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In the quest to save energy, many facility managers have replaced aging HID, HPS and T12 lighting with high-outputT5 or T8 fluorescent (HIF) fixtures. These retrofits saved energy compared to legacy lighting, but the savings that wereimpressive at installation time are now eclipsed by the superior energy savings potential offered by intelligent LED systems.

By combining a low-wattage, highly controllable illumination source with sensing, integrated controls, and wirelessnetworking, these high-performance LED lighting systems now effectively replace HIF lamps, and still save up to 90%on lighting energy.

Intelligent LED lighting systems leverage the power and flexibility of LEDs as an illumination source and take a moresophisticated, network-based approach to lighting. They eliminate the shortcomings of HIFs and offer facility managersthe opportunity to approach lighting as a strategic asset all without performance issues, lengthy warm-up times,and ongoing maintenance (re-lamping/re-ballasting) chores.

While it seems unconventional to replace HIFs with LEDs, especially if the HIF installation was relatively recent,the case for evaluating the decision involves performance and economic considerations. This white paper explores:

How intelligent LED systems harness new levels of control to maximize energy savings,

The economic considerations of an upgrade from HIF to an intelligent LED system, and

Case studies of facilities that have made the switch.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MAXIMUM LIGHTING EFFICIENCY

Maximizing lighting efficiency means managing the variables that affect lighting use, and requires a comprehensive

LED-based lighting system that supports:

Rapid on/off cycling without warm-up times or diminished lifetime.

Full-range dimming, from 0-100%.

Occupancy and daylight harvesting sensors integrated into every fixture.

Application-specific optics narrow/aisle/wide to place light where it is needed without the need forreflectors or over-lighting.

Adjustable light bars combined with application-specific optics to enable optimal distribution of light.

Short time-out settings to minimize the amount of time a fixture is left on after an area is vacated.

Scheduled settings that manage lighting according to differing cell or shif t needs, operating hours orseasonal changes, among others.

Distributed intelligence that ensures that each fixture in the network is able to store its instruction set,for consistent and safe operation at all times.

Centralized control that eliminates the need to touch a lighting fixture to change settings.

Integrated data gathering with metering, such as kWh used, occupancy patterns , and kWh saved fromdaylight harvesting.

Wireless networking for data sharing and ease of deployment.

Detailed reporting by fixture, zone or facility-wide to enable learning and fine-tuning.

www.digital lumens.com

+1 (617) 723-1200

Think Youve Achieved Maximum Lighting Performance and

Efficiency with Your Fluorescent Upgrade? Think Again.


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These capabilities, combined, offer the performance and efficiency that creates bottom-line impact. Without this

functionality all integrated true efficiency will remain elusive. And therein lies the problem for HIF fixtures.

Even the latest generations cant achieve the performance, efficiency, or functionality that intelligent LEDs offer facilities

seeking dramatic energy savings. In fact, fluorescents cant match LEDs:

Efficiency on a pure wattage basis. Every moment a fluorescent fixture is on, it uses more energy than an LED-

based fixture to deliver necessary illumination levels. And fluorescents are often left on either completely orpartially to avoid warm-up issues with restrike.

Tolerance for rapid on/off cycling (e.g. anything less than 15-minute intervals), without warm-up times, degradation

of light output, or negative impacts on ballast/lamp life. Unlike fluorescents, LEDs are maintenance-free, performwell in all temperature environments and do not degrade with frequent or rapid cycling. In fact, the more LEDsare off, the longer their lifetime.

Ability to rapidly respond to sensor inputs (occupancy, daylight). Dramatic energy savings are driven by

integrated occupancy and daylight sensors built into every intelligent LED f ixture, allowing the fixtures to instantlyrespond to environmental activity. In contrast, HIF sensors are often installed circuit-wide (with settings fixed atinstallation), which compromises performance and erodes energy savings. When combined with the lack of on/off

cycling tolerance, circuit-based sensors applied to a difficult-to-control technology do not deliver the energy savingsthat offset the cost of the aftermarket sensor package.

Inherent controllability that, when coupled with lighting management and control software, enables facility

managers to continuously fine-tune system settings and behaviors. This level of functionality simply does not existamong the fluorescent alternatives, and is unlikely to be developed due underlying technical limitations.

