Electric lighting controls are used in lighting design projects to achieve a high quality energy efficient lighting system. Specifying a layered, daylight-integrated lighting and control system gives the occupants control of the lighting while providing appropriate lighting levels, minimizing glare, balancing surface brightness, and enhancing the surrounding architecture.
The University of Toronto’s new “electronic classroom” combines familiar audiovisual equipment, such as slide projectors and VCRs, with such sophisticated equipment as a multi-sync data/video projection system and multi-scene preset dimming controls. Instructors can now electronically enhance their lectures with an integrated user-friendly presentation system.
Personal Control Systems Information
- Johnson Controls Personal Environments®
- Lutron GRAFIK Eye 3000—Preset Lighting Controls
- WattStopper/Legrand®—RF Lighting Control System
The table below provides control ideas for several different room types and usage patterns. Some additional links to help on manufacturers’ web sites are provided below the table.
| Space Type | Typical Use Pattern | If… | Then… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafeterias or Lunchrooms | Occasionally occupied | Daylighted | Consider daylight-driven dimming or on/off control |
| Occupied occasionally | Consider ceiling-mounted occupancy sensor(s). Make sure minor motion will be detected in all desired locations. | ||
| Classroom | Usually occupied | Multiple tasks like overhead projectors, chalkboard, student note taking and reading, class demonstrations | Consider manual dimming |
| Occasionally occupied | Occupied by different groups of students and teachers daily | Consider ceiling- or wall-mounted occupancy sensor(s) and manual dimming. Make sure that minor motion will be detected. | |
| Lights left on after hours | Consider centralized controls and/or occupancy sensors. | ||
| Computer Room | Usually unoccupied | Lights are left on all the time | Consider occupancy sensors with manual dimming. Be sure that minor motion will be detected and that equipment vibration will not falsely trigger the sensor. |
| Conference Room | Occasionally occupied | Multi-tasks from video-conferencing to presentations | Consider manual dimming (possibly preset scene control) |
| Small conference room | Consider a wall box occupancy sensor | ||
| Large conference room | Consider ceiling- or wall-mounted occupancy sensor(s). Be sure that minor motion will be detected in all desired locations. | ||
| Gymnasium or Fitness | Usually occupied | Requires varied lighting levels for activities | Consider manual dimming and occupancy sensors. Be sure that the HVAC system will not falsely trigger the sensor. |
| Occasionally occupied | Requires varied lighting levels for activities | Consider ceiling- and wall-mounted passive infrared occupancy sensors. Be sure that the coverage areas of the sensors are sufficiently overlapped to keep the lights on when the room is occupied. | |
| Hallways | Any | Occasionally or usually occupied | Consider occupancy sensors with elongated throw. Be sure that coverage does not extend beyond the desired area. |
| Daylighted | Consider daylight on/off control. | ||
| Health Care—Examination Rooms | Occasionally occupied | Different lighting needs for examination | Consider manual dimming. |
| Small areas | Consider a wall box occupancy sensor. | ||
| Health Care—Hallways | Usually occupied | Daylighted | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming. |
| Requires lower lighting level at night | Consider centralized controls to lower lighting levels at night. | ||
| Health Care—Patient Rooms | Usually occupied | Different lighting needs for watching television, reading, sleeping, and examination | Consider manual dimming. Occupancy sensors may not be appropriate. |
| Hotel Rooms | Occasionally occupied | Used primarily in the late afternoon through evening for sleeping and relaxing | Consider manual dimming. |
| Laboratories | Usually occupied | Daylighted | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming in combination with occupancy sensors. |
| Laundry Rooms | Occasionally occupied | Requires high light levels, yet lights are usually left on | Consider occupancy sensors. |
| Libraries—Reading Areas | Usually occupied | Daylighted | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming. Occupancy sensors may be appropriate. |
| Lights left on after hours | Consider centralized controls. | ||
| Libraries—Stack Areas | Occasionally occupied | Stacks are usually unoccupied | Consider ceiling-mounted sensor(s). |
| Lobby or Atrium | Usually occupied but no one “owns” the space | Daylighted and lights should always appear on | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming. |
| It isn’t a problem if lights go completely off in high daylight | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming or on/off control. | ||
| Lights are left on all night long, even when no one is in the area for long periods | Consider occupancy sensors. Be sure that minor motion will be detected in all desired areas. | ||
| Office, Open | Usually occupied | Daylighted | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming. |
| Varied tasks from computer usage to reading | Consider manual dimming. | ||
| Lights left on after hours | Consider centralized controls and/or occupancy sensors. | ||
| Office, Private | Primarily one person, coming and going | Daylighted | Consider manual dimming, automatic daylight-driven dimming, or automatic on/off. |
| Occupants are likely to leave lights on and occupants would be in direct view of a wall box sensor | Consider a wall box occupancy sensor. Add dimming capabilities if appropriate. | ||
| Occupants are likely to leave lights on and partitions or objects could hide an occupant from the sensor | Consider a ceiling- or wall-mounted occupancy sensor. Add dimming capabilities if appropriate. | ||
| Photocopying, Sorting, Assembling | Occasionally occupied | Lights are left on when they are not needed | Consider an occupancy sensor. Be sure that machine vibration will not falsely trigger the sensor. |
| Restaurant | Usually occupied | Daylighted | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming. |
| Requires different lighting levels throughout the day | Consider manual dimming (possibly preset scene dimming). | ||
| Requires different lighting levels for cleaning | Consider centralized control. | ||
| Restroom | Any | Has stalls | Consider a ceiling-mounted ultrasonic occupancy sensor for full coverage. |
| Single toilet (no partitions) | Consider a wall switch occupancy sensor. | ||
| Retail Store | Usually occupied | Daylighted | Consider automatic daylight-driven dimming |
| Different lighting needs for retail sales, stocking, cleaning | Consider centralized controls or preset scene dimming control. | ||
| Warehouse | Aisles are usually unoccupied | Daylighted | Consider daylight-driven dimming or daylight on/off control. |
| Lights in an aisle can be turned off when the aisle is unoccupied | Consider ceiling-mounted occupancy sensors with elongated throw. Select a sensor that will not detect motion in neighboring aisles, even when shelves are lightly loaded. |