demonstration and evaluation of lighting technologies and … · 2001-11-19 · deltaportfolio 450...

DDEELLTTAAPortfolio

450 South Salina StreetSyracuse, New York

Type:An office building adapted from a retail store

Site Sponsors:New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation

Demonstration and Evaluation of Lighting Technologies and Applications • Lighting Research Center

Lighting Case Studies ▲ Volume 1, Issue 3

The 50,000 square foot (4600 squaremeter) five-story office building at 450South Salina Street in downtownSyracuse, New York, was originallyconstructed in 1911 as a furniturestore, but was gutted and remodeledinto an office building in 1992-93. Thearchitecture firm of Quinlivan, Pierik,& Krause (QP&K) redesigned thebuilding to house 3-1/2 floors ofoffices leased to the New York StateDepartment of Labor, and 1-1/2 floorsof design offices for their own employ-ees and workspace for the John P.Stopen Engineering Partnership (JPS)engineering firm. On the architecture/engineering floors, most employeeswork in individual or shared work-stations. Most Department of Laboremployees work at individual desks.

In the QP&K and JPS offices on thetop two floors, the lighting wasdesigned to accommodate the visuallydemanding tasks of architects and

engineers: it is adequate fordetailed paper draft-ing, yet limits glareto allow for thecomfortable view-ing of computerscreens. The visualappearance of thespace is importantfor QP&K’s image,since the buildingserves as an exam-ple of the firm’sabilities in adaptivereuse projects. Theychose to retain andaccentuate thebuilding’s originalstructure, windows,stair railings, and other elements.

The lighting specified for the Depart-ment of Labor includes recessed 2’ x 4’troffers with parabolic louvers, F32T8

lamps, and electronic ballasts. In thedesign offices, the lighting includescove uplights with 40-W long twin-tube compact fluorescent lamps andelectronic ballasts, and compact fluo-rescent downlights and wallwasherswith 13-W quad compact fluorescentlamps and magnetic ballasts. Accentlighting is provided by track lighting; thetrack heads were salvaged from the fur-niture store and use PAR38 incandes-cent lamps.

Occupancy sensors control almost alllighting in the building, turning lightson when a space is occupied andshutting lights off when unoccupied.The total connected lighting powerdensity in the building is 1.45 W/ft2,but the occupancy sensors cut thatload down to 1.25 W/ft2 during a typi-cal day. Employees in both the archi-tecture/ engineering offices and in theDepartment of Labor offices reported a high level of satisfaction with thelighting and controls.

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Exterior view of 450 South Salina Street

Project Profile

Section through 450 South Salina Street

▲ Lighting and Control Features

3

Portfolio Lighting Case Studies

● To create a pleasant visual environment with good task visibility and visual comfort for employees whoperform both paper drafting and computer-aided design (CAD) work.

● To integrate the lighting into the architectural design.

● To use the windows on the east and west sides of the building to provide a pleasant view to the out-doors and introduce daylight with glare control. Workstation partitions are kept low to preserve views to windows.

● To provide task lighting in workstations so that employees have the option of increasing the illumi-nance on visually demanding tasks.

● To preserve a reference to prior use of the building byexpressing certain original architectural elements,including beams, girders, columns, stairs and railing,elevator machinery, and concrete floors.

● To demonstrate responsible reuse of materials by retaining track lighting from the original furniture store.

● To create an effective lighted environment using energy-efficient lamps and luminaires.

● To minimize energy use through automatic controls.

● To reduce energy use in order to qualify for the utility energy investment loan program and energy rebates.

▲ Energy efficiency. T8 and FT40 lamps driven by electronic ballasts are the primary sources of illumination.

▲ Low brightness luminaires. Cove uplights and luminaires with deep-cell parabolic louvers are the principal luminaires.

▲ Occupancy sensors. These trim lighting use when spaces are unoccupied.

▲ Flexible task lights. Individual employees control their own supplementary task lighting.

▲ Window shades. Direct glare is reduced with open-weave shades which preserve the view.

▲ Programmable time clock. Building floodlights and walkway lights are programmed to switch on and off automatically.

● To create a pleasant visual environment for employees by providing good task visibility and visual comfort for both paper tasks and VDT use.

● To satisfy New York State lighting criteria for Department of Labor offices.

