Lutron Electronics has announced that it will supply customers with data loggers that can be used to monitor the lighting and personnel use of a space, and in turn enable reliable projections of the value that controls could add to a lighting retrofit project. The data can be directly tied to energy savings that can be realized through the use of controls, and Lutron will supply the small data-acquisition devices for free to customers that register qualifying projects.
Lutron has documented a number of lighting projects where controls deliver substantial savings beyond what can be achieved by energy-efficient light sources alone. For example, case studies released late last year covered shared commercial work areas and hotel rooms. Moreover, autonomous controls have been documented to deliver huge savings in sparsely used spaces such as stairwells and corridors.
The data logger loaner program will allow lighting designers and specifiers to document the potential savings up front when presenting an end customer with options on a lighting project. "Identifying areas of lighting control opportunity beyond code requirements will not only save energy but further reduce energy bills," said Brian Donlon, sales vice-president for North America at Lutron. "We're confident the results of this program will surprise and delight building owners and end-users at all levels."
The data loggers are matchbox-size devices made by Onset Computer. The battery-powered HOBO loggers can be installed in minutes and employed autonomously. Meanwhile, the specification team can download the occupancy or light-level data at any time using a PC and a USB connection.
Lutron believes that its program will offer project managers, contractors, lighting designers, and other specifiers with a competitive advantage. The data loggers will deliver facts that justify the addition of controls to a project.
Specifiers that are interested in the loaner program must establish a customer account with Lutron and share the basic details of the project where they want to deploy the loggers. Upon approval, Lutron will supply the number of units deemed necessary for the project and suggests that two to four weeks of data are required for accurate projections.