Ability to place light exactly where needed through a variety of optic choices, ranging from narrow to wideand aisle, and light bar rotation. Instead, HIF lamps have a one-size-fits-all optics approach that forces facilitiesto over-light space to ensure adequate light levels due to optics or lumen depreciation issues. The results are atremendous amount of unused light, work surface glare, and higher energy costs.

Worth noting is that plain LEDs, alone, do not deliver energy savings beyond simple one-time wattage reduction. LEDs

need to be part of a comprehensive system that integrates system-wide intelligence to achieve maximum efficiency.

Leading industrial facilities are proving that it is possible to leverage intelligent systems to cost-effectively transitionfrom HIF to intelligent LEDs and save as much as 90% of lighting energy costs. How? By eliminating unnecessary lightand taking a more strategic approach to lighting.

THE PILLARS OF ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING

Facility managers are well-versed in the drivers of lighting energy use fixture wattage, dimming, occupancy, daylightharvesting, facility operating hours, and light level requirements but have been constrained by traditional lightingsources inability to be managed around those variables, while ensuring safe light levels. HIF lighting has offered

incremental advances, e.g., step-level dimming, circuit-level controls, or even individual sensors, but intelligent LED

systems deliver far greater benefits. Compare intelligent LED systems and HIF fixtures with respect to energy-ef ficiencyand energy-savings opportunities:

Wattage The first step towards energy reduction is wattage reduction, where LEDs outshine HIFsby a wide margin. A typical 4LT5 HIF fixture consumes approximately 234 watts, a 6LT5uses approximately 330 watts, while a 18,000 lumen intelligent LED averages 215 wattsand offers higher quality light. The differences represent significant savings opportunitiesthat are locked-in for the lifetime of the installation.


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Occupancy Occupancy how much a space is used and requires lighting is a major factor in lightingenergy efficiency and varies dramatically by industrial facility, running the gamut from 10%in some cold storage environments to 50-70% in manufacturing facilities. By turning off

or dimming lighting when a space is vacated, facilities lock in significant energy savings.

Facilities using intelligent LEDs are accumulating these savings, whereas facilities with

fluorescents which are generally lef t on 100% of the time during operating hours are

spending money unnecessarily.

Dimming/Task Tuning To achieve high levels of energy efficiency, the ability to dim lighting and manage dimmingsettings is an absolute requirement and a key driver of savings. It provides facility managerswith the ability to closely align light output with the specific needs of a particular task orworkspace, especially as those change over time. Dimming also makes it cost effective toprovide background and/or security lighting in cases where full light is not needed, such as inunoccupied spaces during off hours.

The numerous limitations associated with dimming fluorescents from cycling, lamp

longevity and ballast issues to controllability preclude many facilities from actively usingthese capabilities. In fact, dimming is frequently disabled within facilities that have installeddimmable fluorescents, and/or lamps that are almost always on, negating the value of theinitial investment.

Daylight Harvesting Natural light from skylights, windows and open bay doors is a gold mine of energysavings and frequently accounts for 30-50% of a facilitys energy savings during daylight hours.

Intelligent LEDs with integrated daylight sensors continually assess available ambient lightand smoothly dim or turn off lighting as needed to maintain a facilitys illumination target.

The key factors in successful daylighting are dimming, granular daylight sensing, and fixturebehavior. LEDs are far better suited to dimming than HIF because HIF dimming is fairlylimited. Additionally, HIF daylighting sensors are typically installed on a circuit basis, whichmeans that an entire group of fixtures some near the natural light source, some far are responding to the single sensor input. Since the amount of natural light decreases as

you move away from the light source, any solution that does not build daylight sensorsinto every fixture, is by definition using too much energy to ensure optimum light levelsor, alternatively, inadvertently under lighting around fixtures that are responding to sensorinput from a far-away fixture. Every intelligent LED fixture integrates occupancy and

daylight harvesting sensors to ensure proper light levels across the facility.

Timeout settings' impact on energy costs.


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Timeout Settings Intelligent LEDs compound occupancy savings with the ability to use short timeout settings the amount of time a fixture stays on once a space is vacated. In contrast , HIF ballast

warranties are often invalid if timeout settings are set for increments of fewer than 15 minutes.

And, as previously mentioned, even these long timeout settings on HIF f ixtures are frequently

disabled, or the settings are just long enough that the lights never actually go out. The tablebelow shows the substantial impact timeout settings have on energy use/costs.