● Additional Lighting Objectives for the Department of Labor Offices

● Additional Lighting Objectives for the Design Offices

● Lighting Objectives for the Whole Building

Techniques

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Project Specifications Principal light sources used areF32T8 4’ (1220 mm) rapid-startlamps with a color-rendering index(CRI) of 75 and a correlated colortemperature (CCT) of 4100K (cool);and FT40 23” (570 mm) rapid-startlamps, 80 CRI, 4100K. Most down-lights and wallwashers use 18-W and13-W CFQ lamps, 80 CRI, 2700K(warm). F32T8 and FT40 lamps areoperated on instant-start, reduced-harmonics electronic ballasts forenergy efficiency. Normal powerfactor magnetic ballasts are used todrive the small compact fluorescentlamps. Most accent lighting is pro-vided with 130-V, 75-W PAR38/FLlamps.

The plans show two typical areas of the building: the first floor(Department of Labor) and fifth floor(QP&K).

A 2’ x 4’ (.6 m x 1.2 m) recessed trofferwith three fluorescent lamps and 3” (76mm) depth 18-cell semi-specular para-bolic louver. Three-lamp instant-startelectronic ballast. Lamps: F32T8/RE741.

B Wall-mounted up/downlight, 4’ (1220mm) long, with opaque front and pris-matic acrylic lenses on top and bottom.Steel housing with white-painted finish.Mounted 7’ (2.1 m) above the floor. Two fluorescent lamps in cross section.Two-lamp instant-start electronic bal-last. Lamps: F32T8/RE741.

C Striplight with two fluorescent lamps incross section, surface mounted. Two-lamp instant-start electronic ballast. Lamps: F32T8/RE741.

D Recessed downlight with open, clearpolished aluminum cone. 6-3/4” (172 mm) diameter aperture, with twohorizontal compact fluorescent lamps.Magnetic ballasts. Lamps: CFQ13/RE827.

D1 Recessed downlight with open, clear,polished aluminum cone. Two compactfluorescent lamps, magnetic ballasts. 8” (200 mm) diameter aperture. Lamps: CFQ18/RE827.

D2 Pendant-mounted cylinder downlight, with7” (180 mm) tall by 12” (300 mm) diame-ter white-painted housing. 10” (25 mm)diameter aperture with two horizontalcompact fluorescent lamps. Open, clear polished aluminum cone. Magnetic ballasts. Lamps: CFQ13/RE827.

D3-6 Recessed downlight with 6” (150mm) diameter aperture. Clear polishedaluminum cone. Incandescent lamp.D3 Lamp: 150-W PAR38/FLD4 Lamp: 50-W PAR20/FL/halogenD5 Lamp: 52-W A-lampD6 Lamp: 150R40/GRO (grow lamp)

E Recessed wallwasher with 6-3/4” (170mm) aperture and open, asymmetricalclear polished cone. Two compact fluo-rescent lamps, angled 45° down fromhorizontal. Magnetic ballasts. Lamps: CFQ13/RE827.

F Pendant-mounted decorative uplight forbuilding lobby, with compact fluores-cent lamps. Translucent white acrylicbowl with polished brass stems andaccents. Magnetic ballasts. Lamps: (8) CFQ13/RE827.


G Wall-mounted up/downlight, 4’ (1220 mm) long, with two fluorescentlamps in cross section. Mounted 7’ (2.1 m) above platforms in stairwell.Extruded aluminum housing with U-shaped acrylic diffuser. Instant-start electronic ballasts. Lamps: F32T8/RE741.

H Task light mounted to design officeworkstation desktops. Flexible arm withdual-source swivel head, which fullyshields lamps from view. IncandescentA-lamp switched separately from circline fluorescent lamp. Fluorescentlamp driven by magnetic ballast. Lamps: 60-W A-lamp and 22-WFC8T9/CW.

I Cove uplight with asymmetrical reflec-tor system designed to minimize lampsocket shadows. 4’ (1220 mm) and 8’(2440 mm) lengths using long twin-tube compact fluorescent lamps run end toend to fit architectural cove opening.Two-lamp instant-start electronic ballasts.Lamps: FT40/RE841.

J Surface-mounted light track and incandescent track heads, reused from original furniture store. Lamps: 75PAR38/SP (130 V).

K Small-profile undercabinet light withsheet-metal housing and L-shapedacrylic prismatic lens. Magnetic ballast.Lamps: Two F13T5/CW.

