Category: motion sensors

Installing motion sensors in high traffic rooms such as break rooms and bathrooms can have a significant impact on the amount of energy consumed and the cost of lighting in a building.

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What is an LED Dusk to Dawn Light?

Posted on by Conservation Mart
Dusk-to-Dawn Fixture
Dusk-to-Dawn Fixture

Dusk-to-dawn LED fixtures are triggered on and off by the amount of light reaching the fixture’s sensor, making them suitable for outdoor areas such as streets, roadways, parking lots, and pedestrian areas. The dusk-to-dawn feature of a light will cause your motion light to activate only when it is dark.  This feature uses a small photocell to detect the presence of available and/or existing light.  If light is detected, the motion light will not trigger.  If light is not detected, the light will turn on once motion is detected. Therefore, during the day when natural light is present, the light will not activate when motion is detected, which saves energy. Here is a breakdown of the features and advantages that come with the dusk-to-dawn feature:

Features:

  • Automatically triggered on and off by the amount of light reaching the fixture’s sensor
  • Great light output and efficiency
  • Inexpensive and widely available
  • Significantly longer life
  • Low maintenance

Advantages:

  • Security: Provides enough light to see an intruder and, therefore, deters an intruder from entering an area
  • Safety: Mishaps and accidents can be significantly reduced if you illuminate doorways, sidewalks, and driveways
  • Convenience: You don’t have to remember to switch the light on or off
  • Conservation: Offers low intensity to conserve electricity and to keep from disturbing neighbors

Dusk-to-dawn lighting can be a useful addition to your home or establishment. Remember, when choosing the type of dusk to dawn lighting source you may need it would be best to check the lumen output of your fixture based on how much light you would like the light to emit, as light intensity is measured in lumens.

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Cut Lighting Costs with an Occupancy Sensor

Posted on by Conservation Mart
Occupancy Sensors
Occupancy Sensors

Have you ever experienced the sense of relief that comes with turning the lights on after a sudden nighttime power outage? Motion sensors, or occupancy sensors, bring the same relief and don’t require an act of electrical failure to do so. These power-saving gadgets turn lights on/off based on the ability to detect a human presence or not. By installing the best motion sensor for the area, you’ll save energy, money, and won’t have to remind everyone when to turn off the lights!

Which sensor is best for your environment?
There are three types of sensor technologies to choose from: passive infrared (PIR), ultrasonic and dual-technology. After choosing the right technology, pick which application – a wall switch, ceiling sensor, or wall sensor – to use for your area.

Technology: Passive Infrared (PIR)
PIR sensors need a direct line of vision in order to tell if a room is occupied or not, which is why they are most effective in enclosed areas, such as a:

  • bedroom
  • closet
  • entryway
  • lobby area
  • private office
  • or storage

Best Application for PIR Sensors
For most areas, especially in the home, a wall switch or ceiling sensor will bring the best results in sensing movement. A wall sensor is better for places like a warehouse.

Technology: Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic occupancy sensors are somewhat the opposite of PIRs. They don’t need a direct line of vision to detect motion and can even see around corners and objects. This sophisticated technology is sensitive to motion up to 25 feet, but because they can cover larger areas than PIRs, ultrasonic sensors are mostly used in places such as:

  • cafeterias
  • classrooms
  • libraries
  • hallways
  • and multi-stall restrooms

Best Application for Ultrasonic Sensors
Wall switches and ceiling sensors are more commonly used for ultrasonic sensors.

Technology: Dual-Technology
When a space calls for both PIR and ultrasonic sensors, like a conference room or lecture hall, a dual-technology sensor is the best option.

Best Application for Ultrasonic Sensors
Because of the versatility of dual-technology sensors, any application can be used. Just keep the size of the area in mind when choosing. For example, conference rooms and lobby areas can use any application while classrooms and lecture halls should use ceiling sensors.

Energy Savings
If lighting accounts for 35-45% of the energy usage in your home like it does for office buildings, installing a motion sensor can significantly reduce lighting costs. According to EnergyStar, you can boost energy savings by more than 80% using daylighting controls and occupancy sensors.

 

As energy costs continue to go up and new standards are set for lighting (such as the phasing out of the incandescent light bulb), keeping on top of the best energy practices saves you the hassle of making drastic changes in the long run. Even better, the short-term benefits are just as significant.

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Reduce Office Lighting Costs with Motion Sensors

Posted on by Conservation Mart

Motion Sensing Switch

An easy way to make your office more energy efficient is to turn off the lights when you’re not using them. At home people are used to turning our lights off when we leave the room. But often times in public places, like the office, they don’t bother to turn it off… how do you know if you’ll be the last person to use the restroom or visit the breakroom for the day? A good solution for public areas in offices that have long periods of no use is to buy a motion sensing switch. These switches are a great fit for rooms that have high traffic in the day but are never used at night such as break areas, personal offices, or restrooms. They can also protect against forgetfulness for rooms that are rarely visited like storage rooms or closets, where leaving the light on could go unnoticed for days. For these types of rooms, motion sensing wall switches are ideal for saving on lighting costs.

The most popular types of these switches use passive infrared (PIR) sensors that detect motion and turn lights on when motion is detected and turn them off after a certain amount time with no motion is experienced. Most have adjustable motion sensitivity for switching on and an adjustable timer for determining how long to wait before turning it off. Also make sure you select one with a range that meets your room size and timer range that makes sense for your foot traffic patterns.