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Wireless Lighting Controls: A Total Cost Analysis

As lighting tech continues to advance, so does the opportunity for additional cost savings — particularly when it comes to wireless lighting controls.

Our partner, EnOcean, published a whitepaper covering important insights and analyzing the cost implications of implementing wireless lighting controls. Here are some of the key points.

 

Concerns and Opportunities for Building Owners

Building owners are constantly pressured to manage costs while enhancing building functionality and sustainability.

With rising electricity rates and increasing demands for energy efficiency, wireless lighting controls are a strategic solution that aligns with economic and environmental goals. These systems are pivotal in reducing reliance on costly energy sources and minimizing greenhouse emissions.

 

Efficiency and Cost Savings

Wireless lighting controls significantly reduce electricity consumption by optimizing lighting usage through advanced technologies such as occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, and personal control settings.

Studies indicate that lighting accounts for a substantial portion of energy used in buildings, with a considerable percentage being wasteful. By integrating intelligent lighting controls, buildings can save between $0.60 to $1.00 per square foot in energy costs.

 

Flexibility and Enhanced Productivity

Wireless controls offer unmatched flexibility, allowing for easy installation and reconfiguration without disrupting conventional wiring methods.

This adaptability extends to controlling individual lights, groups, or entire building systems from a centralized or remote location. Research also highlights that proper lighting improves workplace productivity and employee satisfaction, further justifying the investment in these modern systems.

Imagine a design that boosts productivity and satisfaction with simple controls

 

Wireless Systems for Long-term Value

Wireless and smart lighting control systems outperform wired ones in certain retrofit scenarios due to lower installation costs and minimal structural disruption.

While the initial material cost for wireless systems might be higher, the overall expenditure, when factored with installation labor and future flexibility, positions wireless as a more cost-effective solution over time.

 

Energy Harvesting: A Sustainable Future

A pivotal advantage of modern wireless lighting controls is their ability to operate without batteries, utilizing energy harvesting technologies. This innovation captures energy from environmental sources like solar, kinetic, or thermal energy, reducing dependency on batteries and their associated maintenance and disposal costs.

 

Specific Use Cases

Wireless lighting controls can see usage across many different industries and in several use cases. Here are some examples:

• Office space - Wireless sensors can help building managers optimize lighting usage in offices and eliminate any unnecessary costs.
• Restrooms - With wireless sensors, building managers can better understand how often restrooms are used to optimize maintenance and keep customers happy.
• Hotel and campus projects - Despite these facilities often being unoccupied, appliances that use energy are often left on — including lighting. Wireless sensors can switch these appliances off to conserve energy.
• Assisted living projects - As healthcare facilities become more expensive and less available, wireless occupancy sensors can help reduce costs in different ways, such as turning off lights when rooms are empty.

 

Use Cases

EnOcean also published fact sheets to dive into specific benefits by project type.  Here’s a quick summary of a few of them:

• Open Office Area - Installing wireless sensors and controls in an office environment demonstrated a payback period of just 2.3 years, with a 41% cost saving over wired alternatives.
• Classrooms - In educational settings, where lighting controls included occupancy sensors and daylighting, the technology achieved a payback period of 3.3 years, offering a 39% savings compared to wired systems.
• Warehouses - For industrial spaces, wireless controls centered around occupancy sensors delivered a payback in less than a year (0.8 years), emphasizing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of wireless solutions in large, energy-intensive environments.

 

Read the Full Whitepaper From EnOcean

To learn more about the wireless lighting controls cost and dive into the details, you can read the whitepaper from EnOcean here.

As a valued partner, GRE Alpha also carries a wireless dimming module compatible with EnOcean switches. You can find more information on the ENO-DIM dimming module here.

Filed in: Company News