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Lighting plan,fifth floor

Wattage

Input wattages for luminaires include ballastwatts and are estimated from manufacturers’published literature. All calculations werebased on the following values:

T8 fluorescent lamps (electronic ballast)F32T8 (4’): 87 W per 3-lamp ballastF32T8 (4’): 58 W per 2-lamp ballast

FT rapid-start long twin-tube fluorescentlamps (electronic ballast)

FT40/T5 (2’): 68 W per 2-lamp ballast

Compact fluorescent lamps (magnetic ballast)CFQ13: 17 W per lampCFQ18: 25 W per lamp

Incandescent lamps150PAR38/SP: 150 W at 120 V75PAR38/SP (130 V): 66 W at 120 V50PAR20/FL/halogen: 50 W at 120 V52A19: 52 W at 120 V150R40/GRO: 150 W at 120 V

Lighting plan, firstfloor

Detailsamount of light visible at high angles tolimit reflected glare on VDT screens,while the semi-specular finish produces asoft glow at normal viewing angles. Thisglow helps the space look more cheerfulbecause it adds brightness to the view ofthe ceiling, and it tends to soften the scal-lop of light falling on walls. The layout of2’ x 4’ luminaires works well becauserows of luminaires are placed within 2 to3’ (0.6 to 0.9 m) of walls. The resultingwall brightness helps avoid the “caveeffect” that often occurs in offices whereluminaires fitted with parabolic louversare mounted more than 3’ from the walls.

Reception area of design firmThe reception area of the QP&K designoffices welcomes visitors with a companylogo mounted on the wall behind thereception desk. Pendant-mounted lumi-naires with compact fluorescent lamps(type D2) provide ambient light. Tracklighting (type J) provides display lightingand highlights the company logo.

Vertical illuminance of the logo wall variesfrom 29 to 49 fc (310 to 530 lx), dependingon the location and direction of the trackheads. This produces a scalloped light pat-tern near the top of the walls. Illuminance onthe reception desk averages 17 fc (184 lx).

Open offices of the design firmEmployees in the large, open office workin cubicles with low partitions, 57” (1400mm) high. Although almost no daylight

enters the interior space, all employeeshave views of the exterior windows on theeast and west sides of the building. On thetop floor, a small amount of daylight fromthe skylight above the center stairway con-tributes a pleasant sense of brightness.

Ambient lighting is produced with asym-metrical uplights (type I) using FT40lamps, mounted in architectural coves.Coves are located on either side of ceilingbeams, which occur 24’ (7.3 m) on center.This cove lighting provides 23 fc (250 lx)on desk surfaces with no direct glarebecause the light source is concealed.

Illuminance on the work surfaces of theperimeter workstations ranges from 22 fc(240 lx) at night to much higher levelswhen daylight is available.

Section through the first floor open office space

Reception area of QP&K

Perimeter workstation in design offices, day 6

Department of Labor OfficesLighting in the Department of Laboroffices, located on the first three floors andhalf of the fourth floor of the building, isprovided by 2’ x 4’ recessed troffers (typeA) with F32T8 lamps and electronic bal-lasts. Desktop illuminances range from 57to 121 footcandles (fc) (610 to 1300 lux[lx]) in second floor offices, and from 55 to113 fc (590 to 1220 lx) in a typical fourthfloor office suite. This complies with theNew York State requirement that a mini-mum of 55 to 75 fc (590 to 810 lx) be provided on work surfaces in Departmentof Labor offices.

The luminaires have 3” (76 mm) deep,semi-specular parabolic louvers that pro-vide a controlled, widespread downwarddistribution of light. The louvers limit the

96cd/m2

70cd/m2

0 1’ 2’ 4’ 8’

0 0.5 1m 2m

37cd/m2

39cd/m2 38cd/m2

108fc 98fc 85fc 9’

First floor open office at the Department of Labor

Light distribution in workstation from task light


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Most employees work on both VDTscreens and paper tasks, including readingand drafting of architectural and engineer-ing drawings. Each workstation has a flexible arm task light (type H) containing

separately switched incandes-cent and fluorescent lamps.This arrangement allows individuals to direct light ontovisually demanding taskswhile keeping the VDT screenfree of distracting glare.DELTA observed that a maxi-mum of one third of the 39task lights were found to beon at any given time duringthe workday. Task lighting canadd an additional 159 fc(1700 lx) to the desktop.

Cove uplighting (type I) is switched byultrasonic occupancy sensors. Twelveoccupancy sensors monitor the 6200 ft2

(576 m2) open office space. Typically, thecove uplighting is on throughout theworkday and often into the evening,because there is almost continual activityin the open offices. As designed, the light-ing in unoccupied bays will switch off atnight even when there are people workingin adjacent bays.

