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Chuck Ross
Lighting retrofits will be big business for electrical contractors over the next couple of years. Two standard lighting technologies – T12 fluorescent lamps and most incandescent lamps – are being phased out, so building owners will be looking for new, more efficient alternatives. This gives contractors a great opportunity to introduce those owners to lighting control systems that could lead to even more energy savings.
There are options for simply refitting existing T12 fixtures with electronic ballasts to accept T8 lamps, but a more comprehensive plan, incorporating dimmable fixtures with sensors and controls, could make for more efficient and comfortable interiors. Such plans also could make it easier for owners to participate in demand-side management programs utilities are likely to implement as the smart grid gains traction.
Sensor and control manufacturers are making installation of their devices easier than ever, with new wireless technologies that minimize behind-the-wall wiring requirements. Battery-powered and using radio frequency communication or wireless routers, many of these devices require no wiring at all.
New offerings generally can be clustered into one of three general categories, says Brennan Matthews, national sales manager for Lutron’s Energy Solutions Group. The most basic products include simple, battery-powered daylight and occupancy sensors, like his company’s “Radio Powr Saver,” that use radio frequency to communicate with easily installed, dimmable replacement switches. The next step up enables some basic networking, while top-tier systems tie back to a centralized building management system.
“The market is growing quite quickly,” Brennan says, describing interest Lutron is seeing at all levels of the market. “A lot of it has to do with how energy will shape the design and management of buildings in the future. Whether it’s new construction or retrofit, owners want to get their buildings smart so they can take advantage of incentives coming down the road.”
Photo courtesy of Lutron
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