Blog

Our Top 5 Tips for reducing energy with lighting controls

November 17, 2022

A lighting control system is an investment, and like all good investments, it should work for you. This is exactly why we offer all our maintenance contract customers an annual, on-site review of system performance.

Our expert team of solution engineers review hundreds of sites and tenant fit outs a year to keep that investment working well for our customers. Here are our 5 most popular deployed control changes from these reviews to help to reduce energy consumption:

1. Keep lighting control group sizes small for the space

  • Smaller control groups, particularly in open plan offices, means you can reduce the number of lights in use to just those that are needed
  • This is best reviewed once spaces have been in use for at least a year, as it’s crucial that any control changes work for the occupants without causing irritation

2. Have the smallest presence/absence timeouts that you can in every space

  • Small spaces like meeting rooms or phone booths can get away with as little as 5 minutes as a presence time out
  • Timeouts in larger spaces need to be practical for the application and the size of the control group; bear in mind where the presence devices are located as well – a physical survey is always advised for these decisions as control devices may have been moved around over time to accommodate churns to a space

3. Cap dimmable general lighting wherever you can to the lowest output that occupants are happy with

  • By proxy, most spaces are designed in an over lit state for day one occupation because lighting designs usually account for a required lux level in “x” number of years, among other factors
  • With an addressable control system with the toolsets that those like a Simmtronic system offers, the FM team can easily and gradually reduce the general lighting’s output level so that the changes are minimally noticeable whilst helping with the savings

4. Utilise daylight wherever possible

  • Measuring data and capturing photocell readings with software such as Simmtronic’s Illuminance Capture tool, allows for efficient energy saving from daylight harvesting – dimming artificial light when natural daylight is available
  • The annual measurements provide data for constant illuminance adjustment, continually providing the required level of illumination without over lighting
  • With the latest Simmtronic software suite, the system auto captures data where an astronomical clock is in use. It knows the time of the sun setting and adjust lighting accordingly for occupant comfort and lighting energy use
    Note: all software upgrades for Processors are included for maintenance contract customers

5. Get clever with time programmes

  • Explore options for reducing presence detector time outs within certain time periods, for example with security walk rounds and out of working hours to bring on lighting only when and where needed
  • Use the time control calendar options to allow overrides, cancellations, and alterations to time programmes

These adaptions are simple to implement and highly effective in reducing energy with your lighting controls with minimal impact on occupants.
To talk to one of our specialist and make steps to reducing your energy, get in contact today, our team will be happy to help.

Ph: 01992 450 126
Email: SALES@SIMMTRONIC.COM

Thank you Simmtronic, for your professional, fast and reactive support with the delivery of these projects.

Adam Scadding

EDDS Limited

Simmtronic have delivered a large number of technically challenging projects for DBS and consistently continued to provide outstanding service. Their support, guidance and help throughout the process has been exceptional, working closely with our design teams to ensure the right solution for the project and a sound understanding of the brief, with our delivery teams to ensure the installation and commissioning are trouble free and then providing fantastic after care to the customer. They have added true engineered value into the projects they have been involved in for Derry Building Services.

Geoff Caborn

Derry Building Services

Simmtronic have been a valued member of the DBS supply chain for over 10 years. Their pro-active and collaborative approach to lighting controls from the design stage, through to commissioning is highly valued by both our Design and Delivery Engineers.

Matt Hallam

Derry Building Services

Over the years I have really appreciated the Simmtronic ability to provide responsive support and listening to projects and clients needs. More recently the Simmtronic team has shown the capability to embrace the connectivity requirements of the Internet of Things by quickly adding MQTT to their range of integration protocols. This will greatly facilitate telemetry applications in buildings and the development of interconnected solutions that will make buildings more usable and easier to operate.

Francesco Anselmo

Arup

Landsec have consistently used Simmtronic Lighting Control Systems across our new London developments for over 15 years. Simmtronic understand our requirements and get involved at the very early stages of schemes, assisting consultants in achieving the optimum design solution, often taking the lead.  They always overcome the programme challenges they are faced with on site, delivering a quality, fully tested and operational solution, on time and to budget. Simmtronic undertake the maintenance and servicing across much of our London portfolio, they have a customer focused and flexible approach that suits the needs of our business and as well as our customers.

Mark Ponzini

LandSec

Simmtronic as an organisation has been, for the last 18 years, by far the best performing and most reliable lighting control system I use. From design through to commissioning and soft landings with the landlord teams Simmtronic always deliver on my projects. Simmtronic technology evolution is not just pushed through like others, but rather properly tested internally first, giving us as client teams the assurance that what Simmtronic say they can offer is 100% delivered, an absolute must with fast track major projects.

Alan Williamson

Multiplex

Simmtronic has constantly been available at an early stage to engage both with the designers and the Contracting team to assist with design solutions and to test options. This ultimately assists us in de-risking the project during the commissioning phase which usually defines when the project is completed. Simmtronic is seen as ‘industry standard’ and it is always encouraging to see them involved.

Jo Benson

Derwent London