Lighting Control

Retrofitting standard metal halide hi-bay fixtures to fluorescent hi-bay fixtures can generate energy cost savings of about 50 percent. How does reducing the resulting energy consumption by another 30+ percent sound—made possible by switching to fluorescent?
While tapping what remains arguably the hottest lighting retrofit market, distributors should understand the full advantages of fluorescent over probe-start metal halide, such instant-on and re-strike, which enables the use of switching strategies typically not practical with HID light sources.
Example: An occupancy sensor installed in each fixture senses a lack of occupancy in the area, or a photosensor senses high light levels due to daylight contribution, and either switches off the fixture or its outboard lamp. This provides a choice of energy savings and, if desired, flexible selection of light levels.
An additional 30-80 percent energy savings using occupancy sensors and 10-30 percent savings using daylighting controls can be achieved in a hi-bay fluorescent upgrade, says John Ireland, OEM channel manager for Watt Stopper/Legrand.
Mike Connolly, market development manager for Lithonia Lighting - Industrial Products, says inboard/outboard switching—achieved by separating circuiting ballasts within the same fixture, enabling 0/50/100 percent and 0/33/66/100 percent lamp output/power—is an inexpensive way to gain the benefits of flexibility from the lighting system. “For example, in a gym, light levels can be lowered for school productions or other needs outside of athletics,” he says. “Multi-lamp fluorescent fixtures offer many light level possibilities for user control, daylight harvesting and other applications.”
Occupancy sensing is the predominant strategy, particularly in applications such as distribution centers, warehouses and bulk storage areas. “Any area of 50 percent or less usage levels will accelerate the project’s payback period—even with relatively modest electric rates of $0.07 per kWh,” says Connolly. To optimize lamp life, particularly when the fixtures have high switching activity—more than six on/off cycles per day—programmed-start ballasts and a minimum 15-minute sensor time delay are recommended.
Passive-infrared (PIR) technology is standard in occupancy sensors used in hi-bay applications. “Besides its low cost, most spaces in hi-bay applications are within the line of sight of the sensor, large motion is usually being detected, and little adjustment is required after installation,” says Tom Leonard, director, marketing and product management for Leviton Lighting Management Systems. In hi-bay applications, the sensor may have a lens that provides 360-degree coverage for open areas or a narrow linear coverage for warehouse aisles

Reduce Energy consumption

Priority Energy lights a regional award winning tennis complex
Date Announced: 05 May 2009
Hillcrest Racquet Club is one of the top tennis facilities in the North Eastern United States being awarded the club of the year 2008 by the USTA Middle States, operating in Reading, Pennsylvania. Hillcrest Racquet Club was looking to find a lighting solution to reduce their monthly demand for lighting while improving the light output for the tennis courts and the general area. The project has completed the first phase of the general area using the U-tube replacement, 4ft replacement, PAR 30 and the medium Incandescent replacement LED lights of Priority Energy. The second phase of the project will be to convert the court lighting from the 1,000W Metal Halides. The major concern of the tennis club was to ensure the best color of light as well as to have sufficient light output throughout the large 10 court facility. Priority Energy installation was to replace 4 fluorescent products with 3 of the 15W LED products achieving higher light output and the track lighting for the Pro Shop. "Hillcrest Racquet Club are thrilled with their new lights knowing that they have been one of the first sports facilities to have a higher quality light while reducing their huge monthly operational costs of their lighting which represent 80% of their electrical bill." said Paul Prior CEO of Priority Energy. Hillcrest Racquet Club have not only reduced their monthly electricity bill already by $500 per month but have also reduced their carbon footprint by 760 MT. "We expect that with the completion of phase 2, Hillcrest Racquet Club will see a 65% reduction in their electrical bill each month." added Mr. Prior.
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