Case Studies Archives - Lightcloud

Westin Savannah Resort

Mohammad Hussain — Fri, 31 May 2019 00:49:42 +0000

Westin Savannah Resort

Situated along the Savannah River waterfront, the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, a Marriott property, captures the skyline from historic River Street. The resort features a PGA Championship golf course and 36,000 square feet of venue space.

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94%

ENERGY SAVINGS

$170K

LIFETIME SAVINGS

1.8YR

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

The Problem

The Westin’s façade and golf course were lit mostly by 1000W HIDs with photocells. The fixtures were wasting tons of energy and required constant maintenance. According to Robert Smith, the manager at the Westin, the lamps and ballasts were constantly going bad, “It was a mess replacing bulbs and ballasts.” Most of the fixtures were several stories above the ground and required expensive lifts to maintain. Not only was the maintenance expensive, every time a fixture failed, it affected the look of the Westin. With its prominent location in Savannah, the lights needed to stay on!

To make matters worse, the lights were controlled with unattractive photocells that couldn’t be overridden, so the lighting was completely based on the sun. If there were a shadow on one of the photocells, the lighting would have be uneven.

Concerns

In addition to energy savings, Robert was interested in replacing the photocells with something more powerful and versatile. This would allow for custom lighting for events and holidays. With any job, cost is always an important factor, and Robert knew he’d need huge savings to update the lighting. He got quotes from 3 different contractors but wasn’t impressed. They were all too expensive, and the controls were far too limited.

The Solution

Travis Lane at CED Savannah presented Robert with RAB LEDs with Lightcloud Controls, and Robert was immediately excited by the potential energy savings and improved controls. The system was very affordable, so Robert knew getting approval wouldn’t be an issue.

Most of the old fixtures were 1000W HIDs being replaced by 300W FXLEDs. The efficiency of the LEDs alone would save over 70% on energy costs. With Lightcloud’s advanced controls strategies, those savings were expected to be closer to 80%. Robert was excited about the opportunity to continue lighting based on sunlight but have the additional dimming, scheduling, and manual controls. Being able to check the status or make changes to the lighting from anywhere meant Robert would always be in control. Fault notifications would let him know if any problems arose. Fortunately, Robert hasn’t received any alerts yet!

ENERGY REBATE

Robert was really pleased to find out about the added savings from the utility company, “We got a rebate from the power company — the savings were substantial.” The rebate saved 10% of the cost of the new system. Travis found the rebate through Georgia Power and got it pre-approved. As energy codes become more demanding, energy providers are launching more and more rebate programs to incentivize adoption Case Study — Westin Savannah Resort 3 of efficient lighting and controls. Lightcloud offers a free service to help find potential rebates. Lightcloud was the first lighting control system to be listed by the DLC, which prequalify it for many rebates. Additional rebates can be captured by providing the free energy reports created by the Lightcloud Web App.

Installation

Being new to the system, Robert had some mild concerns about the installation which were quickly eliminated by how smoothly it went, “Very nice installation. It required a big lift, so it was important we had an easy installation. We were replacing fixtures and wanted to use the same boxes and wiring. It was really simple; we installed the new fixtures and powered them up. Lightcloud just connected.”

The Gateway is hidden in a cove in the lobby. Travis had some minor concerns about the wireless signal connecting with the Controllers spread around the exterior of the hotel, but he was pleased to see everything connected perfectly and hasn’t lost a single connection.

Results

According to Robert, “The building now looks twice as big and has a huge presence. With the reflection in the river, it’s stunning! It’s nice to be able to check on everything from anywhere. I can check on the Lights from the river or office and make changes from the App.” Sitting across the river from historic downtown Savannah, the Westin is now visible from almost every angle of River Street.

Robert found the Web App incredibly intuitive, “It’s really easy to use and very flexible.” Robert used Lightcloud Support to commission the system, but has customized it himself since then. The local news channel has a live video feed, and Bob will often play with the dimming to see the feed update.

The first night, the new fixtures were actually too bright. Now, the fixtures are trimmed back to 70% from sunset to midnight. At midnight, the lights are dimmed to 50%. Savannah nights are so dark that even at 50% there’s a huge contrast, and the hotel looks amazing!

