Two new studies show that Adura Technologies, which provides turnkey wireless lighting systems for existing buildings, can reduce energy use for lighting by 70 percent and meet utility company requirements for demand response.

Demand response occurs during periods of peak electrical usage, such as very hot days when air conditioning use soars. Utilities provide incentives to commercial customers to reduce their overall electrical consumption to avoid power failures and extreme rate hikes.

The reports were released last week by Energy Solutions of Oakland, which conducted them for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E). The reports examined three advanced lighting control systems. The Adura studies were conducted at an Alameda County Water District (ACWD) building in Fremont.

In a pilot aimed at reducing energy on a daily basis, ACWD employees were given wireless remote control devices to control light levels in their work areas, depending on their needs.

“Based on the estimated percent of each circuit’s power dedicated to Adura-controlled fixtures during the energy efficiency period, lighting power reduction for Adura Light Controller fixtures alone was over 70 percent,” according to the report.

In the demand response test, PG&E sent signals to the Adura gateway for ACWD, requiring reduced lighting for “moderate” and “critical” load periods. Adura Light Controllers automatically shut off lighting, resulting in a reduction to 67 percent of normal usage for the “moderate” demand period and 52 percent for the “critical.”

“We are delighted with these results,” said Jack Bolick, Adura CEO. “They validate the strength, versatility and ease-of-use of the Adura LightPoint™ System. This was a simple installation and the savings for the customer were substantial. We believe our solutions can scale and produce the same results and eventually provide controls for other electrical uses as well.”

Energy Solutions pointed out that commercial lighting is responsible for approximately 29 percent of total statewide energy use. It noted that lighting controls are not widely installed because of the expense to retrofit facilities with wired controls. However, it said, wireless systems such as those used by Adura, make it easier and less expensive and “could increase market penetration of lighting controls from less than 1 percent to something on the order of 10 percent.”

ACWD employees involved in the pilot responded positively to being able to control their own lighting, the report said. “The majority of respondents commented that the switches were easy to use and that they were using them to control their overhead…light fixtures with frequency,” the report said.

Management “recognized the potential energy efficiency benefits” of the wireless controls and praised both the installation and use of the Adura system, according to the report.

“Adura focuses on energy, economics and the environment,” said Zach Gentry, Adura Chief Strategy Officer. “Adura’s cost-effective wireless lighting control systems for existing buildings help customers lower energy use, leading to reduced costs and improving the environment through fewer carbon emissions.”

About Adura Technologies

Adura Technologies is a clean energy technology company that applies low-power wireless mesh networking to the lighting controls market. The company designs, manufactures and commissions lighting management solutions for its customers. Adura’s mission is to provide cost-effective lighting solutions for the retrofit of commercial buildings so that building owners, tenants, and facility managers can implement energy efficiency and load curtailment strategies that help reduce their operating costs and their carbon footprint. For further information, visit www.aduratech.com.