Information Management: Intelligent lighting provides managers with energy data

Ardo UK, a leading supplier of frozen fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates to customers in retail, foodservice and other markets, has an ongoing sustainability initiative to reduce energy usage. As part of the program, the company replaced its aging 400-watt lighting throughout a 2.8-million-cubic-foot cold storage and distribution facility with an intelligent LED lighting system.

“No other option we looked at provided this level of integration and control over fixture timeout and dimming settings, which have been so central to our ability to optimize lighting delivery and maximize savings,” says Jon Barnes, supply chain director for Ardo UK.

The new system features wirelessly networked sensors and software that allow the company’s facility managers to view detailed reports and make informed operational decisions. Facility maps show where lighting use is concentrated within the facility or when peak usage occurs over a specified period of time, and it allows authorized users to modify settings in real time. Managers can also perform “what-if” analyses to determine what modifications might be needed.

Barnes says the integration of management software enables granular control over lighting settings so the management team has complete, centralized control over how lighting is used within their facility. Customizable occupancy sensors allow lights throughout the facility to turn off when an aisle is unoccupied for 30 seconds.

With the new lighting system, the company reduced its lighting energy use by 97%, more than 795,656 kWh per year, which is forecast to save more than $460,000 and 2,140 metric tons of CO2 over the course of five years.

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