“Overall, we were looking to balance aesthetics, comfort, affordability, energy savings and productivity,” Hecht says. “From an architect’s point of view, [lighting-control systems] are ideal for reducing energy while maintaining a high quality of light and helping to meet a budget.”
Energy Savings and More
Lighting-control systems used in the Bently Building include digitally addressable ballasts, environmental sensors and wall controls. They allow for highly individualized workspaces and let facility mangers control the system as a whole.
“Every light is addressable by the system, which gives a building engineer the opportunity to individually adjust every single light,” Hecht notes.
And that’s exactly what Hecht did. He mapped out every light source on a spreadsheet and a color-coded floor plan and created a “light control intent” for the entire space with a goal of reducing energy use by 45 percent. An optimal light level was set for individual spaces using energy efficient high-end trim to manage energy use. For example, walkway lighting was capped at 50 percent of the maximum level. Private lighting ranged from 10 percent for offices with windows to 90 percent for interior offices.
“One of the remarkable things about this project was that from the very beginning, the use of daylight drove the entire design,” Hecht explains. “We couldn’t have harvested the daylight properly and made the space a productive, energy-saving one without the lighting system.”
Sensors and programmed controls automatically and gradually adjust the level of electric lights in direct response to changes in available daylight. This ensures appropriate levels of light without human intervention and also minimizes energy costs related to lighting. Occupancy sensors in conference rooms ensure lights are off when a room is empty and roller-shading systems help integrate daylight and artificial light when the room is being used. At the end of the day, the building system turns off all lights.
Worker productivity and satisfaction is preserved despite the automated nature of the system. Individual workspace lighting can be controlled manually with engraved faceplates, allowing Energy Foundation employees to increase or decrease light levels to their preference, which in turn enhances the foundation’s ability to carry out its mission of shedding light on global energy problems and solutions.
“One of the nicest things about the workspace is the light here,” says John Wilson, the foundation’s building program director. “We get a tremendous amount of daylight, and that could be a problem if the accompanying overhead and task lighting wasn’t handled properly. A great deal of thought has gone into the light design. And because people can easily control their own lighting, they are very satisfied with their individual spaces.”