Educational sessions at LightSPEC West allow attendees to earn CEU credits from subject-matter experts well-versed in architectural lighting-related topics. Join more than 1,100 registered attendees at LightSPEC West, to be held April 17-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center, and gain valuable knowledge of trending technologies. Also peruse displays by Southern California agencies and national lighting manufacturers of their latest architectural lighting offerings on the exhibit floor.
Among the courses scheduled is “Building Brilliance: Integrated Controls for Smart and Healthy Spaces,” a one-hour session presented by Angela Pilant, a senior lighting specialist at Evergreen Consulting Group. She offered insights in advance of her session — which looks at the role luminaire-level lighting controls (LLLC) can play — on April 18. Our interview was edited.
LightSPEC: What are some key takeaways from your presentation?
Pilant: This presentation provides an overview of the extensive capabilities that LLLCs offer. LLLCs are ideal for both simple installations and complex multi-system controls. Participants will learn how the LLLC platform creates opportunities to monitor and adjust the quality of light, ventilation, thermal health, safety and security. The session will include case studies from buildings that have successfully installed LLLCs and integrated systems to create smart and healthier spaces focused on occupants.
LS: What are some common uses for luminaire-level lighting controls?
Pilant: LLLCs combine LEDs, controls, connectivity and data for a flexible lighting product that can improve occupant comfort and space utilization, and save substantially on energy use. LLLCs are distinct from other lighting control systems because they have sensors and controls embedded within individual fixtures. LLLCs can be controlled remotely and allow users to adjust the lighting configuration easily without replacing the fixtures. This makes them ideal for both interior and exterior applications — spaces such as warehouses, educational facilities, offices, healthcare, retail, production and parking lots/garages.
LS: What benefits can someone expect from installing luminaire-level lighting controls?
Pilant: The individual control that LLLCs offer means that a facility now has a future-proofed dynamic lighting system that can adapt at a moment’s notice due to unforeseen events as well as be adjusted to fit the needs of whatever is happening in the space. This creates granular control for specific tasks or effects that can also provide up to 75 percent energy savings!
Each fixture can communicate with each other without additional wiring, eliminating the time-consuming effort typically required to provide this level of controllability. From a maintenance perspective, it means you can adjust light levels, color temperature and real-time occupancy levels for HVAC adjustments so you can meet an individual’s or a group's preferences. All of this makes people more comfortable in their environment, which can significantly increase productivity.
LightSPEC West is a unique in-person event for anyone involved in the design, production, distribution, specification and application of solid-state lighting products and systems, for indoor and outdoor environments, in commercial, institutional and residential building types. Sponsoring agencies include Light, a 2024 premier lighting agency, and Forman & Associates.
Registration for LightSPEC West is free until April 1. Learn more and register at lightspecwest.com.
