent over HTTP (port 80). The Web Services do not implement a graphical interface. This must be done separately, typically in HTML and Java Script, and can be stored, for example, in client memory, or wrapped directly into a stand-alone
The Weinzierl KNX IP Interface 740 wireless (left) and how it can be used in practice (right).
application using Webkit. Sample application for Web Services of the KNX IP BAOS 772 (KNX BAOS gadget) The Weinzierl KNX BAOS gadget is a mini-visualisation for Windows desktop, which communicates with the BUS via KNX IP BAOS 772. The PC or laptop is connected to the BAOS interface via network or WLAN and receives all necessary information via Web Services. Power over Ethernet replaces auxiliary voltage KNX IP devices cannot derive all of their power requirements from the KNX bus alone. Therefore, they must be fed via a separate power supply or via Ethernet cable using PoE (Power over Ethernet) which simplifies the wiring within the switchboard. Obviously, for PoE, a network switch is required which supports this feature. WLAN – the wireless alternative With the introduction of KNXnet/IP the ETS as well as other software programs gain the possibility to connect to the bus via IP. One essential benefit of the Internet protocol is its independence of the transmission medium. Besides the network cable, a wireless transmission-based WLAN (wireless LAN) is possible as well. A WLAN adapter is already integrated in nearly all new laptops, so together with a wireless IP interface such as the Weinzierl KNX IP Interface 740 wireless, an installer
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can move around the building almost freely.
Conclusion For multimedia applications in the home, and for industrial automation, it makes sense to take advantage of the highbandwidth capabilities of an Ethernet-based LAN or WLAN for inter-system communication, combined with the local control benefits of KNX TP. Whether you need KNXnet/IP tunnelling, routing, BAOS IP object server Web Services, wired or wireless and PoE, there is a powerful range of KNX IP devices available to help you for different applications. Dr. Thomas Weinzierl is the CEO of Weinzierl Engineering GmbH. Weinzierl Engineering is focussed on building automation based on open standards. For more than twelve years, Weinzierl has developed and produced innovative system technology for KNX, including stacks, modules, software and system devices. www.weinzierl.de
DLC NETWORKED CONTROLS SPECIFICATION ENABLES UTILITY INCENTIVES BY CRAIG DILOUIE
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he DesignLights Consortium (DLC) has released a Net worked Lighting Controls category in its Qualified Products List (QPL). The first qualifying products will be published in June 2016. The likely result is inclusion of networked lighting controls in rebate programs that annually allocate billions of dollars in funding to promote energy-efficient lighting. Comprised of 83 members representing some 100 utilities and energy efficiency programs, DLC is a
non-profit dedicated to promoting energy-efficient lighting. The mainstay is the Solid-State Lighting QPL, a list of LED products tested and verified as satisfying stringent performance and efficiency criteria. Currently, about 175,000 products are listed. Utilities and energy efficiency programs across the United States and Canada use the QPL to qualify LED products as being eligible for commercial sector lighting rebates. While lighting controls are common
in rebate programs, penetration in existing commercial buildings remains low. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that daylight harvesting controls are installed in only two percent of commercial buildings, for example. DLC estimates that networked lighting controls are installed in less than one percent of lighting projects in member programs. Nearly all current prescriptive rebates do not recognize networked lighting control systems. Utilities are becoming more interested in
networked lighting controls because they have been demonstrated to save significant amounts of energy. These utilities are being charged by regulators to save energy beyond what is currently mandated by energy codes, resulting in an emerging focus on higherperforming LED lighting and networked lighting controls. Meanwhile, the lighting controls industry has made great strides in innovation to deliver systems that dramatically reduce time, complexity and cost traditionally associated with
