Energy saving lighting solutions

AlanWirral · Dec 13, 2011

Hey guys,

Could do with a bit of advice if anyone has the time

I'm currently looking at 2 projects which both require the saving of energy in regards to lighting. One is an existing install and one being a new one ish.

Now the existing building is a student accomodation, 3 floors with staircases either side of the building. Each floor has approx 8 single rooms, 2 bathrooms, one lounge and a kitchen.

The new building will consist of approx a hundred rooms with corridors and lounge areas aswell as bathrooms.

With only being primarily a domestic spark i've only dabbled in energy saving ie LED GU10's and the odd motion sensor on landings etc in peoples homes.

One problems i'm having in the existing install is the stairwells. Somone in the past has blanked off the light switches on each floor meaning the lights are on perm. in the switch boxes they have linked out the commons with 2 switch wires going out. Emergency key switches are in place. In another property they have done the same and used Elkay Columbus Push Button Switches so i may just use these again..although a recent mechanical failure on one has put me off!

I suppose the thing i cant get my head around is the problem of the students leaving the lights on as this is eating the power.

The hallways are simple enough in both old and new as i can fit the push buttons or at least electronic ones with slaves if i can find 2 way items, but in the bedrooms and bathrooms i get stuck.

The buggers just leave the lights on EVERYWERE! My initial plan is to have a switch in the room controlling a 60W sensor light like this

Motion Sensor Light - IP20 - Kanlux PIRES DL-600

That way they can disable the light at bedtimes and not be able to leave them on BUT the max time they can be on for is 12 minutes :-/ i can't see them waving there arms about every 12 minutes to keep the lights on! Is there a better alternative out there?

Any help much appreciated...

topquark · Dec 13, 2011

How is the stairwell lit currently? Is there a luminaire on each floor of the stairwell, or is it on the intermediate landing between floors (the latter requiring two way pir switching from each floor)?

I'm guessing that the stairwells are also the means of emergency egress from the building as well so you will have to watch the light levels provided.

AlanWirral · Dec 13, 2011

Yep that's right mate, one light on each level part of the stairs. Above each door with an emergency bulkhead and one on the wall at each turning point. FYI there simple 4pin 28w energy saving fittings. They are dropping like flies though being on so much! Is the fire escape route the reason the are wired so?

topquark · Dec 13, 2011

AlanWirral said:
Yep that's right mate, one light on each level part of the stairs. Above each door with an emergency bulkhead and one on the wall at each turning point. FYI there simple 4pin 28w energy saving fittings. They are dropping like flies though being on so much! Is the fire escape route the reason the are wired so?

Yep, it makes it a little easier to feed the maintained emergency lighting as well. Otherwise if it's done on the stairway between floors (which I've also seen) you'd need independent PIR's on each floor which would get complicated as you'd need to use contactors. If the building had for example 3 floors and you came out onto the middle floor you'd have to light the two stairway lights (one going down, one going up) from that PIR.

In that case you can probably get away with a combined light and PIR unit like you proposed (otherwise it's often better to use separate PIR and luminaire). You'll need to look at the lighting requirement for the area to be covered to ensure that you will get enough light.