Research Tracker

Working with project partners from the Seattle Lighting Design Laboratory, the Lighting Research Center (LRC) will identify a suitable outdoor lighting installation in a parking lot and conduct evaluations of energy and power use, visual responses of people in and approaching the outdoor location, and subjective ratings of safety and personal security while viewing and occupying the location. The design of the lighting installation will utilize published research on the spectral sensitivity of the human visual system for scene brightness perception and on the relationships between scene brightness and perception of safety and security previously published by the LRC project team. The proposed project will consist of a full-scale outdoor lighting demonstration at a parking lot facility within BPA service territory. The demonstration will be based on a proposed specification method for maximizing perceptions of safety and security of occupants, taking advantage of the differential spectral (color) sensitivity of the human visual system for brightness perception at nighttime light levels. Sensations of brightness are in turn strongly related to perceptions of personal safety and security in outdoor locations. It is anticipated that using white light sources such as a lighting emitting diode (LED) illumination in place of conventional high pressure sodium (HPS) illumination energy savings of 40-50% will be possible while maintaining perceptions of brightness, safety, and security.

In this project, the Lighting Research Center (LRC) of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will expand on preliminary studies it has already completed into LED reliability to develop a cost-effective, accelerated test method for LED Lighting products that will allow accurate projection of system life for any given environmental temperature and use pattern.

Create a buying guide for someone who wants to purchase an easily commissioned lighting control system. What are some of the main products available, and how do they compare to each other? The Lighting Research Center (LRC) will conduct pilot testing and analysis of three selected control systems to independently verify system commissioning, operation, and compatibility with two different integral LED luminaire layoutsoffice and high bay. The LRC will also quantify system operational characteristics, commissioning, and energy savings under field conditions.

Installed LED Lighting fixtures and lamps at a number of different types of BPA facilities

The goal of the project is to provide background information to support listing mogul based lighting in the Designlights Consortium Qualified Product List to support cost-effective LED retrofits. This phase of the study will identify and document case studies.

Market characterization and testing of mogul based LED replacement lamps and systems. Goal: background information to support listing in the Designlights Consortium Qualified Product List, to support cost-effective LED retrofits (if the data supports this). Research questions include: Market characterization: what mogul based sockets are in place, by application type and wattage? National scope, for input to DLC process. Market survey: What mogul based LED replacement lamps and kits are available? Literature survey and pilot test: Do they work?

In response to increased use of adaptive, exterior lighting products, and their potential for substantial energy savings, utilities are interested in creating a deemed incentive program focused on this technology. A simplified method is necessary to easily calculate expected energy savings and associated incentives. Energy savings for adaptive luminaires is clearly tied to occupancy patterns. To support a deemed incentive program, standardized occupancy profiles for a variety of nine key non-residential exterior spaces will be developed. These profiles may be used to easily calculate expected energy savings and associated incentives for a proposed adaptive exterior lighting project. Questions to address include: What is the occupancy/vacancy pattern for the nine building types? How does the rate vary across the different types of buildings? What are the variables that impact the occupancy/vacancy?