With the current energy savings of 94%, the system is going to pay for itself in less than 2 years! This combined with a 10% energy rebate makes the lifetime savings over $170,000.*

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Project Details

Client: Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa

Distributor: CED, Inc.

Rep: Tower Sales, Inc.

Moving Forward

Moving forward, Bob wants to upgrade the interior with Lightcloud. Right now, everything is on time clocks and dimmer switches. He’s been pushing to get approval to install Lightcloud everywhere — starting with the ballrooms and lobby. Having the extra control to properly set the lighting with scenes and schedules would improve the functionality in addition to providing enormous energy savings.

It’s really easy to use and very flexible.

Robert SmithWestin Resort

When I saw the RAB fixtures with the integrated controls, it was an easy choice.

Robert SmithWestin Resort

Very nice installation. It required a big lift, so it was important we had an easy installation. We were replacing fixtures and wanted to use the same boxes and wiring. It was really simple; we installed the new fixtures and powered them up. Lightcloud just connected.

Robert SmithWestin Resort

Westin Savannah Resort

May 31, 2019

Easier control, less maintenance, and enormous energy savings are all realized through a simple, easy wireless lighting upgrade by Lightcloud.

University of Texas at Dallas

May 31, 2019

86% Energy reduction, quarter of million dollars in savings, and thousands more in reduced labor costs all while creating dynamic lighting scenes.

Schroeder Expo Center

May 30, 2019

Schroeder reduced their energy consumption by 93% and will save nearly a third of a million dollars all while improving the function of their space.

Philadelphia Sign

May 30, 2019

Discover how fault notifcations and alerts are modernizing sign maintenance programs by expediting repairs and keeping signs operating at peak performance.

North Burlington High School

May 30, 2019

Learn how Lightcloud came in under budget and provided enterprise-level features for the cost more inline with standalone lighting control solutions.

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

May 30, 2019

Discover how this modern elementary schools saved time and money while improving operations by upgrading their lighting with Lightcloud.

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University of Texas at Dallas

Mohammad Hussain — Fri, 31 May 2019 00:19:48 +0000

University of Texas at Dallas

The University of Texas at Dallas is a public, doctoral research university with a Division III athletic program. The university offers 138 academic programs, with eight schools and 50 research programs and institutes.

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82%

ENERGY SAVINGS

$286k

LIFETIME SAVINGS

DLC

LISTED

The Problem

The multi-purpose gymnasium—used for DIII basketball games, morning yoga, graduations, career fairs, and just about anything else at the university requiring a large open space—was dimly lit by old metal halides. In addition to the poor light output from the metal halides, they were inefficient—using over 20,000 kWh per month.

There weren’t luminaire level controls, so to create scenes for events, the staff had to climb special lifts up to the ceiling and partially unscrew the bulbs. The same lifts were used to replace the bulbs every 20 months! With lift rentals as high as $1500 and another $500 in labor costs, replacing lights and settings “scenes” could easily escalate to over $20,000 per year. In addition to wasting time and money, the lifts posed serious safety concerns replacing bulbs suspended over 30 feet off the ground.

Concerns

The space didn’t follow the same schedule every day, so all the lights were just left on all day, wasting energy. The new system needed the ability to easily create and update robust scenes and schedules. As the needs and uses of the space changed, the new system needed to change with it.

The Solution

RAB’s RAIL high bay fixtures were placed over the court, and SHARK washdown fixtures were placed in the mezzanine. The fixtures are rated for 27 years, so the ceiling lifts can be put away for quite a while. Lightcloud Controllers on each fixture allow for luminaire level control, so scenes were created for each use. For basketball games, the bleachers are dimmed, and the court is set to 100%. For graduation, there’s a spotlight look for the stage. Lights can even be dimmed for 5am yoga meditation. Scheduling and phone apps make it easy to create the perfect lighting environment while saving energy.

Results

Not only are the lighting and controls better, the system is saving tons of energy, nearly 17,000 kWh per month! When the system was designed, RAB estimated energy savings of 70%. Despite careful efforts to be as accurate as possible, the actual savings weren’t 70%—they were 82%! Over the life of the system, the university is going to save $286,000*!

