Light Management System: Three Emerging Trends in Lighting Control
A light management system is essential for facility managers and building operators to manage electric light and daylight, to not only save energy and simplify operations but also advance the comfort and efficiency of the people in your building. Whether retrofit or a new construction project, light management represents the single greatest opportunity for energy savings in commercial buildings.
Here are three emerging trends that will shape the future of the light management system:
- Integrated control. The integrated control of both electric light and daylight is a powerful new tool for design professionals, helping them to create buildings that improve sustainability. A light management system to control the lighting levels in a building will also impact the performance, comfort, and productivity of its occupants, especially when using fluorescent dimming and personal lighting control in the workplace, according to a study by the Light Right Consortium.
- High-efficiency light sources. The increased use of high-efficiency light sources such as compact fluorescents and LED’s, along with the green movement, are having a big impact on lighting control. Many people now have a strong desire to be energy efficient for social responsibility reasons, even when cost isn’t a factor. Any light management system you implement should be able to match that ambition.
- Dynamic lighting systems. An example of this is the New York Times Building, where departments set their own light levels and artificial light is used as a supplement to daylight. Besides the annual savings implementing a light management system, the environment also benefits, especially from large buildings like this one, where about 1250 metric tons of CO² emissions are prevented each year.
Besides ergonomics and economic efficiency, your lighting management system should also create added value in terms of aesthetics. The lighting in your building should add beauty to your surroundings, a goal you can attain only if you have a superior light management system.