Daylight is manually controlled at eachwindow with roll-down solar shades con-structed of a medium gray, open-weavefabric. When fully extended, the shadescan block approximately 86% of the day-light; yet, the views to the outside are notobstructed, and the space still seemsbright. A simple adjustment allows theshades to be positioned at any level.Except when the sun is low in the sky,

employees most often set them at the half-open position.

A 23-story building, located to the west of450 South Salina Street, blocks most of thelate afternoon direct sun, so few peoplecomplain of afternoon glare. On the eastside, however, the skyline is open, and low-angle morning sun can still cause glare.Even though the solar shades block most ofthe offending rays, a few employees report-ed that the sun is uncomfortably bright inthe early morning.

Corner workstations The corneropen workstations are used by the firm’spartners. In addition to the lighting fromthe cove uplighting system (type I), tracklighting (type J) accents drawings or pho-tos above the bookshelf, and fluorescentundercabinet lighting (type K) runs thelength of the desk. These workstations alsohave flexible-arm task lights (type H). The

Perimeter workstation in design offices, night Corner workstation in design offices

Section through perimeterworkstation, day

Section through perimeterworkstation, night

10’-7”8’ 17fc

29fc

18fc 9fc

35fc

15fc14fc11fc8fc

30fc

18 cd/m2100cd/m2

450cd/m2

60cd/m2

64 cd/m2

0 1’ 2’ 4’ 8’

0 0.5 1m 2m

10’-7”

8’ 16fc22fc

16fc 9fc

34fc

14fc13fc10fc7fc

14fc

18 cd/m2

440cd/m2 55

cd/m2

9 cd/m2

0 1’ 2’ 4’ 8’

0 0.5 1m 2m

3fc fluor.1fc incand.4fc both



16”above desk

38”

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undercabinet lighting, track lighting, andflexible-arm task lights are manuallyswitched, and each partner is careful toswitch off these lights when leaving theworkstation for any length of time.

Fifth floor conference roomThe fifth floor conference room is usedintermittently for meetings, displays andpinups, and video presentations. A long

glass wall with miniblinds separates thisspace from the open offices. Recessedround wallwashers (type E), centered 3’(0.9 m) from the walls and 4’ (1.2 m) oncenter, light the wall paneling and pin-upspace. These wallwashers are controlledwith wall switches. Recessed downlights(type D3 and D4) provide lighting for tabletops. These downlights use incandescentand halogen PAR lamps and are manually

dimmed using wall controls. Whenthis space is used for slide or videopresentations, the wallwashers areswitched off, and the downlights aredimmed to a low level for note-taking.

The conference room walls, designedfor displays, have vertical illumi-nances on the upper walls that rangefrom 14 to 26 fc (150 to 280 lx).Drawings exhibited there are easy tosee. Illuminances on the conferencetable range from 28 to 56 fc (320 to600 lx), while vertical illuminances onthe faces of people seated around theconference table range from 14 to 21fc (150 to 230 lx).

Lights are frequently left on duringthe day and late into the eveningwhen the conference room is unoc-

cupied, probably because no single per-son takes “ownership” of this sharedspace. Its periodic use makes the confer-ence room a good site for an occupancysensor, which would work in series withthe manual controls to switch lights offwhen the room is unoccupied.

Restrooms The restrooms are lightedwith two direct/indirect luminaires (type B),one mounted above the mirrors and theother mounted above the toilets. With theinterreflections from the light-colored sur-faces, the space seems pleasant and bright.

The upward component of the luminairebrightens the walls and ceiling. The lenseddownward component directs light ontothe individual standing in front of the mir-ror, providing a fairly uniform vertical illu-minance on the body to make the faceand clothing easy to see when reflected inthe mirror.

Lighting in the restrooms is switched withultrasonic occupancy sensors, and becausethe restrooms are not in continuous use,the rate of switching is high, and lampreplacement is frequent. (See section onControls.)

