| Lighting any workplace costs money, yet businesses | | | | can sense movement around corners and objects, |
| lose profits every day by paying to operate lights in | | | | they may be prone to false triggering if placed too |
| unoccupied rooms. The best solution is to install Blaze | | | | close to an HVAC vent. Ultrasonic sensors are highly |
| Automation's lighting controls—called Blaze | | | | sensitive to small movements up to 25 feet. They |
| occupancy sensors—that can switch lights on and | | | | typically offer a larger coverage area than |
| off based on occupancy, time of day, and the room's | | | | PIR sensors, but should not be mounted in high ceiling |
| ambient light level. | | | | applications (over 14 feet). |
| Are occupancy sensors a smart solution for your | | | | |
| business? Read on to learn more about these | | | | |
| energy-saving devices and how they may be able to | | | | Dual-Technology Sensors |
| help your business save energy and money. | | | | |
| | | | | Dual-technology sensors employ both PIR and |
| WHY INSTALL OCCUPANCY SENSOR CONTROLS? | | | | ultrasonic technologies for maximum coverage and |
| Lighting occupancy sensors save energy and money | | | | reliability with fewer false triggers. Because these |
| by detecting activity in work areas and automatically | | | | sensors activate lights only when both technologies |
| turning lights on when people enter a room and off | | | | detect movement, and because either of the two |
| when people have left. Used properly, occupancy | | | | technologies is enough to hold the lights on, these |
| sensors can be a cost-effective way to reduce the | | | | sensors significantly reduce the possibility of false on |
| operating time of lighting systems, resulting in | | | | and off triggers. |
| outstanding energy savings. | | | | |
| One type of occupancy sensor is called a vacancy | | | | |
| sensor. Vacancy sensors must be manually turned on | | | | High-Bay Sensors |
| by an occupant entering a space, but will | | | | |
| automatically turn the lights off if no activity is | | | | One of the most cost effective applications for |
| sensed after a set period of time. | | | | occupancy sensors is in warehouse aisles because |
| Vacancy sensors work best in smaller enclosed areas | | | | these areas are not occupied on a constant basis. For |
| where occupants entering a room can easily access | | | | warehouses with highintensity discharge (HID) light |
| the sensor. | | | | sources, lighting can be switched to a lower level, but |
| Occupancy sensors are most effective in spaces that | | | | it can't be turned completely off. HID light sources |
| are frequently unoccupied, including offices, | | | | need time to cool down and warm back up to full |
| warehouses, storerooms, restrooms, loading docks, | | | | light output. This process takes too long and is not |
| corridors, stairwells, office lounges and conference | | | | practical for those who need to perform tasks in the |
| rooms. Open-plan office spaces, where activity level | | | | space. |
| may be high thoughout the workday, may not be | | | | "High/low" occupancy controls can switch lighting |
| good candidates for occupancy sensors that control | | | | from full light output to approximately one-third light |
| the general lighting, but may be a good place to | | | | output (which uses about half the power) when the |
| consider sensors that control plug-in office equipment | | | | area is unoccupied. |
| and lighting at workstations. | | | | When the sensor detects activity, the light level and |
| | | | | power are restored to full almost immediately. |
| HOW OCCUPANCY SENSORS WORK | | | | For even greater savings and instant on/off |
| Occupancy sensors typically consist of a motion | | | | capability, consider replacing HID fixtures with |
| detector, electronic control, controllable switch (relay) | | | | high-bay fluorescent fixtures. High-bay fluorescent |
| and power supply. Most units detect motion by | | | | fixtures use much less energy than HID, and can be |
| sensing heat (infrared radiation), shifts in the | | | | switched on and off as occupancy and vacancy is |
| frequency of reflected ultrasonic waves, or a | | | | detected in a space. High-bay sensors can be |
| combination of the two. When the sensor detects | | | | individually fixture mounted, or a single sensor can |
| motion, the electronic control sends a signal to the | | | | control a full aisle of light fixtures. Placement and |
| relay, which opens or closes the power circuit, turning | | | | delay settings are important to prevent false |
| the lights on or off. | | | | triggering by detection of activity in the main |
| | | | | walkway that does not move into the actual |
| | | | | controlled aisle. Placement is also important to make |
| | | | | sure that the sensor can "see" any activity anywhere |
| | | | | in the aisle being controlled to prevent the occupant |
| | | | | from being left in the dark. |
| | | | | |
| TYPES OF TECHNOLOGIES | | | | |
| | | | | WILL OCCUPANCY SENSORS WORK FOR YOU? |
| | | | | |
| Passive Infrared (PIR) Occupancy Sensors Infrared | | | | While occupancy sensors may reduce lighting by 50 |
| sensors detect the difference in heat emitted by | | | | percent or more in some circumstances, the savings |
| humans in motion from heat emitted by the | | | | could be much smaller, so it's important to consider a |
| background space. While they are resistant to false | | | | wide range of issues before installing a sensor in a |
| triggering, they require a direct line of sight to sense | | | | particular location. |
| motion. | | | | To determine how much benefit you will gain in a |
| The sensitivity of PIR sensors to small movements | | | | given application, monitor lighting use patterns and |
| decreases at distances greater than 15 feet. As a | | | | occupancy patterns simultaneously. From this, you |
| result, these sensors are best suited for smaller, | | | | can calculate the number of hours your business will |
| enclosed spaces where the sensor has a view of the | | | | save in lamp operation, and then determine your |
| activity in the room and warehouse aisles. The | | | | energy savings. |
| sensor's field of view can be adjusted and should not | | | | You can establish lighting use patterns in a number of |
| be directed toward an open door where it may pick | | | | ways—by observing and recording when the lights |
| up people who are passing the doorway, but not | | | | in different parts of your facility are left on, including |
| entering the room. Ultrasonic Occupancy Sensors | | | | after hours; by talking with custodial staff and |
| Ultrasonic sensors emit a high-frequency signal that is | | | | security personnel; and by reviewing the settings on |
| undetectable by humans and animals. This signal | | | | lighting timers. You can also use a device called a |
| bounces off objects, surfaces and people in a space. | | | | datalogger, which counts lighting hours and logs |
| It then returns to the sensor, which interprets | | | | lighting times and durations. A lighting professional can |
| change in the frequency as motion. | | | | help you with this process. |
| While these sensors do not require a line of sight and | | | | |