For an academic research center, being at the forefront of its developments is its main function, but it must also set an example through the implements they use. Therefore, the CIIDIT of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León changed its lighting.
By Richard Santa
The Center for Innovation, Research and Development in Engineering and Technology, CIIDIT, of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, considered an icon in avant-garde and technology within the university, houses a multidisciplinary center consisting of state-of-the-art laboratories for different engineering and technology disciplines.
Inside the building there is a Knowledge Management Center, multipurpose rooms with state-of-the-art technology, areas equipped for the use of researchers and students, as well as rooms for continuing education and for administrative use.
The building's directives needed to find a solution to reduce the operating expenses of the building where it operates and, at the same time, they sought comfort for users, who perform multiple activities within the same space, and that the system was easy to operate. After looking for different solutions, the lighting and control company Juan del Valle implemented the Grafik Eye system from Lutron Electronics.
Hands on
Alejandra León Sariñana, Marketing Leader for Lutron Electronics Latin America, says that the system was installed shortly after the inauguration of the building, so there was no other system previously installed, which facilitated in a certain way the work with the system to be installed.
The Lutron Electronics system was used to control the lighting of three conference rooms and boardrooms. 14 EcoSystem panels and more than 700 digital ballasts were also installed.
The system controls the interior and exterior lighting of the building, including facades and billboards. The automation of the turning on and off of the lights was programmed by pre-established schedules, occupancy and vacancy sensors, dimming of the lighting according to the levels of outdoor light and according to the time of year.
The personnel in charge of the operation of the building use an interface that allows to control by computer the lighting of any area. In addition, the system offers comfort for users who perform multiple activities within the same space.
System Features
The representative of Lutron emphasizes that with the lighting control system installed in the CIIDIT it is predefined, customizable and allows to control the lights and curtains. The system helps to save energy and meet the aesthetic, functional and regulatory needs of any project or space.
Among the benefits obtained by the research center with the new system are:
- Possibility to raise or lower the intensity of groups of lights through a single button, or predetermined schedules
- Possibility to control multiple zones: up to 16 individual zones.
- Easy readings of energy savings, lighting levels and astronomical clock information through an integrated display.
- Possibility to raise and lower the lighting levels momentarily of a zone or scene (for example, in case of special events), without canceling the programmed lighting levels.
- Possibility to create scenes through the programming of lighting and curtains of an entire area.
- Possibility to control the lighting through a portable infrared remote control.
- Per-clock programming that helps meet the requirements of power codes and includes the after-hours mode option.
- Control of curtains through keypads or programming by schedules that lower them, or raise them according to the need of the schedule.
- Possibility of wireless connections and/or wired connections installed.
Results
After the installation of this system, the Center for Innovation, Research and Development in Engineering and Technology, managed to reduce its operating expenses while implementing a lighting control system that uses the most advanced technology in radio frequency, Clear Connect. It is used to integrate and communicate the components of the lighting control system and ensures a simultaneous and uniform response of all components.
Thanks to the automation of light dimming, light level transitions are imperceptible, avoiding distractions and preventing users from having to worry about lighting.
At the same time, because using the necessary levels of lighting helps extend the life of spotlights and ballasts, maintenance managers reported less need to change them.
According to Alejandra León Sariñana, after installing the Grafik Eye system, the university carried out measurement and energy quality studies and found that it reduced electricity consumption by more than 50%. Thanks to the automation of the lighting, the transitions of the lighting levels when the lights are dimmed, are imperceptible, thus avoiding distractions and offering comfort for users.
At the same time, because the necessary levels of lighting are used, the service life of spotlights and ballasts is extended, which helps to cut back on maintenance costs.
Satisfied customers
The university's managers are very satisfied with the implementation, which not only managed to achieve the objectives of energy savings, with more than 50% reduction in consumption, and comfort, but also offers flexibility and easy operation. This satisfaction was also due to two aspects.
The first, that there were no difficulties in the implementation process, thanks to the fact that it was planned according to the needs. And since the installation, there were also no malfunctions of any of the systems.
Secondly, because the lighting control implementation company Juan del Valle, Lutron's distributor in Mexico, has worked together with the University of Nuevo León on other occasions, installing this type of systems in other of its buildings.
"Due to the good results that the university obtained in these buildings, which offer energy savings and comfort for the occupants of the buildings, they have decided to hire the lighting control systems again," says Alejandra Leon Sariñana.
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