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these systems. “In order for utilities to successfully capture the opportunity provided by networked lighting controls— and to do so at scale—there are a number of resources needed,” says Gabe Arnold, PE, LC, Program Manager, DLC. “Utilities need to determine what products or systems will deliver energy savings and qualify for rebates. They need reliable estimates of energy savings for the technology that they can report to their regulators. They need training and education for the designers, specifiers, contractors and end-users that participate in their programs.” To support its members and drive demand, DLC developed a networked lighting controls performance specification that will
allow utilities to qualify products and incorporate them into their rebate programs. The process began in 2014 and included energy efficiency programs and manufacturers. The resulting specification is flexible so as to be inclusive of the many types of systems and approaches on the market today. The final specification was released in May 2016. In June 2016, the first products are expected to be listed in the online database. “DLC’s goal with this specification and QPL is to equip DLC members with a key resources to harness the opportunity provided by networked lighting controls and accelerate adoption at scale,” Arnold says. “In partnership with members, DLC seeks to change the current paradigm—where less than one percent of projects seen by utility
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programs incorporate networked controls—to a new future where 90 percent or more of projects incorporate networked controls.” The specification Networked Lighting Control Systems Specification v1.01 covers control systems defined as such; it does not cover connected luminaires. The specification is based on “required” and “reported” system capabilities. Required capabilities must be verified for listing. Reported capabilities are not required but will be identified by DLC in the listing to help specifiers select appropriate solutions. The required system capabilities include: • Networking of luminaires and devices
• Luminaire and device addressability • Continuous dimming • Occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, high-end trim • Zoning In addition, the system must be protected by a minimum five-year warranty covering all components addressed in the specification. And the system must be commercially available. Reported capabilities include: • Luminaire-level control (integrated or non-integrated) • Time-scheduling, load shedding (demand response), personal control, plug load control • Localized processing (distributed intelligence) • BMS/EMS/HVAC integration
• Energy monitoring • Device monitoring/Remote diagnostics • Type of user interface • Operational and standby power These capabilities are described in detail at the DLC website. “We are pleased with the balance we have struck,” says Arnold. “The specification provides an inclusive and flexible framework to build from and allows DLC to raise the bar for the technology in a way that does not inhibit adoption. It enables options and customer choice for a wide range of applications, from simple to the most complex. It is supported by most of the lighting controls industry and flexible to support the varying
needs of DLC members.” Examples of systems that may qualify and be listed include Acuity Brands nLight, Cree SmartCast, Eaton Fifth Light, GE Daintree, Lutron Vive, OSRAM Encelium and Philips SpaceWise. According to DLC, about 40 systems currently on the market may be eligible to satisfy the specification. Market rollout DLC member and other energy efficiency programs are expected to develop new programs around the networked lighting control specification, though individual programs and timelines are likely to vary from one utility to the next. Some have already developed programs and will launch them in the second half of 2016, while others will launch programs in
2017. The networked lighting controls specification is part of a larger market transformation effort by DLC. Additional program elements expected in the latter half of 2016 include an energy savings estimating tool for layered lighting controls, training programs and demonstration projects. Additionally, DLC is working on a unified, market-friendly unified incentive strategy that would simplify the rebate process and streamline it across multiple program territories. For lighting practitioners, the result will be an exciting opportunity to deliver state-of-the-art lighting control systems to existing building projects— backed by rebates, third-party energy savings estimates and training. “Be proactive, participate and leverage this new DLC resource,” Arnold says. “If you are a manufacturer, get your system qualified. If you are a specifier, ESCO, distributor or contractor, learn about qualified systems and use them on your next project. Get educated on the technology.
Attend training. Take advantage of the new rebates. LEDs shook up and changed the lighting industry, but the potential changes from networked lighting controls have far greater implications to nearly everyone in the industry.”
