A new DesignLights Consortium study, Economic Potential of Networked Lighting Controls in Commercial Buildings: Tapping the Added Value of HVAC Connections supports the savings potential of NLCs and encourages pairing them with HVAC systems in large buildings.
The study commissioned by the DLC and conducted by NV5, a provider of technology, conformity assessment and consulting solutions, assessed the potential for energy savings in two scenarios. The first was one in which LED luminaires were paired with NLCs at the time of original installation, and the second a “Controls-Ready Replacement” situation that assumed LED fixtures are designed to allow for the future addition of NLCs. The study found savings potential in both situations, with the most benefits associated with integration of lighting with HVAC in commercial buildings. Further, the benefits could prove so significant, a noticeable impact could be made on utility efficiency program budgets (according to the study’s northeast and southwest regional models). The full study is posted to the DLC website; find it at www.designlights.org.