Programmed Settings Lighting needs often change by time of day, week or year. Or, in the case of manufacturing

facilities, lights may need to be re-grouped into different operating cells. Note: Their position

on the ceiling doesnt change, but their settings change when the cell is reconfigured.

Intelligent LED systems enable facility managers to change all lighting variables to support the

business needs. They can establish lighting settings to match the facilitys business schedule,which will automatically modify light levels to meet varying lighting needs operationalshifts versus cleaning and maintenance, for example, or regular versus holiday schedules.

Data/Fine Tuning Measurement and verification is a critically important efficiency tool, as it eliminates all

the guesswork from the lighting optimization equation. Intelligent LEDs provide on afixture-by-fixture, zone or facility-wide basis detailed performance metrics on how a

system is performing, such as kWh used, workspace occupancy patterns and energy costs.This actionable intelligence enables facility managers to update system settings to optimizelighting delivery and savings, without compromising safety, productivity or comfort .

Side-by-side

Comparison

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

More efficient lamp sources save energy, but truly extraordinary energy savings can only be achieved by turning off,or dimming lighting to eliminate unnecessary light, e.g., when a workspace is unoccupied or when natural daylight ispresent. Yet rapidly cycling fluorescent fixtures results in a host of problems that increase the cost of owning andmaintaining these fixtures, including:

Lamp Life Frequent on/off cycling significantly shortens the life of a fluorescent f ixture, so much so that

most fixture manufacturers include language voiding their warranties if a fixture is cycled too

frequently. Usually stated in terms of minimum burn times per cycle, this is because everytime a fluorescent light is cycled on, a part of the electrode coating is burned off, whichshortens lamp life. Worth noting is that HIF lifetime ratings are based on MTBF (mean timebefore failure, or a 50% failure rate), vs. LEDs, which use the L70 lifetime rating.

Since average life ratings for fluorescent lamps are based on a 3-hour burn cycle meaningthe lamp is cycled on only once every three hours during ratings tests shorter cycle

times mean fixtures need to be re-lamped more often than their average life ratings suggest .This is a costly undertaking for facilities with hundreds of multi-lamp fixtures and 24 x 7operating schedules.

6-Lamp T5 Intelligent LED System

Wattage 331W13K lumen - 155W or18K lumen - 215W

Dimming Limited/Step-level Digital (0-100%)

Daylight Harvesting Circuit Every fxture

Occupancy Circuit Every fxture

Timeout Settings Limited Manual Extensive (:30 and up)

Scheduling Add-on YesData/Fine Tuning Add-on Yes


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There is no known way to fix the fluorescent cycling issue and its impact on lamp life; itis inherent to the underlying technology.

Note: Digital Lumens offers a dedicated paper on LED lifetimes, Gauging the Lifetime of an LED,

that offers in-depth information on LED lifetime standards.

Ballast Longevity Like fluorescent lamps, ballasts wear out faster with increased cycling, so the more a f ixture is

cycled, the shorter the ballast life. This means that the more facility managers try to increaseenergy efficiency by turning off unnecessary HIF lighting, the more they face the costs anddisruptions associated with re-ballasting. This is a cruel irony for facility managers focusedon energy eff iciency.

Of the three available ballasts, the most commonly used are instant and rapid start , neitherof which was designed to support frequent cycling. Accordingly, these ballasts generally

experience 25% to 50% shorter lifetimes when used with sensors that cycle lights on and offbased on occupancy. For this reason, they are not usually recommended for cycling applications.

The third type of fluorescent ballast, programmed-start, is considerably more expensive

than instant and rapid start ballasts, but offer the highest number of starts before failure.Programmed-start ballasts pre-heat the cathodes before applying voltage to the lamps, easing

start-up and its impact on lamp life and ballast longevity. While this lengthens re-ballastingcycles, it does not eliminate them, and replacement ballasts are expensive, both in materialsand staff time. Furthermore, programmed-start ballasts consume more energy than instantstart ballasts and, more importantly, hesitate for several seconds before returning to fullon when needed.

Maintenance & Most facilities acknowledge that the cost of re-lamping and re-ballasting fluorescent fixtures

Hazardous Material is significantly higher than the cost of replacement parts alone. Manpower, workplace disruptions

Disposal Costs and equipment rentals (e.g. scissor lifts) easily double or triple the costs associated with the

re-lamping and re-ballasting exercise, as do the hazardous material disposal costs associated

with these mercury-based lamps.

