Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:03:11 -0800
Reply-To: "Debbie M. Decker" <dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**UCDAVIS.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: "Debbie M. Decker" <dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**UCDAVIS.EDU>
Subject: Re: occupancy sensors in labs
In-Reply-To: <34704B7D15D2C14BA7F130CB44313E3F01D9D57C226C**At_Symbol_Here**EXCHMB.ornl.gov>

There are different flavors of occupancy sensors - simple motion, presence 
(or absence) of natural light, infrared, switch-based, time clock-based, co
mbinations of all of these.

Using daylighting sensors, coupled with an occupancy sensor, can be extreme
ly efficient and provides consistent light levels over a large, deep lab.  
We have a system that couples daylighting sensors with an occupancy sensor 
based on infrared technology.  When the first person comes into the lab, th
ey flip the light switch to tell the system that it's time to "wake up" (th
ere's a timeclock to setback lighting levels and ventilation to an afterhou
rs mode).  Occupant training is important or else the (significant) energy 
savings aren't realized.  For large, multi-bay labs, it's working pretty we
ll, once occupants understand the system and how it works.  Actually, they 
think it's pretty cool technology and isn't annoying to them.

Careful conversation with users and health and safety helped to provide a s
ystem that's working, mostly because the design team really listened.

Hope this helps - simple motion detectors alone won't do the trick and your
 researchers will be squawking for a switch pretty quick.

Debbie
-----------------
Debbie M. Decker, Campus Chemical Safety Officer
Environmental Health and Safety
University of California, Davis
1 Shields Ave.
Davis, CA  95616
(530)754-7964/(530)752-4527 (FAX)
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu
Co-Conspirator to Make the World A 
Better Place -- Visit www.HeroicStories.com and join the conspiracy

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Je
skie, Kimberly B.
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 9:56 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] occupancy sensors in labs

Anyone had any luck or issues with occupancy sensors for lighting in labora
tories?  I'm looking at a set of laboratory drawings where the design team 
has inserted them, but it's making my flesh crawl a little thinking about t
he lights going off when someone's really still.  Just wondering if I'm bei
ng too paranoid.

Kim

Kimberly Begley Jeskie, MPH-OSHM
Operations Manager
Physical Sciences Directorate
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
(865) 574-4945

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