A total of 14 connected lighting systems were installed in working classrooms at The New School, Parsons School of Design. Feedback on installation/configuration, operation, maintenance, and user acceptance of the systems is shared below.
INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING
While the installed systems are all marketed as easy to install, configure, and operate, both installers and users have found a variety of challenges in getting the systems to work as expected. Although NGLS required contractors to install and configure the systems relying only on manufacturers’ published instructions (print or visual), all but two of the systems ultimately required factory assistance during installation or following setup. Most often this assistance involved a phone call – which sometimes resulted in a simple reference to a video or a brief explanation; at other times, calls were lengthy or intensive site-based intervention was needed.
| Installation and Configuration Punch List Statistics | |||||
| Type of Punch List Item | Assistance Required to Resolve | ||||
| System | Operational Months | # of Punch List Items | Hardware Issue | Software Issue | Phone/Onsite |
| 1 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2 | 28 | 1 | X | Phone | |
| 3 | 28 | 1 | X | X | Phone/Onsite |
| 4 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 5 | 28 | 3 | X | X | Phone/Onsite |
| 6 | 28 | 0 | |||
| 7 | 22 | 4 | X | X | Phone/Onsite |
| 8 | 24 | 1 | X | Phone | |
| 9 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 10 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 11 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 12 | 24 | 1 | X | Phone | |
| 13 | 6 | 1 | X | Phone | |
| 14 | 6 | 1 | X | X | Phone |
OPERATION
Manufacturers were given the following operational requirements by the NGLS team. The system was required to:
- Dim manually (to 10% or less of initial light output) in two zones
- Provide “vacancy” sensing for automatic shutoff (manual on)
- Dim automatically to “harvest” available daylight.
Dimming. All systems installed can dim manually, many to below 5% as measured at several typical locations. Some systems exhibited flicker, determined visually. Reconfiguring the zones (as might be required to maintain performance when spatial needs change) varied from easy to moderately difficult. Presence detection proved more problematic, at least for some of the systems.
Vacancy/Occupancy. For most of the systems, basic vacancy functionality worked well, including a sensitivity test detecting minor hand motion. However, when using the same hand motion to assess the extent of sensor coverage, several of the systems turned off while the space was occupied. When manufacturers provide coverage patterns in their literature, that information can inform better sensor placement to avoid some of these problems, if it is followed during layout and installation. Anecdotal evidence suggests that sensors end up disabled if users dislike their operation. The NGLS team will monitor the persistence of the sensors as the lab continues.
The opposite problem – lights staying on in an empty space – also occurs in the classrooms, with a loss of energy savings. Here the problem may be a defective device or incorrect programming. Determining which is the culprit is a nagging maintenance issue – although once solved, systems typically perform as expected.
Daylighting. Assessing daylight harvesting quantitatively is a work in progress. The NGLS team is refining its measurement protocols to assess both whether systems dim automatically and how efficiently they do so. Results will be shared as soon as they are available.
MAINTENANCE
Replacement parts. Maintenance issues have arisen as replacements for faulty or missing components need to be integrated into already installed systems. Often a specific sequence is required to delete or add new equipment, and any deviation from the sequence can throw off the operation of the system. Firmware and software incompatibility can also be more than a nuisance. And since local distributors do not stock system components, repairs and upgrades have typically proven time-consuming.
| Additional Operational Issues AFTER Startup | Additional Operational Issues AFTER System Upgrade | ||||||||
| Type of Operational Issue | Assistance Required to Resolve | Type of Operational Issue | Assistance Required to Resolve | ||||||
| System | Operational Months | # of Issues | Hardware Issue | Programming Issue |
Phone/
Onsite |
# of Issues | Hardware Issue | Programming Issue | Phone/ Onsite |
| 1 | 28 | 2 | X | Phone | N/A | ||||
| 2 | 28 | 1 | X | Phone | N/A | ||||
| 3 | 28 | 2 | X | X | Onsite | 0 | |||
| 4 | 28 | 1 | X | Phone | N/A | ||||
| 5 | 28 | 1 | X | Phone | 3 | X | X | Phone/ Onsite | |
| 6 | 28 | 1 | X | Phone | 0 | ||||
| 7 | 22 | 3 | X | X | Phone/ Onsite | N/A | |||
| 8 | 24 | 0 | 2 | X | Phone | ||||
| 9 | 24 | 1 | X | Phone | 1 | X | Phone/ Onsite | ||
| 10 | 24 | 0 | N/A | ||||||
| 11 | 24 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 12 | 24 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 13 | 6 | 0 | N/A | ||||||
| 14 | 6 | 1 | X | Phone | N/A | ||||
Terminology. Language continues to be a challenge in both initial installation and ongoing maintenance: designers, installers, manufacturers, and those operating the system all use a wide range of terms to describe the same thing. Even the terminology of the various manufacturers differs enough to confuse many contractors who install a variety of systems. Consistent vocabulary; visual, app-based instructions; and readily available phone support will certainly help alleviate many of these problems.
USER ACCEPTANCE
Wall controls. The diversity of wall controls continues to frustrate users who are unfamiliar with the configuration, logic, and mechanics of the different devices. Simpler controls are learned with just a few repetitions or a brief explanation. Wall controls with more capabilities – and complexity – often leave users unaware of what they can do and how to activate those functions. NGLS observations suggest that once users master the on/off, they may never look for other system functionality like dimming or zoning.