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Connected Lighting How light can go beyond illumination
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or years now, people have been talking about the “LED revolution” that’s being fomented by the disruptive technology that is solid-state lighting. But at DOE’s inaugural Connected Lighting Systems Meeting, held last week in Portland, OR, it was more apparent than ever that the real revolution is only just now getting started. The growing recognition that SSL has the potential to transform the function of lighting from something relatively static and one-dimensional into something almost infinitely interactive and multifaceted has gained such momentum that there’s no longer any possibility of turning back the tide. Along with a growing cohort of industry stakeholders, DOE recognizes the potential that connected lighting holds to impact its mission, which is greater lighting energy savings. As a result, we decided to organize a meeting focused on accelerating the development of connected-lighting technology — a meeting that, to our knowledge, is the first and only one of its kind. We brought together lighting technologists, their counterparts from the semiconductor and IT industries, folks from utilities, and many others to start a cross-cutting dialogue about how best to take advantage of the imminent collision between lighting systems and the fast-emerging Internet of Things (IoT). The timeliness of such a meeting
was evidenced by the electric atmosphere and the intense expressions on the faces of the more than 260 participants — who were crammed into every seat in the auditorium, and who craned forward throughout the entire day so as not to miss a word of what was being said by speakers representing such players as Cisco, Intel, Google, and Microsoft. But as informative as the formal presentations were, they were only the beginning, with conversations continuing during spirited — and often edgy — Q&A sessions and hallway conversations. This gathering was less about cross-stakeholder education than it was about stimulating everyone there and causing them to question previously held positions and unexamined assumptions. DOE’s main interest in all of this, of course, is in making sure that energy efficiency — which could be significantly increased by providing intelligent SSL devices with data that enables them to optimize their performance — doesn’t get lost amid all of the other services and benefits connected lighting is poised to bring. Those benefits are considerable and range from improving health, well-being, and productivity by tuning the spectrum; to optimizing office and warehouse space by analyzing usage patterns; to enhancing the shopping experience in retail stores; to providing the very pathway through which a wide range of devices can exchange useable and useful data.
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That latter possibility — i.e., that lighting systems may become an IoT backbone, or even the main IoT backbone, for buildings and cities — is bolstered by three key factors: SSL’s microelectronic nature, which readily facilitates the integration of network interfaces and sensors; the growing integration of SSL devices into the built environment, often justified solely on the basis of energy savings; and the fact that lighting is ubiquitous infrastructure that can be found pretty much everywhere people congregate. A big problem, of course, is agreeing on common platforms and protocols that facilitate the transfer of useable data among lighting devices, other systems, and the cloud; indeed, this was one of the hot topics at the Portland meeting. In his keynote address, Tom Herbst of Cisco noted that right now, it’s “kind of a land grab or Wild West,” with a number of groups working to establish some order. A panel on interoperability featured representatives from several of those groups: the ZigBee Alliance, the AllSeen Alliance, oneM2M, and the Open Interconnect Consortium. Hearing them describe the work they’re doing, one couldn’t help being struck by how well these IT folks have learned to simultaneously compete and collaborate — something that all connectedlighting stakeholders will likely need to emulate in order to harness its potential. As for what other characteristics are
required to realize the full potential of connected lighting, a common theme in Portland was that you
don’t have to get it perfect, and that it’s not necessary to figure out in advance all of the applications it will support. Rather, all that’s needed is to bring about something “good enough”: a platform built using interoperable protocols that will enable the development and delivery of applications and services in due course — just as happened with smartphones, for example. One class of applications and services that might be developed would leverage the availability of energy data. Michael Poplawski of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory kicked off a panel on the topic by noting that “you can’t effectively manage what you can’t measure” and suggesting that energy data should not be looked at as of interest solely to DOE. Data-driven energy management, pay-for-performance energy-efficiency program incentives, more-attractive ESCO business models, and transactive energy markets can all be enabled by lighting systems that can report their own energy consumption. The seemingly infinite and multifaced potential of connected
lighting won’t be realized, however, if the products are too difficult to install, set up, and commission. Managing configuration complexity was the subject of a lively panel discussion that featured Dagnachew Birru of Philips Lighting and Kishore Manghnani of Orama talking about self-configuration, and Tom Griffiths of AMS-TAOS reviewing the role chip-scale integrated sensors combined with local intelligence can play. To accomplish all of this, it’s essential that we not only remain open to new value streams, but that we also figure out where and how to collaborate, and not waste time reinventing the wheel. Last week’s meeting in Portland represented key steps toward that collaboration. Twenty years ago, few suspected that voice communication would one day be overshadowed by the myriad other capabilities of today’s smartphones. Lighting may well be headed for a similar fate — so hang on and stay tuned.
