GSA Tests Occupant-Specific Lighting Controls
The US General Services Administration released two reports as part of the Green Proving Ground program, unveiling technologies that reduce energy use in federal buildings and have significant savings potential if widely implemented. The two studies released evaluate plug load controls and an occupant-responsive lighting controls system.
GSA works with the?Department of?Energy's National Laboratories to test the viability of energy-efficient technologies that can be installed in?buildings across the country. The technologies for the Green Proving Ground program are selected for their potential to help reduce operating costs and to meet the sustainability goals in President Obama's Executive Order on environmental, energy and economic performance.
"This innovative program is another example of GSA leading the way for the federal government," said Dorothy Robyn, Commissioner of GSA's Public Buildings Service. "By testing the effectiveness of these technologies, GSA is finding new ways that federal buildings across the nation can save both energy and?taxpayer dollars."
The Responsive Lighting study evaluated the performance of new workstation-specific lighting systems. The technology comprised a workstation-specific (WS) lighting system, dimmable ballasts, occupancy sensors at each WS luminaire, and a Lighting Management Control System (LMCS) that coordinated these components. The study was conducted in five federal buildings in California and Nevada that represented a diverse set of agencies, occupancy patterns, work styles, and lighting. Results showed energy savings that ranged from approximately 27 to 63 percent over baseline conditions depending on the work space's normal use. Lighting accounts for 39 percent of electricity costs in office buildings.
The study concluded that spaces with long operating hours and varying occupancy patterns benefit most. The researchers suggest that personnel training, thorough commissioning, and a more-intuitive operator interface could have improved the results. Further, adding direct occupant control of light levels could result in increased energy savings, increased occupant satisfaction, and improved performance.
The Responsive Lighting study is posted here.
The Plug Load Control study evaluated advanced power strips in eight GSA buildings in the MidAtlantic region. Results showed schedule-based capability to be highly effective, reducing plug loads at workstations by 26 percent, and nearly 50 percent in kitchens and printer rooms. This technology could significantly reduce costs, as plug-loads account for roughly 25 percent of total electricity consumed within office buildings. The Plug Load Control study is posted here.
GSA also announced that it will test and evaluate 12 additional emerging sustainable building technologies in select federal facilities. This year's technologies include wireless lighting controls, LED luminaires, glazing retrofit coatings, wireless pneumatic thermostats, solar thermal collectors and water-saving landscape irrigation systems. For more information on the 12 new technologies selected for evaluation as part of GSA's Green Proving?Ground this year, as well as results from last year's program.
The US General Services Administration owns and leases 9600 buildings across the country and has the real estate portfolio needed to broadly test and install these technologies. The "landlord" for the civilian federal government, the GSA maintains an inventory of more than 370.2 million square feet of workspace for 1.1 million federal employees, and preserves more than 481 historic properties.