Section through conference room

QP&K Conference room

12fc

22fc 20fc

0 1’ 2’ 4’ 8’

0 0.5 1m 2m

0 1’ 2’ 4’ 8’

0 0.5 1m 2m

38fc 29fc 56fc

20fc19fc 9’ 81fc

110fc

26cd/m2

38cd/m2 9’

44cd/m2

Section through restroom sink area

Details


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Energy impact Input watts from themanufacturer’s literature were used tocalculate the lighting power density(LPD) for the entire office building. Themaximum power density for all condi-tioned space in the building is 1.45 W/ft2

(15.6 W/m2). During the daytime hours,the in-use power density is approximately1.25 W/ft2 (13.45 W/m2). The reductionis mostly due to occupancy sensor controls. The following table summarizesthe power densities in the building, compared to ASHRAE 90.1 1989 energystandards and the New York State EnergyConservation Construction Code:

Controls The New York StateConstruction Code (1991) mandates theuse of automatic lighting controls for allnew and renovated nonresidential spacesnot intended for 24-hour use. Almost allluminaires in 450 South Salina Street arecontrolled by ceiling-mounted occupancysensors. Most are ultrasonic sensors thatemit an inaudible high-frequency waveand receive back the reflected waves.They interpret any change to the reflectedwave pattern as human movement andrespond by switching on the lights.Occupancy sensors are available with dif-ferent coverage areas, have adjustablesensitivities and adjustable time delays.The time delay is the time between themoment at which no movement is detect-ed until the lights are switched off. Thesensors in this building have built-in

ranges from a few seconds to fifteen min-utes, and most have been set for thelongest possible time delay.

Occupancy sensors with different coveragepatterns are used in corridors and smalleroffices. A few passive infrared (PIR) occu-pancy sensors, which require an unobstruct-ed sight line to moving occupants, are usedin private offices and the back stairwell. PIRsensors are useful in spaces where movementin adjacent spaces could accidentally triggerlights to switch on. These sensors detect themovement of heat sources (i.e., occupants),and have lenses which can be masked tolimit their area of “view.” The sensors in the

main office spaces and corridors are triggeredfrequently enough for the lights to remain onthroughout the workday. The lights in thepartners’ offices, thefinish selection room,and the two confer-ence rooms in thedesign offices fre-quently switch offduring the day afterthe spaces becomeunoccupied. In theDepartment of Labor offices, the lights in thelarge open spaces are typically on all daybecause of constant occupancy, while thelights in the smaller offices switch on and offwith employee occupancy. Department ofLabor conference spaces are used regularlybut not for long periods of time, so the roomsare frequently unlighted, and energy is saved.

Many small rooms controlled by occupancy sensors also have switches to manually override the sensor controlswhen occupants wish to shut lights off forslide or video presentations.

The building manager reported to theDELTA team that F32T8 fluorescent lampswere lasting only six months in a fewlocations. These were spaces with inter-mittent use, such as restrooms and theback stairwell. Light loggers installed aspart of the DELTA evaluation showed thatoccupancy sensors triggered the lamps tostrike an average of 16 times a day in theback stairwell, and 32 times a day in

restrooms. Although the energysavings due to occupancy sensorsis significant, the nuisance ofchanging lamps outweighs the savings in the building manager’sview. The early lamp failure isprobably due to the interactionbetween frequent switching andthe instant-start fluorescent ballastsused. The advantage of instant-startballasts is that they use less energythan rapid-start ballasts, becausethe lamp filaments are not con-stantly heated during operation.However, the voltage they apply to

start the lamp is approximately twice thevoltage applied by rapid-start ballasts.Lamp life is significantly reduced whenthe lamp is repeatedly started with such ahigh voltage. DELTA recommends chang-ing to rapid-start ballasts in these areas toextend lamp life. Both the sensitivity ofthe occupancy sensors and the length ofthe time delay required adjustment afterinstallation. These adjustments wereinconvenient because a ladder wasrequired to reach the units. However, nowthat the adjustments have been complet-ed, most interviewed employeesexpressed satisfaction with their perfor-mance.

A few of the occupancy sensors had failed, leaving lights in the “on” position.These failures are often difficult to detect

Building Areas and Lighting Power DensitiesSpace Total Total ASHRAE ASHRAE NY State In-use LPD

area connected Allowed LPD Allowed LPD Conservation during(ft2) LPD (room by (prescriptive Construction business

room method) method) Code hoursDesign 14,316 1.90 2.14 1.44officesDepartment 35,990 1.27 1.70 1.17of LaborofficesTotal Bldg. 50,205 1.45 1.82 1.65 2.40 1.25

1 m2 = 10.76 ft2; 1 W/ft2 = 10.76 W/m2

ProjectEvaluation

Ultrasonic occupancy sensor

Controls (continued)because, like the light in a refrigerator,you cannot be sure that the light reallygoes off when you close the door. Like-wise with occupancy sensors, you cannotmonitor the function of the occupancysensor if your physical presence wouldtrigger the sensor to keep lights switchedon. (See Lessons Learned.) In two unoc-cupied spaces, a large Department ofLabor office and the building’s front stairwell, lights were observed throughwindows to be on at night. This couldindicate that either the sensor had failed,or it was placed close to a window andwas detecting vibration from motion onthe street outside.