These savings don’t take into account lift rentals or utility rebates, which can be huge. RAB RAILs, SHARKs, and Lightcloud are all DLC listed for additional incentives and rebates.

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Project Details

Client: The University of Texas at Dallas

Distributor: Sean Walters, Regency Lighting

Rep: Tad Alison, Alison & Co.

The ability to adjust each light individually has helped create specific lighting configurations for various events, such as graduations, career fairs, and athletic events.

Tricia LosavioDirector of Recreational Sports

Our in-game experience has improved. We are now able to dim the lights for introductions and the brightness is greater, making it better for video broadcasts and photography.

Bill PetitDirector of Athletics

The new lighting system has really updated the look and feel of our gym courts.

Tricia LosavioDirector of Recreational Sports

Westin Savannah Resort

May 31, 2019

Easier control, less maintenance, and enormous energy savings are all realized through a simple, easy wireless lighting upgrade by Lightcloud.

University of Texas at Dallas

May 31, 2019

86% Energy reduction, quarter of million dollars in savings, and thousands more in reduced labor costs all while creating dynamic lighting scenes.

Schroeder Expo Center

May 30, 2019

Schroeder reduced their energy consumption by 93% and will save nearly a third of a million dollars all while improving the function of their space.

Philadelphia Sign

May 30, 2019

Discover how fault notifcations and alerts are modernizing sign maintenance programs by expediting repairs and keeping signs operating at peak performance.

North Burlington High School

May 30, 2019

Learn how Lightcloud came in under budget and provided enterprise-level features for the cost more inline with standalone lighting control solutions.

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

May 30, 2019

Discover how this modern elementary schools saved time and money while improving operations by upgrading their lighting with Lightcloud.

The post University of Texas at Dallas appeared first on Lightcloud.

Schroeder Expo Center

Mohammad Hussain — Thu, 30 May 2019 21:30:36 +0000

Schroeder Expo Center

The Schroeder Expo Center is a 45,000 ft² multi-use exposition hall at the Paducah Convention Center in Kentucky. The space has a large impact on Paducah’s economy — regularly bringing up to 35,000 people for events.

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93%

ENERGY SAVINGS

4YR

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

$339k

LIFETIME SAVINGS

The Problem

Michelle Campbell, Executive Director at the Paducah Convention Center, was looking to improve the lighting and controls at the Schroeder Expo Center, while reducing costs. “We had a lot of CFLs that were wasting a lot of energy, and it was wasting a lot of time changing all of the lamps. They were just a hassle always burning out.” The center had 234 eight-lamp CFL aluminum domed high bays with Acuity controls. Not only were the CFLs inefficient, it was expensive to maintain. Lifts were required to reach the high ceilings to replace the constantly failing CFLs. In the words of the convention owner, “By the time we finished the group re-lamping and re-ballasting of 234 fixtures, the first fixtures changed were already having failures.” To make matters worse, the CFLs had inconsistent color temperatures. Most of the light was green, which wasn’t flattering.

Concerns

The Center is used for a large variety of events with very different lighting demands, so controls that are easy to use and precise are paramount. The Acuity controls system in the Expo failed. The controls were over CAT5 cables and were controlled by section rather than individually. When the system worked, it still didn’t have continuous dimming, so you were limited to off, 33%, 66%, and 100%. Acuity stopped supporting the system, so it was impossible to program or replace. Michelle knew the controls for the new space needed to offer a lot more than the old system, be easy to use, and have support that they could count on.

The ability to expand the system was a also must. As they continue to update the rest of the Convention Center, they’d like to stick with one control system for the whole site.

The Solution

For Michelle, the choice was clear, “We looked at other systems, but they were all hard to operate and a poor user experience. Lightcloud is really easy to use – put in on your phone, computer, or Touch and you’re up and running.” The 234 CFL fixtures were replaced with 117 RAB high bay RAILs, which are 73% more efficient. The fixtures have a 100,000-hour lifespan, so they won’t need to be replaced for decades. The 4000K color temperature eliminates the green appearance and makes things look more natural. Each of the fixtures is Lightcloud-Enabled, so each fixture can be controlled on its own or grouped together by Area or Scene. Eighteen of the fixtures have built-in battery backups. The emergency fixtures are controlled just like every other fixture in the system, but in the event of a power failure, the fixture turns on and operates from its backup supply. A Lightcloud Touch was installed with two Dimmers for easy Scene control. The fixtures have a 10-year warranty (5-years for the power supply), and Lightcloud comes with a 10-year warranty and support contract — all of this at no premium.

