The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) has introduced a new toolkit aimed at enhancing energy savings in commercial buildings by promoting the integration of networked lighting controls (NLC) with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. This resource addresses a significant opportunity for energy conservation, as research indicates that integrating lighting controls with HVAC can reduce HVAC energy consumption by up to 30% and total energy load by 20% in large commercial buildings.
The NLC-HVAC Integration Toolkit was developed in response to the challenges identified by a 2023 working group, which highlighted the lack of communication between lighting and HVAC professionals as a major obstacle to achieving substantial energy savings. The toolkit aims to facilitate better collaboration and unlock greater energy efficiency potential.
Key components of the toolkit include:
- A Decision Tree for identifying suitable integration projects
- Searchable Case Studies of successful implementations
- A sample construction integration specification template
- A comprehensive Handbook with essential information and references
- A Responsibility Matrix outlining task allocation for integration projects
The toolkit is designed to cater to a wide range of professionals in the building industry, including contractors, specifiers, utilities, manufacturers, engineers, and designers. It provides a free, accessible resource to help overcome the complexities associated with NLC-HVAC integration projects.
This initiative aligns with findings from the 2024 DLC Controls Summit, which emphasized the need for simplified “How-To” guides, real-world examples, and case studies to facilitate wider adoption of controlled lighting and HVAC integration. The summit also highlighted the potential for NLC-HVAC integration to save up to five times more energy than NLC alone in large commercial buildings.
The DLC’s efforts come at a crucial time, as the industry seeks to maintain energy savings in the face of increasing LED baselines. By promoting NLC-HVAC integration, the DLC is providing a cost-effective strategy for LED lighting incentive programs to continue delivering energy savings and serving customers.
DLC hopes the NLC-HVAC Integration Toolkit will play a role in overcoming implementation challenges and fostering collaboration between different professional domains. This approach not only promises significant energy savings but also aligns with broader goals of reducing carbon emissions and improving building performance.
You can download the toolkit here.
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