To really save money and energy, the key is to integrate your lighting control system into your HVAC system. This is not done very frequently because it is complex, however it is possible and it will save you a lot of energy. Additionally as technology is advancing it is become more frequent that people will integrate these systems for the aforementioned benefits.
More often in new buildings there is a trend towards making the energy performance of the space very high. The U.S. Green Building Council has instituted a rating system to help categorize how energy efficient a building actually is. This rating system takes into account that buildings should be getting better and some jurisdictions even mandate these new standards even as lighting is becoming more and more complex. At the same time, though, HVAC monitoring and controls is now more formalized and standard across the board. This means that as these advanced lighting systems are released out into the market, it will become more common for these light and HVAC systems to be integrated in the future. Design and construction are still obstacles for this goal, but there is so much saved in energy and money that it is worth exploring how this could benefit your building. The efficiency of a building does not just refer to the consumption of energy, but also if the inhabitants are thermally comfortable and can see comfortably. It used to be that these systems were on a timing basis as people might be in the area. There is a better way with an integrated system. Some shy way from tying together their lighting and HVAC system because of the high initial cost. However, as the code develops and it become easier to link them, more and more applications are being completed. The integrated system offers many benefits to the users. A few of these benefits include improved efficiency because of common scheduling, occupancy control, and optimization of both thermal and visual systems. What could be better than tying them together?