Installation

Michelle was really impressed with the installation, “The install went much faster than expected, because the system was so easy to install. We were way ahead of schedule, which was great,” Jesse Norris was the Project Foreman for installation. He has some experience with control systems but had never worked with Lightcloud before. He was really impressed how easy the sytem was to install, “The installation went very well. Being wireless, it was really easy to install—not having to run any low voltage wires was great.” The fast, easy installation saved the project both time and money. Jesse, “The system was easy to figure out without any training. I just logged in and started using it—creating scenes and organizing devices. It was really easy and straightforward. I’d recommend the system to anyone considering controls, because it’s just so easy.”

Results

Since installing the new system, they’ve doubled the number of events in the space. Being able to create scenes and schedules enables Michelle to customize the lights for each event. Customers are so impressed with the new lighting they’re hosting more events. After a gymnastics competition, the league was so pleased they booked 4 more events. At a Game Show that was hosted in the convention, they were even able to use a single RAIL as a spotlight over the presenter. The whole process just took a couple of clicks in the App.

The energy savings have been huge. Even with more than doubling the use of the space, the energy consumption has gone way down, 93% to be exact! Michelle was amazed by the impact of the lighting on the space, “The system is so much brighter than the old system — you can see things you couldn’t see before! I didn’t realize how dark the old system was until the new fixtures were installed. We have it dimmed to 30% most of the time, which is plenty bright. There’s nothing I don’t like about the system. It’s sleek, modern and keeps us up to date. It makes us look modern and performs very well.”

Between the increased efficiency of the fixtures and additional savings from Lightcloud, the system is going to pay for itself in under four years. That doesn’t even include the savings from not replacing the CFLs (renting a lift, labor, and CFLs). After the four years, those energy savings are all savings. That’s more money to be spent improving the site and investing in the community. How much? $339,000 in savings over the life of the system!

Support

The system works so well and is easy to use, so Michelle said she didn’t really need support but is very happy to have it, “Lightcloud support is wonderful. As easy as it is to create Scenes and Schedules, sometimes I don’t have time, so I love that I can call support and have them do it for me. This is a big deal for me.”

Being unfamiliar with Lightcloud, Jesse was equally pleased that he could rely on support without worrying about any support fees. In the end, the system was so easy he didn’t need the support, “RAB was great and willing to do a lot more, but I did a lot of the work myself — it was so easy.”

Project Details

Client: Paducah Convention Center

Installer: Jesse Norris, Spencer’s Electric

Engineers: Greg McCord, Marcum Engineering

Distributor: Todd Swinford, Hannan Supply Co

Rep: Troy Glordan, Summit Sales & Marketing

Moving Forward

Michelle thinks Lightcloud is perfect for any space, “I’d recommend Lightcloud to anyone, because it’s so easy,” and wishes the whole building were controlled with Lightcloud. The Convention plans to make Michelle’s wishes come true and install Lightcloud throughout the rest of the spaces as they continue to update the facilities.

I’d recommend Lightcloud to anyone, because it’s so easy

Michelle CampbellExecutive Director

I just logged in and started using it (Lightcloud)…It was really easy

Jesse NorrisProject Foreman

Acuity was out…Lightcloud is much easier and more powerful being wireless and not requiring control wires. Ease of expansion was equally important, because there’s plans to extend the system to the rest of the center.

Jesse NorrisProject Foreman

Lightcloud support is wonderful. As easy as it is to create Scenes and Schedules, sometimes I don’t have time, so I love that I can call support and have them do it for me. This is a big deal for me.

Michelle CampbellExecutive Director

Westin Savannah Resort

May 31, 2019

Easier control, less maintenance, and enormous energy savings are all realized through a simple, easy wireless lighting upgrade by Lightcloud.

University of Texas at Dallas

May 31, 2019

86% Energy reduction, quarter of million dollars in savings, and thousands more in reduced labor costs all while creating dynamic lighting scenes.

