All Saints Church Wins 2018 IES Lighting Control Innovation Award
The Lighting Control Innovation Award was created in 2011 as part of the Illuminating Engineering Society’s Illumination Awards program, which recognizes professionalism, ingenuity and originality in lighting design. LCA is proud to sponsor the Lighting Control Innovation Award, which recognizes projects that exemplify the effective use of lighting controls in nonresidential applications.
This month, we will explore an innovative installation of interior lighting controls at All Saints Church in Pasadena, CA. Design by StudioK1. Photography by Nick Merrick and Pete Eckert. Lighting controls by Acuity.
Built in 1926, this project offered a common challenge: update an antiquated, incandescent lighting system with a minimal budget. An uncommon lighting and system design was developed to meet budget constraints by using existing fixture locations and wiring infrastructure.
The lighting control solution uses Electronic Low Voltage dimming, 0-10v dimming; and relay-controlled circuits with a Power Line Carrier DMX signal, which is transmitted over *existing* building wiring for precise, individual DMX fixture control. 300-watt spotlights were replaced with 50-watt DMX-enabled, 0% dimmable, individual-addressable track lights, allowing light to be tailored where and when it is needed. Track power can also be switched off to eliminate “vampire” driver loads when not in use.
After extensive testing, screw-in LED lamps capable of low range dimming on ELV dimmers were selected for the historical fixtures. All LED lighting is 90+ CRI, with flicker-free dimming to low levels. In addition to load reduction, LED fixtures significantly reduce air conditioning and maintenance costs.
A touch screen controller allows presets to be recalled by Astronomical time clock, motion sensors or button stations. WiFi connectivity also allows control from portable devices. A second DMX input jack allows a portable lighting console to operate in parallel with the architectural system for special events and film rentals. Additional control zones, daylight and occupancy sensors can be easily added to expand the network as renovations continue.
After completion, ambient lighting levels increased from approximately 2 footcandles to 8. Energy savings are at 80%; additional savings will soon be achieved by adding motion sensors. Payback is estimated at less than 8 years.
To quote our project manager, “We made these lighting changes to demonstrate that our church cares about our impact on the Earth. The fact that the lights also make our church more beautiful is just an added benefit!”