Some people in inner offices complainedthat lights switched off in adjacent, unoccupied outer offices while they wereworking or talking with people. To visitorswho saw their exit path suddenly go dark, this was disconcerting. In theseareas only, occupancy sensors could berelocated closer to the open doorbetween offices so that their coveragearea included a portion of the adjacentoffice. However, the control of these twooffices would always be linked together,increasing energy use.

Department of Labor conference roomsdemonstrate effective use of occupancysensors. On a typical day, the conferenceroom lights are switched off an average of5.4 hours of the 10-hour workday becausethe rooms are unoccupied. This saves5008 kWh of energy usage per year,which translates to a total annual savingsof $363 for these three conference rooms.At this rate, it takes only six months to payback the cost of the occupancy sensors.

Time Clocks A programmable timeclock controls the switching of lights onthe building exterior, at the buildingentrance, and in the first floor elevatorlobby. This time clock can be set to turnlights on and off from dusk to dawn

according to seasonal needs and specialevents.

Control of Daylight The windowsalong the two window walls are treatedwith roll-down solar shades to provideheat control and filter daylight. Designedto preserve the view outside, the shadesare fitted with a cleanable, open-weavefabric (approximately 14% open) to admitsome natural light while reducing glareand excessive brightness. Although theyare left in the half-open position on bothsides of the building most of the time,CAD workers lower the shades to reduceglare when the sun enters at low angles.

Environmental and EconomicAnalyses By using energy-saving elec-tronic ballasts and T8 lamps as a buildingstandard in the Department of Laboroffices, compact fluorescent and long twin-tube compact fluorescent lamps for generallighting in the QP&K/JPS offices, andreducing lighting use with occupancy sen-sors, this office building was able toachieve significant energy savings andreduced costs. DELTA compared the annu-al energy cost based on observed day andnight use with a hypothetical model. (This model is based on an ASHRAE wholebuilding LPD of 1.65 W/ft2 with the follow-ing assumptions: • 100% of lights on in the Department of

Labor for 10 hours/day;• 25% of lights on in the Department of

Labor for 5 hours in the evening; • 100% of lights on in the design offices

for 10 hours/day; • 50% of lights on in the design offices

for 5 hours in the evening. • 33% of all lights in corridors in both

areas on all night.) The calculated annual energy cost savings is $6120, $3614 from lighting and$2506 from reduced HVAC use.

The initial cost of the lighting system forthe entire building, including luminaires,lamps, controls, and installation, was

$287,000. This breaks down to $126,250for the Department of Labor; $83,250 forQP&K and JPS; and $77,500 for the build-ing core and exterior. For a comparablebuilding, an installed lighting system usingmagnetic ballasts and conventional lampswould have initially cost $39,000 (13.6%)less; however, the cost was offset by asubsidy from the New York State EnergyOffice and a rebate from NiagaraMohawk Power Corporation, the localelectric utility, for the installation of energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, ballasts, and occupancy sensors.

According to estimates of the UnitedStates Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), reduced energy from this building(when compared to a building at theASHRAE LPD of 1.65 W/ft2 [18 W/m2])will result in lower power plant emissionsof 63.3 fewer tons (57 metric tons) ofCO2, 1100 fewer pounds (490 kg) ofSO2, and 470 fewer pounds (210 kg) ofNOx compounds. By reducing theseemissions into the atmosphere, there is asmaller contribution to problems such asglobal warming, acid rain, and smog.

Staff response The DELTA teaminterviewed employees working in theoffices of the Department of Labor, QP&K,and JPS to learn about their impressionsand experiences with the lighting. DELTAwanted to find out which lighting featuresworked well and which, if any, could beimproved. DELTA specifically asked aboutvisual comfort, task visibility, reactions tocontrols, window glare, and any changesin the lighting the employees would suggest. In addition, 47 employees of theDepartment of Labor and 37 employees ofthe design offices were asked to completesurvey forms on lighting.