Schroeder Expo Center

May 30, 2019

Schroeder reduced their energy consumption by 93% and will save nearly a third of a million dollars all while improving the function of their space.

Philadelphia Sign

May 30, 2019

Discover how fault notifcations and alerts are modernizing sign maintenance programs by expediting repairs and keeping signs operating at peak performance.

North Burlington High School

May 30, 2019

Learn how Lightcloud came in under budget and provided enterprise-level features for the cost more inline with standalone lighting control solutions.

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

May 30, 2019

Discover how this modern elementary schools saved time and money while improving operations by upgrading their lighting with Lightcloud.

The post Schroeder Expo Center appeared first on Lightcloud.

Philadelphia Sign

Mohammad Hussain — Thu, 30 May 2019 19:23:43 +0000

Philadelphia Sign

Philadelphia Sign has been making signs for over a hundred years. Their signs are visible all over the country and are prominently displayed by Fortune 500 companies everywhere.

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Lightcloud as a Service

Philadelphia Sign is using offering customers Lightcloud as a service to save energy and minimize sign down-time through alerts. Maintaining the proper look of customers’ signage is paramount as these signs represent the corporate brands. Whenever a lamp needs to be replaced in a sign, Lightcloud is able to notify Philadelphia Sign who immediately sends out a maintenance professional to handle the repair.

Westin Savannah Resort

May 31, 2019

Easier control, less maintenance, and enormous energy savings are all realized through a simple, easy wireless lighting upgrade by Lightcloud.

University of Texas at Dallas

May 31, 2019

86% Energy reduction, quarter of million dollars in savings, and thousands more in reduced labor costs all while creating dynamic lighting scenes.

Schroeder Expo Center

May 30, 2019

Schroeder reduced their energy consumption by 93% and will save nearly a third of a million dollars all while improving the function of their space.

Philadelphia Sign

May 30, 2019

Discover how fault notifcations and alerts are modernizing sign maintenance programs by expediting repairs and keeping signs operating at peak performance.

North Burlington High School

May 30, 2019

Learn how Lightcloud came in under budget and provided enterprise-level features for the cost more inline with standalone lighting control solutions.

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

May 30, 2019

Discover how this modern elementary schools saved time and money while improving operations by upgrading their lighting with Lightcloud.

The post Philadelphia Sign appeared first on Lightcloud.

North Burlington High School

Mohammad Hussain — Thu, 30 May 2019 18:37:54 +0000

North Burlington High School

North Burlington High School serves over 1300 students in grades nine through twelve in Burlington County, New Jersey including children of USAF personnel at McGuire Air Force Base. North Burlington excels in both academics and sports.

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68%

ENERGY SAVINGS

$8000

UNDER BUDGET

10YR

SERVICE & WARRANTY

The Problem

Facilities Director, Will McKee, was looking for an alternative to the existing time clock and low-efficiency metal halide fixtures surrounding North Burlington High School. The old time clock was complicated and required manual adjustment for daylight savings. Adjusting the schedule was anything but intuitive and required Will to break out the manual to ensure the schedule was set properly. The process was tedious and a waste of Will’s time.

North Burlington has a rapidly growing faculty, and a number of staff need access to lighting controls. Each time staff needed access, Will had to repeat the same process of getting out the time clock manual, going to the school, making adjustments, and hoping the device was properly set. The old, inefficient metal halide fixtures were wasting energy.

Concerns

Will was concerned about safety, ease of use, and energy savings. As more people were needing access to the lights, the risk of a dark parking lot from an oversight or slight misunderstanding increased. This was magnified by the complexity of the time clock. Energy savings were important to reduce monthly expenses as well as justify a new system.

The Solution

Will worked with Peter Knowles, Outside Sales, from United Electric and Mike Briggs, Manufacturer’s Rep, from Pollart Electrical to develop a complete fixture and controls system that made sense for the district. The system was designed with two zones, Parking Lot Lights and Walkway Lights, to keep controls as straightforward as possible; the Lightcloud system always has the flexibility to add or remove zones easily. The initial schedule was set to make sure the lights are on whenever people would be using the outdoor space and sufficient natural light isn’t available, and remain off the rest of the time. A collection of RAB’s high-quality and high-efficiency fixtures were chosen to maximize energy savings and improve light coverage and quality.

