July 25, 2011 -
Green Buildings
Innovations in lighting control technology are bringing the energy management of commercial buildings to a whole different level, drastically lowering energy use and operating costs. These advances can also aid New Yorkers in meeting the city's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by the year 2030. Such is clearly the case with Encelium Technologies' Polaris 3D, the company's next generation of lighting control software for its Energy Control System (ECS), and New York Real Estate Journal's "Green Product of the Month." A web-based application, Polaris 3D provides an industry first 360-degree, three-dimensional view of lighting energy use in a building or complex.
The software is used to commission, configure and manage Encelium's ECS, which has been proven to cut lighting energy expenditures by 50 to 75% and significantly reduce CO2 emissions. ECS's key energy management strategies for lighting control are daylight harvesting, smart-time scheduling, occupancy control, task tuning, load shedding and personal control. These strategies work interdependently and are cumulative in their effect on overall building energy savings. By providing the right amount of light where and when it is required, Encelium's system boosts workspace ergonomics, occupancy productivity and tenant satisfaction.
With Polaris 3D, users will no longer have to navigate through single floors - or a "tree architecture" - to reach a specific control zone. Instead, they will get a 3D, colorized thermo-graphic view of system parameters to identify areas and trends of lighting inefficiencies throughout a building. System parameters include lighting status (on or off), building-wide lighting levels, occupancy status, load shedding status, lighting power density or consumption, and comparative energy trends. Other non-lighting parameters, such as temperature and air quality, can also be represented in this thermographic view if ECS is integrated with a building's automation system.
Headquartered in Teaneck, N.J., Encelium has more than 70 employees and operations in Canada and Europe. The company has experienced tremendous growth, posting nearly a 100% annual sales increase during the last two years.