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Visible Light Communication communication. The basis of the technology, conceived by Professor Harald Haas of the University of Edinburgh, involves switching LEDs ON and OFF within nanoseconds at a very high frequency. Haas demonstrated the technology at a TED Global talk in 2011 and went on to co-found PureLiFi, a Li-Fi technology OEM for LED manufacturers.
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isible light communication (VLC) is a wireless method that uses light emitted by LEDs to deliver networked, mobile, high-speed communication similar to Wi-Fi, leading to the term Li-Fi. It can be used as standalone solution or in a supplementary role to radiofrequency (RF) or cellular network
As the visible light spectrum is 10,000 times larger than the radio frequency spectrum, VLC is regarded as a solution to RF bandwidth limitations. Industry has generated very high data transmission rates, making it competitive. Though the signal cannot penetrate obstructions such as walls, a direct line of sight is not required as long as long as light is reflected from other surfaces. The LED lighting must
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be ON for the signal to transmit but can be dimmed to very low levels. VLC has an advantage over Wi-Fi in that transmission does not cause electromagnetic interference. Applications are broad, but one application has attracted key interest by major lighting manufacturers Acuity Brands, GE and Philips. That is to say, big box retail. Lighting has long been considered the “silent salesperson” in retail because it facilitates wayfinding and can be used to attract shoppers to key merchandise. VLC introduces a new way to connect retailers and their customers to enhance the shopping experience and improve value. According to Deloitte Consulting LLP, in 2012, more than 60% of mobile shoppers used smart phones while in the store, and 85% of consumers
were using retailers’ native apps or websites during shopping trips. In the solutions being demonstrated by Acuity, GE and Philips, the LED luminaires provide a communication point with shoppers using mobile phones (or camera-enabled tablets) loaded with an app, appealing to a ready market. With VLC, the store’s luminaires communicate with shoppers in two primary ways. First, VLC provides indoor GPS-like location-positioning functionality that enables wayfinding. Shoppers looking for particular items in their shopping list can be guided straight to them. Second, the owner can deliver targeted information to its customers. As a shopper passes a product section in an aisle, for example, their phone can receive coupons, recipes and other information. Philips’ “connected lighting system,”
demonstrated earlier this year at EuroShop and LIGHTFAIR, consists of LED luminaires in a dense network that provides illumination while also functioning as a positioning grid. Each luminaire is identifiable and able to communicate its position to an app on a shopper’s smart device. “The beauty of the system is that retailers do not have to invest in additional infrastructure to house, power and support location beacons for indoor positioning,” says Gerben van der Lugt of Philips. “The light fixtures themselves can communicate this information by virtue of their presence everywhere in the store.” GE partnered with ByteLight to demonstrate “LED infrastructure” that will be available in the next generation of GE LED luminaires. The technology uses a combination of
VLC and Bluetooth for communication. The lighting can communicate with smart phones and tablets with a camera. “GE Lighting’s next generation of LEDs not only will save energy and maintenance costs, they will be a strategic enabler to combining big data with location to deliver a more engaging shopping experience that increases customer loyalty and value,” says Jaime Irick, general manager of North America Professional Solutions, GE Lighting. GE's retail-oriented LED infrastructure using VLC to connect retailers with their customers. GE’s retail-oriented LED infrastructure using VLC to connect retailers with their customers. Acuity Brands partnered with Qualcomm Technologies to
develop a solution based on its eldoLED driver platform. Lumicast determines a mobile user’s location within 10 centimeters, as well as the user’s orientation within the aisle. Like GE and Philips, Acuity is currently engaging top retailers to conduct proof of concept testing. “This new technology allows LED lighting to be an asset for retailers, not only because of the productivity gains, energy savings and environment improvements it provides, but also because of its emerging capacity for enhancing and changing in-store customer experiences,” says Steve Lydecker, senior vice president for Acuity Brands Lighting. “Guiding the shopper through the store based on the shopper’s actual position, visible light communication technology opens the door for retailers to more effectively engage and influence consumers on the retail floor.”
VLC is an exciting development and represents a potential shift in the chief value conversation about retail lighting from light/dollar to how the lighting system can more directly support sales. Based on VLC’s success in big box, more commercial building applications will likely follow. There is also strong potential to incorporate other devices within the LED luminaires, such as sensors, that can be used to capture traffic and buying activity throughout the store, providing valuable analytics for retailers.
