DOE: Evaluating Tunable Lighting in Classrooms

U.S. Department of Energy: Evaluating Tunable Lighting in Classrooms - Trial LED Lighting Systems in Three Classrooms in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District

(September, 2018) - This report summarizes the results from a trial installation of a Finelite, Inc. light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems installed in three classrooms at Gold Ridge Elementary (GRE) School in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD) in Folsom, CA.

FCUSD asked the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to help them explore potential benefits of tunable-white lighting systems for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). SMUD responded by implementing a research project and invited the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to document the performance of the LED lighting systems as part of a GATEWAY evaluation.

SMUD and FCUSD staff coordinated and completed the design and installation of the LED systems, and coordinated the collection of data from teachers, students, and parents, while PNNL evaluated the energy and photometric performance of the systems.

This report took the opportunity to estimate the potential energy savings offered by the LED lighting system compared to the incumbent fluorescent system through different conceivable operation scenarios. Energy monitoring equipment was installed in each of the three classrooms participating in the trial installation and captured data for the incumbent fluorescent systems as well as for the trial LED systems.

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