General Area Type Case Study:

K-12 Schools

In schools, we’ve found that not all lighting loads are created equal. Classrooms typically represent 45-50% of the school’s load. However, their savings potential is historically 30-35% of the overall project. Gyms, on the other hand are not typically retrofitted with Occupancy sensors, but they provide one of the best paybacks and significant overall savings. The following chart shows the area types, with both lighting and sensor upgrade savings potential:

Private Office

A common application representing 2-5% of the total building savings. Controls and lighting upgrades provide an improved working environment and convenience.

Open Office Space

Lighting upgrades improve the working environment, however an often overlooked application for controls, yet typically provides 15-30% building potential savings!

Meeting Rooms

An area type with fluctuating usage and often unoccupied with the lights left on. Popular application for Controls and Lighting providing 2-5% of the total building’s savings.

Hallways

With long run hours, Lighting upgrades are common. However, this is an ideal application for Controls providing 15-25% of the building’s potential savings! Sensors add convenience and an element of security.

Storage

The infrequent use makes this an ideal application for Controls, providing 3-5% of the buildings potential savings. A common retrofit of Incandescent to LED or Fluorescent and keeping the annual usage to a minimum with the sensors, means these lights will almost never need maintenance.

Restrooms

Sometimes a difficult application due to the partitioned stalls. Properly applied Microphonic technology sensors, however, resolve this issue allowing for 3-5% of the building’s potentials savings. Additional savings can be obtained by controlling the exhaust fans as well.

Gyms

A large lighting load that is ideal to be retrofitted from HID to Fluorescent or LED. Once retrofitted, sensor controls reduce the operation time significantly providing 20-30% of the building’s potential savings. Typically this application is the best return on investment in a school.

Classrooms

Although classrooms represent half of the lighting load in a school, they only provide 10-35% of building’s potential savings. Lighting upgrades can improve the educational environment, while being an excellent opportunity for dimming controls.