Overall, the interviewed employees werevery satisfied with the appearance of thelighting and considered it comfortable.Some employees at the Department ofLabor reported seeing annoying reflections

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ProjectEvaluation

of the parabolic luminaires on their com-puter screens, but most did not find this tobe a serious problem. Although a fewthought that the lighting in theDepartment of Labor offices was toobright, and some disliked the bare lampsvisible in the parabolic luminaires, mostwere satisfied that the lighting was suffi-cient for reading and writing without tasklights. A reading test on the survey formsconfirmed that 83% of the Department ofLabor employees were able to read 6point type or higher. This is a moderatelevel of performance compared to norma-tive data.

In the design offices, interviewed employ-ees considered the lighting both attractiveand comfortable, and 94% of those completing surveys were able to read 4point type. This is an excellent level ofperformance. The reasons for the differ-ences in satisfaction with the lighting maybe due to different employee populationsand their attitudes toward their work environments, as well as differences inlighting equipment.

Employees in both types of offices reportedthat occupancy sensors functioned well,once sensitivity and time delay adjustmentshad been made. Most people commentedthat they liked the convenience of not hav-ing to find light switches; however, DELTAreceived some negative comments too.While some people reported feeling moresecure at night with lights turning on auto-matically to illuminate their path and toindicate the presence of others, some com-mented that a space looked dark and unsafeif the occupancy sensors had shut the lightsoff. Some people would prefer to keep hall-way lights on all the time because they donot like entering a dark corridor, eventhough the occupancy sensors would turnlights on within a second of their entering.

The only problems reported were that occa-sionally occupancy sensors would switchlights off while a person working alone atnight sat quietly for a long period of time,and that people conversing in an inner officewere sometimes distracted by the lightsswitching off in an empty outer office.

Employee Comments“Very comfortable - no eyestrain at all,I don’t miss having a window office.”

–QP&K employee

“The lighting is better, brighter,more pleasant than the last office I worked in.”

–Supervisor of Work Force TrainingDepartment of Labor

“I like the convenience of not having togrope for light switches. The occupancysensors alert you to visitors.”

–Architect, QP&K

Maintenance and ProductPerformance The overall response toproduct performance and maintenanceissues was positive. Manufacturers wereresponsive to problems identified afterinstallation. Most of the occupancy sensorsrequired some initial adjustment, but arenow working well. There has been agreater-than-expected number of lamp fail-ures in specific areas of the building, prob-ably due to the frequent starts with instant-start ballasts. This problem could be miti-gated by using rapid-start ballasts ratherthan instant-start ballasts in locationswhere frequent switching is anticipated.There were some failures of ballasts andoccupancy sensors; however, all failed ballasts and occupancy sensors werepromptly replaced by manufacturers.Maintenance was reported to be easybecause lamps can be replaced quickly byone person with a short ladder.

Several long twin-tube compact fluores-cent lamps (FT40) have failed, leaving theplastic base on the lamp appearingcharred and partially melted. There wassome concern that this was a fire hazard.DELTA checked with the lamp manufac-turer who reassured us that this occur-rence is caused by high voltage from the instant-start ballasts at end-of-life, but isnot a hazard. However, the manufacturerrecommends operating this FT40 lamp on

LIGHTING SURVEY—Percentages of People Who Agree:Dept. of

QP&K/JPS Labor Norm*1. The lighting is comfortable. 92% 85% 69%2. The lighting is uncomfortably bright for tasks performed. 3% 17% 16%3. The lighting is uncomfortably dim for tasks performed. 0% 13% 14%4. The lighting is poorly distributed. 0% 15% 25%5. The lighting causes deep shadows. 0% 6% 15%6. Reflections from the light fixtures hinder work. 3% 21% 19%7. The light fixtures are too bright. 0% 9% 14%8. Skin has an unnatural tone under the lighting. 3% 17% 9%9. The lights flicker throughout the day. 0% 9% 4%10. The lighting is worse than similar workplaces in

other buildings. 3% 4% 19%11. The lighting is about the same as similar workplaces

in other buildings. 35% 64% 60%12. The lighting is better than similar workplaces in

other buildings. 57% 32% 22%

*Normative data for this survey based on over 1200 responses from employees in several offices throughout the northeast United States.


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ISSN 1075-3966 Printed on recycled paper


For publications ordering information write or fax:Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180-3590 • FAX (518) 276-2999

Product Performance (continued)a magnetic rapid-start ballast until an electronic rapid-start ballast is availablewith a circuit that senses the end oflamp life.

The building manager noticed a colordifference in fluorescent lamps from dif-ferent manufacturers; some appeared tohave a green tint, some a pink tint. Therecommendation of the DELTA team isto use, if possible, lamps from the samemanufacturer in the same space.