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The worldwide standard for home and building control
Web visualization for display and operation of KNX plants IP Control Center – control of lighting, solar protection, heating, ventilation and air conditioning via web-compatible end devices
Ease of operation thanks to straightforward, full-graphic visualization The IP Control Center is a visualization controller of compact design. It features a freely configurable user interface, offering intuitive operation and display of KNX devices. Lighting, solar protection, heating, ventilation and air conditioning can be displayed via web-compatible end devices such as PCs, laptops, smart phones or tablets – matched to user profiles with different access authorities. To handle comprehensive building and room functions, up to 1250 KNX objects are available. In addition, there are powerful application modules for scene control, scheduler programs, alarm reporting and logic functions for use in connection with central control. These modules can be easily matched to holiday schedules, user needs, occupancy times, etc., and can be changed at any time.
Web editor for flexible and intuitive engineering Engineering is straightforward via ETS and the web editor, which is preinstalled for display by any browser. So, no extra software is required. Using the web editor, a wide choice of symbols and operating elements can be arranged per drag-anddrop. The user interface can be configured to meet individual needs by embedding own elements or elements provided by an extensive library. There is a choice of six different styles. Efficient maintenance and commissioning via KNX interface The built-in KNX interface facilitates commissioning of KNX plant. Using an extra router, KNX plant can be maintained from a remote location.
Highlights ■
Ease of operation thanks to full-graphic and individually configurable user interface
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Convenient remote control via web-compatible end devices such as tablets or smart phones
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Straightforward and intuitive engineering via web editor without additional software
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Cost benefit thanks to builtin commissioning interface to KNX plants
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Reduced effort owing to remote maintenance and remote commissioning
www.siemens.com/ip-control-center
Controlling LED Lighting Craig DiLouie, LC recently interviewed Charles Knuffke, WattStopper VP of Systems & Evangelist about controlling LED lighting. The interview is published in its entirety below.
DiLouie: How are LED sources different from traditional sources in terms of controllability and behavior while controlled? Knuffke: “Controllability” may be a confusing term to use, as it could be taken to mean the hardware that controls LED lighting, or it could mean the output of the LED source itself. If the question is about the general controllability of the LED compared to other sources, such as fluorescent or compact fluorescents, for most of the fixtures we encounter LEDs offer excellent controllability. There is little to no startup delay, no issues with flickering, none of the “socket/ballast” compatibility issues we’ve seen with dimmable fluorescents. And as a manufacturer of occupancy sensors, LEDs offer huge benefits over other sources in that there’s is no reduction of lamp life if they are switched on and off repeatedly. That’s why the freezer cases in many grocery stores use LED strips with a short time delay occupancy sensor mounted on the top of the case. As a controls manufacturer, when asked about the controllability of an LED source I’m usually thinking that the question is about the ability to alter the light output of the LED. To answer that I’m going to ask several follow up questions to make sure I’m able to provide the proper hardware to control the LED… How does the manufacturer intend the source to be controlled? To control the LED’s light output, is there an input to for a 0-10V signal, a DMX signal, or a DALI signal? If none of these, does the manufacturer recommend controlling the LED with a forward or reverse phase dimmer? Hopefully the manufacturer has made it clear how to best control
the output of the fixture. DiLouie: What opportunities (and problems) occur as a result of how controllable LED sources are and how they behave while controlled? Knuffke: We’ve seen little issue with the general controllability of LEDs as long as manufacturer’s make it clear what method should be used to dim the fixture. DiLouie: What are the top three technology trends impacting lighting controls for LED sources? Knuffke: 1) The ability to provide dimmable fixtures at price points that meet those for standard on/off or bi-level fixtures. In the case of California, there was considerable concern that the Title 24 Energy Code’s required fluorescent and LED general lighting in spaces over 100 sqft and with general LPDs over .5 w/sqft must be dimmable. Luckily by the time the code took effect, LEDs with dimming capability were so widely available and so cost competitive that meeting this requirement was rarely an issue. I think few folks in California expected the LED revolution to be this far along when the code was being debated. 2) The combination of increased light output while reducing lighting wattage that can be achieved by using LED fixtures. With lighting power being so significantly reduced, other building loads are now being considered for control since they represent a larger portion of the overall electrical usage (such as plug loads). 3) LED fixtures that offer the option to manually or dynamically adjust the Kelvin temperature of their light. While color changing for
