The goal of this project is to develop a photosensor and lighting control system that is optimized for common classroom electric lighting solutions (recessed and pendant lighting) and daylighting configurations (side-lighting only, top-lighting only, side- and top-lighting), that can be simply and easily commissioned, and that effectively operates with manual controls and occupancy sensors.

Approach

The approach taken in this project will be to:

• Review the state-of-the-art photosensor technologies, including the LRC's photosensor system, if possible, and characterize the performance of models from The Watt Stopper.
• Identify the necessary photosensor performance characteristics for spatial and spectral sensitivity, electronic control algorithm, commissioning, and compatibility with other control devices (manual switches, occupancy sensors, dimming ballasts) using computer simulations and knowledge from leading researchers.
• Build pre-production product prototypes.
• Evaluate the prototypes in laboratory and field installations.
• Share the project results with the public-at-large.
• Apply knowledge gained to the development of a new family of daylighting controls.

Publications

Currently, the following reports are available for this project:

• State of the Art Report (233 KB) - This report discusses the current state of the art in the design of photocontrol systems to provide continuous daylight responsive dimming, particularly in classroom applications.
• Photosensor Specification (219 KB) - This report summarizes the functional specifications for a new daylighting control system intended for use in a classroom.
• Photosensor Simulations - This study addresses a number of different important issues related to photosensor system performance. The simulations involve six common California classroom configurations.
  • Main Report (1.3 MB)
  • Appendix A (7.7 MB)
  • Appendix B (123 KB)

Contact Information

For more information on this project, please contact:

Francis Rubinstein
(510) 486-4096
FMRubinstein@lbl.gov

Sponsor Information

This project is sponsored by the California Energy Commission. For more information, please see the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) website.

This project is being completed in collaboration with The Watt Stopper, Inc. For more information, please visit their website.