Lessons Learned• Occupancy sensors DO save energyby turning lights off when spaces areunoccupied. Private offices, conferencerooms, and stairwells are frequentlyunoccupied for long periods of timeduring the day, and most spaces areunoccupied for most of the night. Whenspecifying occupancy sensors, the typeof sensor and the coverage patternshould be carefully matched to eacharea. Factors to consider include trafficpatterns, height of partitions, and theperception of insecurity that dark corri-dors create. An occupancy sensorshould be located so that it will detectall occupants within the intended cover-age area. In general, employees like thebenefits of automatic switching. Refer tothe National Lighting ProductInformation Program publication,Specifier Reports: Occupancy Sensors(1992) for further information.

• Occupancy sensors will need sensitiv-ity and time delay adjustment after initial installation. They may requireadjustment more than once to fine tunethe detectors for different situations.Sometimes unforeseen traffic patterns in the coverage area can trigger the sensor to keep the lights on when aspace is unoccupied, or switch lights off when someone is at the edge of thecoverage area.

• Occupancy sensor failures may behard to spot. If you suspect a failure,DELTA suggests setting a minimum timedelay on the sensor and standing still, asfar away from the sensor as possible.Make sure that you are the only occu-pant in the space. After a few seconds,the occupancy sensor should shut off the lights. If it does not, it is probably malfunctioning.

• Fluorescent lamps frequentlyswitched by occupancy sensors shouldbe operated on rapid-start ballastsrather than on instant-start ballasts inorder to maintain lamp life. Otherwise,the high starting voltage delivered byinstant-start ballasts can substantiallyshorten lamp life.

• The combination of ambient light andtask lighting provides great flexibilityfor paper tasks, drafting, and VDT usein the design offices. The ambient lightfrom the cove uplighting provides apleasant, reduced-glare environment for VDT use, while the flexibility ofadjustable task lighting enables employ-ees to control the illuminance in theirown workspaces as needed.

• The roll-down solar shades reduce window glare while maintaining a viewto the outdoors. The ability to filter daylight without blocking views isappreciated by the employees of thedesign offices.

DELTA Portfolio Lighting Case Studies

Volume 1, Issue 3450 South Salina Street, Syracuse, NYSite Sponsors:

New York State Energy Researchand Development Authority

Niagara Mohawk Power CorporationSeptember 1995Program Director: Naomi MillerReviewers: Russell P. Leslie and

Mark S. ReaEvaluation Team Leader: Peter BoycePublication Manager: Judith BlockEvaluation Team: Robert Strobel,

Charles LloydTechnical Assistance: Linda Sanford,

Rita Koltai, Xin Wang, Maarten MulderCREDITS

NYSERDA Contact:James Barron, Senior Project Manager

NMPC Contact:John Scala, Divisional Marketing

CoordinatorArchitects:

Quinlivan Pierik & Krause-Architects/Engineers

Alfred Krause: Partner-in-chargeWilliam Mowat: Project architectRobert Haley, A.I.A.: Architectural

and lighting design Diana Cesta, ASIDSteve Jennings: Building Manager

Electrical and Lighting Engineer:William Clifford, Fraser & Fassler, M.E.

Building Owner: 450 South Salina Street Partnership

Luminaire Manufacturers:Type A, Columbia; Type B, Alkco; Type C, Keystone; Types D, D1, D2, E, Prescolite; Types D3, D4, D5, D6, Halo; Type F, Visa; Type G, Vista; Type H, Luxo Lamp; Type I, Litecontrol; Type K, Alkco.

Ballasts: MagnetekOccupancy sensors: Watt-StopperSolar shades: RollstarTime clock: TorkLighting plans: QP&KDELTA Portfolio Graphic Design andProduction: JSG Communications, Inc.Photographers: Cindy Foor, Focus Studio;

Robert Strobel: occupancy sensor

DELTA MEMBERSBonneville Power Administration

Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.New York State Energy Research and Development

AuthorityNiagara Mohawk Power Corporation

Northeast Utilities SystemOntario Hydro

Lighting Research Center

DELTA STEERING COMMITTEEJames Barron, Craig Ciranny, Patricia Glasow,Michael Henville, Roger Knott, Mitchell Kohn,

Peter Morante, Frank Napoli, John Scala, Jerry White

demonstration and evaluation of lighting technologies and … · 2001-11-19 · deltaportfolio 450...

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