Installation

Wayne Brewin, Master Electrician of 24 years, from Northeast Electrical had experience with wireless control systems and worked with Mike for the installation. Wayne found the entire installation extremely straightforward, which differentiated Lightcloud from other wireless systems. The simplicity drastically reduced the installation time and saved $8,000 in labor costs! Wayne noted what a big help Mike was during the install and was impressed by the high quality of RAB fixtures. Wayne recommends Lightcloud to his colleagues.

Results

With the new system, Will is able to throw out the time clock manual, and doesn’t need to drive to the high school to make changes to the schedule—adjustments are handled right on Will’s phone through the Lightcloud App. If lights need to be turned on for a special event, Will opens the Lightcloud App and turns the lights on without affecting the schedule.

As the school continues to grow and more people need access to the lights, users with various permission levels can be created to ensure there’s never a dark area when light is needed. Best of all, the system will pay for itself thanks to a calculated energy savings of 68%!

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Project Details

Client: Will McKee, North Burlington School District

Installer: Wayne Brewin, Northeast Electrical Services

Distributor: Peter Knowles, United Electric Manufacturer’s

Rep: Mike Briggs, Pollart Electrical

Moving Forward

Having completed the exterior of the North Burlington High School, Will plans to implement similar Lightcloud systems in the middle school, and retrofit the entire interior of the high school with Lightcloud and RAB fixtures before the end of the year.

The system is great; it’s working well!

Will McKee Director of Facilities

I was impressed by the potential energy savings, ease of use, and cost effectiveness of Lightcloud.

Will McKee Director of Facilities

Installation was problem free! Went like it should!

Wayne BrewinMaster Electrician of 24 years

Exterior of the high school is done. Next up is the middle school…then, the entire interior of the school with RAB fixtures and Lightcloud before the end of the year.

Will McKee Director of Facilities

Westin Savannah Resort

May 31, 2019

Easier control, less maintenance, and enormous energy savings are all realized through a simple, easy wireless lighting upgrade by Lightcloud.

University of Texas at Dallas

May 31, 2019

86% Energy reduction, quarter of million dollars in savings, and thousands more in reduced labor costs all while creating dynamic lighting scenes.

Schroeder Expo Center

May 30, 2019

Schroeder reduced their energy consumption by 93% and will save nearly a third of a million dollars all while improving the function of their space.

Philadelphia Sign

May 30, 2019

Discover how fault notifcations and alerts are modernizing sign maintenance programs by expediting repairs and keeping signs operating at peak performance.

North Burlington High School

May 30, 2019

Learn how Lightcloud came in under budget and provided enterprise-level features for the cost more inline with standalone lighting control solutions.

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

May 30, 2019

Discover how this modern elementary schools saved time and money while improving operations by upgrading their lighting with Lightcloud.

The post North Burlington High School appeared first on Lightcloud.

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

Mohammad Hussain — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:37:33 +0000

Cranberry Pines Elementary School

Cranberry Pines is a 384-student elementary school servicing grades kindergarten to fifth in Medford Township School District. Cranberry Pines strives to create a positive, nurturing, and stimulating environment for everyone who is a part of the Cranberry Pines family, and has consistently high test scores

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70%

ENERGY SAVINGS

2.4YR

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

40MIN

SAVED PER DAY

The Problem

John Gallagher, Director of Facilities at Cranberry Pines and a licensed electrical contractor, earned a National Green Ribbon School for Sustainability at his previous school, Timber Creek. John was motivated to achieve even greater results at Cranberry Elementary and wanted to start by replacing low-efficiency metal halide and fluorescent fixtures. John was frequently receiving complaints about the noise of the old fixtures and lack of controls. The back of the school was poorly lit and faced 90 acres of undeveloped land, which was a safety concern.

Concerns

As a licensed electrician very familiar with lighting controls and HVAC, John knew that cabling and wiring could be the most expensive part of a lighting control job. He was also aware how complicated some systems are to control: human factor. John knew to convince the school to be onboard there’d need to be a good ROI.

