Achieve efficient management of the lighting system of a building, it is a significant reduction of energy resources while maintaining the required level of light intensity in each zone by use and natural light conditions.
This helps achieve LEED where management strategies lighting system represents one of the conditions for obtaining LEED credits as specified by the standard.
In the lighting control system mainly involved three types of products:
- Light Actuators
- Presence and Brightness sensors
- Switches, Controllers or Room Controllers
KNX Light Actuators are responsible for bringing the level of each luminaire luminous intensity defined both by the user, from the button, or automatically based on the parameters set for each control zone.
KNX Presence and Brightness sensors are responsible for measuring and sending the presence and levels of light intensity in each area, the associated control mechanism, so that if certain thresholds are exceeded the order is sent to the actuators to adjust the necessary luminosity defined automatically.
Switches, Controllers or KNX Room Controllers are responsible for providing user control of the lighting system, with its keypads and displays represent the values in both states Lights (On/Off, % dimming) and other useful variables as: level of light intensity.
Thanks to these three control elements can be established control policies, based on automatic controls depending of the presence and/or natural light while giving the user control if they want to change specific situations.
LEED STRATEGIES INFLUENCE
26 LEED POINTS |
1 POINT BY KNX |
Sustainable sites
A.1. Maintain site lighting to prevent light pollution
Savings from lighting according to requirements.
The indoor lighting systems, are a source of light pollution, which can be adjusted to try to minimize its impact on the building's exterior. This can be achieved, for example by constant regulation mechanisms which render the minimum artificial lighting making the most of natural lighting. Similarly, the automatic lights off for lack of presence represents a reduction of consumption while avoiding unnecessary emissions abroad.
In all aspects related to lighting, the KNX standard offers powerful solutions that enable complete lighting control (lighting power, automatic control,...), where possibilities of time and calendar schedules are included.
Code | Name | Points |
---|---|---|
SSc8 | Light Pollution Reduction | 1 |
35 LEED POINTS | 19 POINTS BY KNX |
Energy & Atmosphere
C.1. Use free energy
Energy savings in lighting
The use of natural light in the building, is possible thanks to the control systems, dealing optimize the use of artificial lighting automatically controlled by presence and brightness sensors that regulate the intensity of artificial light sources as studied in E.5 and E.7 strategies.
The KNX standard allows for a range of global strategies in the use of energy as well as its monitoring to get as many points as possible within the credit EAc1. The lighting control system can produce very significant savings, which have a direct impact on obtaining LEED points.
Code | Name | Points |
---|---|---|
EAc1 | Optimize energy perfomance | 19 |
14 LEED POINTS |
1 POINT BY KNX |
Materials & Resources
D.1. Design smaller, more flexible homes and buildings
Buildings can be designed more rationally to save energy
Room Controllers allow you to manage easy and intuitive way the different functions of a building: lighting, motorized blinds, alarm, air conditioning, audiovisual and consumption control from a single device per room. Some models include thermostat and temperature probe, so that you can control the climate of the room. It is also possible to display on your display each button controls and thermostat is programmed.
Sensors and traditional temperature probe can be replaced by multifunction sensors to carry out control mechanisms more precise and integrated with fewer elements, using multi-sensors that measure various magnitudes and keep track of multiple systems like presence and brightness sensors, capable of measuring more than a magnitude on the same device, some even with temperature probe included. With separate virtual channels for lighting control, alarm or weather.
The KNX standard allows the installation of devices that work with wireless technology can help avoid the waste of certain non-structural elements, either by design or cultural reasons.
Code | Name | Points |
---|---|---|
MRc1.2 | Building reuse – maintain interior nonstructural elements | 1 |
15 LEED POINTS |
2 POINTS BY KNX |
Energy & Atmosphere
E.5. Give occupants lighting control
Avoiding the use of lighting in empty rooms implies saving a considerable amount of energy
With KNX Room Controllers the different functions of a building can be managed easily and intuitively: lighting, motorised blinds, alarms, HVAC, audiovisuals and consumption control. The brightness control can range from a simple on or off to the control of light intensity or even light colour (RGB). From these devices the user has full control of the lighting system, and they can easily be reprogrammed according to the desired behaviour.
KNX Presence and motion sensors can be integrated in the lighting control system, based on automatic lighting in walking or common areas (e.g. switching on lights on stairs) or progressively switching off when there is a lack of presence for a certain time(e.g. switching off lights in an area without presence for 2 hours).
KNX Actuators, dimmers and RGB ballasts enable the control of each light from the control system, either directly or by means of gateways to specialised control protocols: DALI or DMX (Digital Multiplex).
The lighting control system is always in the user's hands: they can, for example, switch on, switch off and adjust the intensity and colour, activate and block unwanted automatic behaviours for an estimated time.
Code | Name | Points |
---|---|---|
EQc6.1 | Controllability of systems – lighting | 1 |
E.7. Daylighting
Using the adequate and necessary amount of light helps to reduce lighting-related energy expenditure, which is usually quite high
If the interior brightness average is available via sensors, it is feasible to adjust the artificial light depending on the amount of natural light. The control system is able to perform this type of constant light adjustment in response to the defined comfort and usage policies.
The constant light adjustment may be achieved with brightness and presence sensors and the proper programming in the control system, which has to take into account the placement of these sensors in relation to the artificial light source and the natural light, and measure the combination of both, to calibrate the measured effect and to perform a more precise control.
As already indicated in strategy E.5, there are a great variety of actuators and light dimmers, particularly in KNX, for each type of load (fluorescent, halogen or LED, among others). Should one want to carry out a system of constant light regulation, the light intensity of the load (dimmers) must be adjustable in order to bring the light intensity to the right balance making the most of natural light.
KNX are devices that measure the lighting levels (lux) and are used to influence lights in order to, for example, apply a constant type control. This type of control adjusts the lighting strengths to the lights following compensation criteria according to the light coming in from outside.
Code | Name | Points |
---|---|---|
EQc8.1 | Thermal comfort – daylight | 1 |
PARTNER CONTROL SOLUTIONS