Thanks to its Carisma linear lighting system, Amerlux is now a leader in Bluetooth control. Delta Electronics loves energy savings.
In 2023, Delta Electronics’ Americas headquarters became the first green building in Fremont, Calif., and the second in the Silicon Valley Bay Area to achieve the LEED Zero Energy certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Its integrated design also achieved net zero energy certification.
A few years earlier, the building won the National Institute of Building Sciences’ First Place Honor Award for its innovative eco-friendly features.
Gary Harvey, Director of Business Development and Operations at Delta Electronics Building Solutions Group, has expressed his admiration for three noteworthy achievements which are worthy of recognition.
“It is worth noting that the aforementioned accolades were achieved despite the utilization of fluorescent lighting on several floors of the building, indicating potential opportunities for energy savings,” he added.
Delta Electronics is consistently striving to surpass its own benchmarks. With the acquisition of Amerlux, a renowned architectural lighting company, the company now has unprecedented potential to achieve this objective.
The plan was to swap the T5 fluorescent lamps with a direct/indirect option on the second and third floors—both office space areas—with Carisma LED linear lighting from Amerlux.
Multi-sensors, Bluetooth low energy drivers and building management software would control each fixture. Sister companies LOYTEC, Delta Controls, and parent company Delta Electronics would provide these control solutions to support Amerlux.
Officials needed to act swiftly: The 144 combined T5 fluorescent lamps on two floors were indicating signs of being outdated, an as noted by Laurence Mu, Facility Maintenance Technician at Delta, did not resonate with Delta’s forward-thinking approach to building automation technology.
Problem: Outdated and Inefficient Fluorescent Lighting
Mu gently sighed when asked what the problem was with the T5 fluorescent lamps.
“First of all, the lighting output was not uniform. Second, fluorescent is banned and being phased out in California,” he says. “So, we couldn’t buy them.” And repairing them was a no-go, too. “The cost to repair is high because each of these lights has four lamps and two ballast, so it’s labor intensive and expensive to keep switching them.”
The T5 fluorescent lamps featured floor-wide on-and-off capabilities, operating on a programmed schedule managed solely by a facility manager. “Under this system, the lighting for the entire floor would remain active,” Harvey noted.
Despite having rows of windows on both sides providing natural illumination, the overhead lighting was kept at full strength during regular work hours.
“Areas with sufficient natural lighting do not need as much artificial lighting,” Harvey said. “The existing circuit controls were not flexible to dim the lights when possible.”
In identifying areas for improvement, Delta also saw an opportunity to do something they specialize in—reducing energy consumption.
Each T5 fluorescent lamp, as noted by Mu, consumed 109 watts of power. “The lighting in the second- and third-floor areas had an annual usage of 4,800 hours,” he stated. “This presented an ideal occasion to modernize the lighting fixtures and notably improve energy efficiency.”
Solution: Seamless Integration and Automation with Carisma
Harvey knew what to suggest when talks began about cost-effectively alleviating the problem.
He suggested installing Carisma LED linear lighting from Amerlux, citing its similarity in style and dimensions to the T5 fluorescent fixtures. Mu says the choice preserved the application’s existing aesthetic without any retrofitting, as Carisma’s length matches that of the T5 units.
“Carisma presented so many advantages,” Harvey said.
First, the architectural family delivers outstanding performance, quality, and visuals. Its sleek edge-to-edge lens design achieves an elegant aesthetic with clean lines. The integrated optical system also reduces optical losses, enabling industry-leading efficacy that meets the strict criteria for DLC Listing.
“Carisma delivers seamless lighting as discrete individual fixtures, continuous rows or patterns,” Harvey said. “They provide comfortable lighting without impacting the original architectural design.”
Carisma LED pendant lights only consume 78.3 watts. They can be integrated with automation capabilities like Bluetooth control from Delta’s BABG and occupancy-sensing and daylight harvesting multi-sensors provided by LOYTEC, which Delta estimated could cut energy consumption by another 45% on top of the savings realized by just converting to LED.
And the lighting control retrofit would not include additional efforts because of the wireless technology implemented.