An equally important issue is determining the source of a fixture failure (e.g. Is it the lamp,the ballast or an add-on sensor?) and which manufacturers warranty will cover the failure.Currently, most facilities serially replace parts, starting with all the lamps, until the fixtureis operating again. This is a costly and resource-intensive endeavor only minimally coveredby the failed part warranty.


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ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS: HIF TO INTELLIGENT LED SYSTEMS

Financial considerations of any system upgrade always travel hand-in-glove with the performance criteria, and lightingis no exception. This is particularly true when considering an upgrade to an investment that may have been recentlymade, such as HIF. The economic analysis for these projects is slightly different than considering two new-purchasealternatives side-by-side. In this case, youre evaluating whether to continue with the same lighting you have in place orinvest in an intelligent LED System. The financial analysis should start with a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) assessment

that includes:

Credible energy use and energy cost estimates of the HIF fixtures compared to Intelligent LEDs, based onfacility operating hours, required light levels, fixture wattage, expected occupancy levels, expected daylightharvesting savings, and any refrigeration load reduction,

Calculated utility project incentive (if applicable),

Deductions equal to the semi-annual cost of re-lamping and re-ballasting the HIF fixtures

EPAct credit (if applicable)

Abandonment credit (if applicable)

When taken together, the financial picture for an upgrade from HIF to an intelligent LED system often has an impressiveTCO and compelling payback period. And the best time to consider the transition is when facing a major re-lampingand re-ballast ing exercise, so the expected costs of that project can buy down the purchase price of the LED system.

Heres a side-by-side comparison of the energy and maintenance costs of HIF and intelligent LED alternatives:

100 fixtures 6-Lamp T518K Lumen

Intelligent LEDs

kWh use 289,956 kWh 32,020 kWh

Annual Energy* $28,996 $3,202

Annual Maintenance** $2,000 $0

Annual Energy & Maintenance $30,996 $3,202

Energy &

Maintenance

Costs

Year 1 $30,996 $3,202

Year 2 $61,991 $6,404

Year 3 $92,978 $9,606

Year 4 $123,982 $12,808

Year 5 $154,978 $16,010

*Assumes 20% occupancy, 15% day lig ht f ac tor and $.10 kWh**$20/fixture for HIF re-lamping & re-ballasting


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CASE STUDIES

Here are snapshots of recent HIF to Intelligent LED Lighting System upgrades projects:

74% ENERGY SAVINGS -Atlas Box & Crating

224,000 square-foot manufacturing and storage facility

Previous lighting: T5HO

24x7 operations

Timeout and dimming settings vary by space

Reduced lighting energy use by 74%

12.6 month payback

85% ENERGY SAVINGS - Associated Grocers of New England

380,000 square foot distribution center, with docking, dry goods, cold storage, maintenance and salvage areas


24x6 operations

Timeout and dimming settings vary by space

Reduced lighting energy by 85%

1-year payback

91% ENERGY SAVINGS - DiloSpinnbau

71,000 square foot manufacturing facility


40 hours per week

Dramatically improved light levels (from 14-18 foot candles to 41 foot candles)

Reduced lighting energy by 91%, 35% savings from daylight harvesting

2.6 year payback (w/o incentive)

INTELLIGENT LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS: THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION

Industrial facilities are rapidly migrating to intelligent LED systems, arguably faster than other segments of the lightingmarket. The reason is simple. Industrial facilities have greater lighting energy pain, driven by long operating hours, high-wattage lighting, and high light-level requirements, and have found that LEDs deliver significant efficiency gains. But

most facilities with HIF fixtures have not considered that the upgrade economics would make a project viable. Timeto think again.

Intelligent LED systems accelerate the efficiency advantage, reaching up to 90% energy savings, while eliminating

maintenance costs and providing visibility and control not found in other solutions. These factors all add up to an excellent

opportunity for all industrial facilities even those with recently installed HIFs that are about to require re-lampingand/or re-ballasting to make the move, and lock in a future of low energy costs and no maintenance.


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HIF White Paper

All Rights Reserved 2013Digital Lumens Incorporated

Subject to change without noticeDOC-000162-00 Rev A 08-13

[email protected] Congress Street, Suite 600Boston, MA USA 02210+1 (617) 723-1200

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