HVAC Control in the New Millennium.pdf - HVAC.Amickracing

Energy and Power Management, Distributed Control TrendsEnergy Efficient LightingBuildings need new ways to reduce energy costs while maintainingquality lighting for different facilities. A large portion of facility utilitycosts are devoted to lighting. Recent light innovations and energyconservation programs are helping to facilitate this task. Technologicaladvances in lamps, ballasts, and lighting controls, such as improvedmetal halide systems with pulse start ballasts are transforming this sectorof energy saving.Lighting upgrades save energy dollars. Many facilities suffer fromoutdated lighting components that are nearing the end of their life.Ballasts may be 20 years old and their life expectancy was 15 years.More efficient buildings are the goal of energy conservation organizations,such as the Energy Efficient Lighting Association (EELA). Itspecializes in effective retrofitting and the latest lighting technology. TheEELA was launched in 1997 and is based in Princeton Junction, NJ.EELA sponsors conferences and is supported by lighting service companies.EELA helps facilities managers achieve energy-saving goals withan array of lighting products. By funding lighting retrofits, energy servicescompanies (ESCOs) also help to achieve energy reduction.In a study for a large hospital, EELA recommended a lighting retrofitwith electronic ballasts and energy-efficient lamps. A local utilitycompany offered a rebate that covered a portion of the costs. A few yearslater, the hospital found that it had saved several hundred thousanddollars in energy costs.Companies such as Prescolite are incorporating feedback from installers,end-users, and design professionals in energy-efficient lightproduct design. One example is energy-saving universal voltage ballaststhat accept multiple wattages and lamp types. These are beneficial tofacilities managers and installers.Other developments for innovative solutions include advances indimming ballasts for compact fluorescent lamps with direct digital dimmingand end-of-life circuitry. Microprocessor control technology inballasts is also reducing energy costs and providing flexibility for endusers.This is the future in dimming control technology.Buildings can be improved with updated ballast technology andgroup relamping. Group relamping is the opposite of spot relampingand it saves on maintenance, as well as utility costs. Many facilities at-©2001 by The Fairmont Press, Inc. All rights reserved.