“Lighting controls can be applied to individual fixtures or groups using occupancy sensors or scheduling, or both,” Mu said. The key was to use EntelliWeb by Delta Controls, a web-based building automation system interface that allows for easy monitoring and management of building systems through a user-friendly graphical interface.
“The system can be tied to a building automation system and, more specifically, HVAC,” he added. “This is a whole ecosystem in a sense, all by controlling the lights and adding automation capabilities.”
Result: Impressive Savings and Enhanced Work Environment
Before installing Carimsa LED lighting, daily energy consumption was about 248 kilowatt hours (kWh) on the second floor and 170 kWh on the third floor. Mu said Delta’s magic number was to cut lighting energy consumption by at least 28% and achieve a full return on investment (ROI) in about 7 years.
They far surpassed both objectives.
After installing Carisma and adding Bluetooth Lighting Control and daylight harvesting capabilities, daily energy consumption dropped to 95.82 kWh on the second floor and 64 kWh on the third floor, achieving an impressive 61.7% reduction. The ROI improved to 6.1 years.
The employees on each floor also “love how bright the new cooler temperature lighting is,” Mu says. “No more yellow lighting. The employees feel more alert and productive working under cooler temperature, and they are committed to decreasing unnecessary energy waste.”
Installing Carisma also makes maintenance easier. “Fluorescent lighting is costly,” Mu says. So is the labor needed to maintain it. “We’ve transformed our system, eliminating the need for monthly light replacements,” he said.
Harvey said more plans are in the works to install Amerlux LED lighting, including Carisma with Delta’s Bluetooth Lighting Control System, in other parts of the facility, including labs, warehouses and other office spaces. “We see the value of doing more and more of these kinds of upgrades to encourage more energy-saving measures and productivity in the workplace while improving energy efficiency,” he said, “And not just here but also in our new facility in Plano, Texas.”
But Harvey and Mu say this development is something much more.
“This is a showcase for other buildings in all parts of the country that Amerlux is more than just an LED lighting manufacturer,” Harvey says. “We’re now a controls company and provider of smart building management solutions. We can make lighting, HVAC, window blind control, security and all other energy efficiency solutions come together under one roof, one network—our own.”
“We can make lighting, HVAC, window blind control, security and all other energy efficiency solutions come together under one roof, one network—our own.” – Gary Harvey, Director of Business Development and Operations, Delta Electronics Building Solutions Group
“This is a whole ecosystem in a sense, all by switching the lights and adding Bluetooth automation capabilities.”—Laurence Mu, facility maintenance technician, Delta Electronics Americas
PROJECT SUMMARY
End User
Delta Electronics Americas
Regional Headquarters Renovation
Fremont, California
Project Scope
Delta Electronics’ Americas regional headquarters upgraded its second and third floor office areas by replacing outdated T5 fluorescent lighting with energy-efficient LED linear lighting from Amerlux. The project involved the installation of 144 Carisma fixtures with advanced control solutions provided by sister companies LOYTEC, Delta Controls, and Delta’s Building Automation Business Group.
Benefits
- Enhanced Energy Efficiency: After adding Carisma with Delta Bluetooth Control System and LOYTEC multi-sensors, daily energy consumption fell to about 95.82 kWh on the second floor and 64 kWh on the third floor, achieving a 61.7% reduction in lighting energy usage.
- Advanced Control Systems: Integration with entelliWeb by Delta Controls allows for efficient lighting management, including occupancy-sensing, daylight harvesting and schedule-based controls, contributing to further energy savings.
- Seamless Design Integration: Carisma LED fixtures match the dimensions and aesthetic of the original T5 units, ensuring that the upgrade preserves the building’s design integrity without extensive retrofitting.
- Faster ROI: The reduction in energy consumption and maintenance costs has improved the return on investment, with a break-even point now projected at approximately 6.1 years.
- Improved Work Environment: The new Carisma LED lighting solutions provide a brighter, cooler light, enhancing visual comfort for employees and aligning with Delta’s continued commitment to environmental leadership and sustainability.