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“Architainment” may be applicable for some limited number of spaces (retail for instance), its use in others will probably be limited. If however convincing research can be provided that there are significant health and/or productivity enhancements with “Human Centric Lighting”, we’ll be seeing significant demand for this type of lighting in many spaces – hospitals, education, and commercial spaces. 4) You didn’t ask for a fourth trend, but I couldn’t resist adding the potential for “LiFi” to change our lives in the future. This isn’t a lighting technology – it’s advancing a different technology using light. The idea of using lighting as a
connection point to the building’s IT network, especially if it has the possibility of exceeding speeds currently offered by WiFi is incredibly exciting. DiLouie: LED luminaires are more often installed in new construction, where energy codes mandate a broad palette of lighting controls. This means LED sources and more sophisticated control systems are advancing hand in hand. How has this impacted development of LED products and controls? Knuffke: The biggest impact LEDs have had on controls manufacturers is to
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remind us that there are endless possibilities on where LED applications and technologies will go in the future, and so we’ve got to be open to considering completely different uses for our products. We’ve got to leave the comfort of the control world we’ve known, because there’s no telling where our customers will want to go in the future. I’ve joked in the past that for my first 15 years in the industry (primarily selling relay panels solutions), all I ever had to worry about was creating a smarter timeclock. Compare that to the last five years, when the entire lighting industry has gone fractal by moving in so many different directions primarily based on the new silicon platform. I know very few people who say they know what lies ahead for our industry. The technology has completely changed, and functionality that was either limited or none existent is now being widely promoted. When your business is all about providing controls for LED light sources, there is bound to be quite a few sleepless nights thinking about your company’s roadmap. DiLouie: What should specifiers be doing to go beyond code and take advantage of the controllability of LEDs? Knuffke: Many of us focus on the energy codes, and that means we’re focusing on reducing wattage and ensuring that the lights are off when not needed. This is the road we’ve been on for the last 20+ years. LEDs are having a significant impact on both these as aspects, through their excellent ability to be dimmed, their ability to be turned on and off repeatedly without reducing the life of the fixture, and their higher lighting efficacy. So what is the next road that we’ll be asked to focus on? I’m going to say the next challenges are going to be about data – specifically about getting, sharing, and making visual information about occupancy and power consumption information. Think about it – every building out there has lighting of some sort installed in it. If you
wanted to build an infrastructure to communicate data about how the building is being used, the most logical path to start with is the lighting system. So what should specifiers be doing? Even in areas where there is no mandate to install networked lighting and controls, they should be looking at what is being offered in the marketplace, and start trying out different types of networked lighting and control systems. Get their clients to understand that this is where we’re all going, and that the sooner they start to build competency in integrating their lighting and IT systems, the better off they’ll be. It doesn’t have to be the entire building, but they should be looking at setting aside a few areas in their buildings to prototype advanced lighting and control systems – because soon enough data about what is happening in their buildings is going to be an expectation of every building. DiLouie: LED lamps and to an extent luminaires are being retrofitted into existing buildings. Controls, however, are often left out of conventional lighting retrofits. Has LED penetration into the existing construction market created new opportunities for lighting controls that previously were less available? Knuffke: Absolutely – manufacturers understand that LEDs are the “go to” light source for replacement of existing lamps and luminaires, and so that’s where they’re focusing their efforts. Manufacturers are building fixtures with integrated controls, or making them ready for future control opportunity. The Philips Hue lamp served as a wakeup call to everyone in the industry – here was a single replacement lamp that homeowners could install on their own that included remote controllability and color changeability, at a price premium over standard lamps. It was a single product case study showing that customers would consider lighting and controls as a single package.