The Solution

John worked with Peter Knowles, Outside Sales at United Electric, and really liked that Lightcloud was a wireless system that eliminated the costly wiring and added flexibility for future expansion. A system was designed to eliminate the noisy ballasts, improve the light coverage, automate controls, and greatly reduce energy consumption. Lightcloud zones in common areas make controlling the whole system easy with unique schedules maximizing energy savings. Instructional spaces have the added benefit of dimmer switches to work with teachers’ dynamic schedules. A low ROI for the Lightcloud and RAB system made it an easy pitch to administrators.

Each room was broken into two zones: general lighting and emergency fixtures. For safety and compliance, the emergency fixtures are always on and dimmed to 50% when the rooms are unoccupied. The rest of the fixtures are scheduled based on occupancy and use. During core hours when students are using the cafeteria, fixtures are set to 100% then dimmed to 75% for after-school programs when lighting isn’t as crucial. In the evenings, the lights are dimmed to 50%, providing adequate light for the custodial staff and creating huge energy savings. The non-emergency lights are off at night. Every zone/room has its own needs and schedules, making the flexibility of Lightcloud imperative in multi-zone setups.

RAB fixtures were chosen to improve light coverage, eliminate noisy ballasts, and greatly improve energy consumption. RAB fixtures look great and offer a 5-year warranty. “I’m really happy with the fixtures.”

Installation

“Installation and configuration has been almost mindless! Set it and forget it!” John installed the system himself and found the whole process intuitive.

Results

“I really like the product, I was excited to get it in, and it’s working flawlessly…Dimming alone makes the system worth the cost; so many spaces were overlit in the school. Having the dimming feature on demand without running low-voltage wires is a no brainer.”

Lighting controls have been around for a while, but they were too expensive for most school districts. “Lightcloud makes it possible to get a system with a 2.4-year* ROI! Once systems are installed, “(normally) human factor is the toughest part; hard to change behavior”, but the response for Lightcloud from the faculty and the school district has been amazing. Administrators are able to control lights from surface tablets, giving them remote control they never had before.

“Showed the superintendent and he was floored!” In the past, John’s custodial staff needed to arrive 20 minutes early and stay 20 minutes late, walking around turning lights on and off. Lightcloud is saving 40 minutes of labor per day! This doesn’t even include additional labor savings of other lighting adjustments throughout the day. John and his staff now have access to all of the lighting controls right from their phones!

John is equally pleased with the fixtures. “The light of EZPANs is absolutely superior. They created a wow factor…everyone walks in and notices the improvement. The new fixtures doubled the available light in the spaces, so I only need to run them at 75% to make sure it’s not overlit!” The noise from the old fixtures is gone, and John isn’t getting any more complaints.

There were a lot of safety issues with the previous, manual lighting controls and insufficient light. The outdoor lighting was easily addressed with the RAB floodlights placed on a Lightcloud schedule. The schedules and controls saved the head custodian from “walking through a dark building trying to find switches.” Now, the school is safely lit and saving energy. “Workman’s comp claims, lawsuits, etc. from this kind of stuff are now a thing of the past with Lightcloud installed.”

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Project Details

Client: Medford Township School District

Distributor: Peter Knowles, United Electric Manufacturer’s

Rep: Mike Briggs, Pollart Electrical

Moving Forward

John was selected to present Lightcloud to the school district to show how it fits into a broader energy savings strategy. “The district is so happy with the installation that they’re going to 9 other schools in the near future. Good for school districts, good for taxpayers, something that every school should be looking at.”

The administration is so excited about the potentials of Lightcloud they’re considering turning it into a teaching opportunity and will be training students on Lightcloud as part of a practical lab section.

Good for school districts, good for taxpayers. Something that every school should be looking at.

John Gallagher Director of Facilities

Installation and configuration has been almost mindless! Set it and forget it!

John Gallagher Director of Facilities

I really like the product, I was excited to get it in, and it’s working flawlessly…Dimming alone makes the system worth the cost; so many spaces were overlit in the school. Having the dimming feature on demand without running low-voltage wires is a no brainer.

John Gallagher Director of Facilities

Showed the superintendent and he was floored!

John Gallagher Director of Facilities

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