LCA: EE 101: Introduction to Lighting Control

A good lighting design is incomplete without a good controls design. Lighting controls determine when the lights turn On, when they turn Off, how bright they are, which luminaires respond, the response to daylight or occupancy, and how occupants interact with the lighting in the space. Controls may be simple or highly sophisticated, but every control system can be defined by the same fundamentals: inputs, outputs, programming, communication, and sequence of operation.

This course is written for those who already have a working knowledge of lighting and now need a foundation in lighting controls. Fundamental lighting controls concepts are introduced, such as inputs, outputs, and basic controls operations, followed by more sophisticated concepts such as. common control strategies, zoning, system architecture, communication methods, documentation, startup, and evaluation of manufacturer solutions.

Lighting controls may be as simple as a wall switch or as advanced as a networked system that supports scheduling, occupancy sensing, daylight response, color tuning, demand response, data generation, and integration with other building systems. In all cases, however, the system receives information, makes decisions, and adjusts lighting output accordingly.