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DiLouie: A number of luminaire manufacturers now offer integrated control packages. Is this having an appreciable effect on the lighting controls industry, and if so, what is that effect? What is likely the long term? Knuffke: When multiple manufacturers start offering integrated control packages, it sends a pretty strong message to the marketplace that controls are important. So if controls are important, the question is whether you want to be tied to someone that does controls as a secondary focus, or whether you want to use products from a manufacturer whose primary focus is controls and who can work with any manufacturer of lighting. With manufacturing of Advanced
Networked Lighting Controls now requiring expertise in multiple communication protocols, integration to other systems, and network security, you’ve got to ask who your controls partner will be moving forward – a luminaire manufacturer, or a company who specializes in controls. DiLouie: LED lighting presents such a small load that the economic argument for lighting controls is more likely to be challenged. Assuming an LED future, what energy-saving control strategies are considered essential and therefore likely to endure? Will any fall away due to lack of cost-effectiveness? Knuffke: I doubt that we’ll ever get to a point where the basic elements
in the energy codes will go away – an area control device will always be needed so an occupant can turn their lights off, a shut off device (occupancy sensor for instance) will be needed to turn the fixture off when no one is in the space, and the general lighting will have to have a multi-level requirement which will be no issue with LEDs since they’re easily provided with a dimmable interface. I do believe that other energy code requirements will be reviewed to see if they are still economically viable, and we may see some of these requirements “de-emphasized” or removed, and possibly replaced with other requirements such as demand response and/or the ability for the lighting systems to
provide data to the system owners. DiLouie: With LED, lighting controls can go far beyond energy savings. Lighting controls can respond to individual occupants and completely transform a workspace. What are these capabilities, and how would you characterize demand for them? Knuffke: There are several capabilities that come immediately to mind, with color tuning being at the top of the list. Demand is small right now, but if more research is done to back up possible performance and health benefits, demand will increase significantly. There’s also several discussions about the level of granularity that
should be employed with lighting controls – some folks are pushing for individual fixture control while others believing that zone control (control of multiple fixtures together) make more sense economically. I can state that the first installation of individually controlled fixtures that I was involved in back in 2004 proved to be very difficult for the owner to manage. No one in the building wanted to take responsibility for programming groups and scenes for ~480 individual fixtures (control points) over two relatively small floors. While the engineering staff in a Class A building would be able to manage that sort of a system, who would be able to keep that sort of a control scheme working for a Class B or C type building? Just because something is
possible doesn’t always mean it right for that customer. DiLouie: What should distributors be doing right now to maximize the value they offer to their customers when lighting controls are included in a project? Knuffke: Start by asking their customers what products and control systems they are currently using, and learn everything they can about these systems. Make sure to stock the more commonly used components so if project needs change, no one has to wait for new components to be shipped out from the manufacturer. Controls and Lighting is getting so complex and is changing so rapidly
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that the smarter distributors are appointing product specialists whose responsibility is working closely with the manufacturers and/ or local lighting reps, and then offering training on these topics to their customers. There’s a huge opportunity to become more valuable to their customers (end users and contractors) by being recognized for their product skills and educational programs. We’ve also having to learn entire new ways of comparing products – in the past incandescent were rated according to their wattage, not lumen output. LEDs have completely changed the way we will be talking about lighting, and whenever there is confusion, there is an opportunity for education. DiLouie: If you could tell the entire electrical industry just one thing about controlling LED lighting, what would it be? Knuffke: There’s so much to learn about LEDs, if you haven’t already started learning about them, or plan to immediately, you’re going to be left behind. DiLouie: Is there anything else you’d like to add about this topic? Knuffke: Be careful with current draw on some LED fixtures – the initial draw may be much higher than the fixture’s rating. I was just on a project where a breaker on an inverter kept tripping whenever a string of exterior LED fixtures was turned on. The lighting load was less than the breaker’s rating, so there shouldn’t have been an issue there. The contractor thought the problem was caused by a relay that was controlling the loads, but I explained to them the relay was a dry contact closure and not affecting the circuit at all. They finally called the LED fixture manufacturer and found out that their fixtures had a high inrush current, and that was what was causing the breaker to trip. 54 | January-February 2017 | lightexpress
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