ESYLUX: Intelligent synergy of automation and lighting

What is meant by ‘Demand Driven Automation’ as far as lighting is concerned?

Demand-driven automation means using energy only when it is really necessary. It starts with a typical human behaviour. For example, once users of office buildings have switched on the lights or the air conditioning and ventilation system, they often stay on all day – in the worst case, even the following night, because often nobody thinks of switching off. As a result, too much unnecessary energy is consumed.

A simple presence detector brings a considerable improvement. Because it automatically ensures that lighting and other devices are only switched on when people are present. At the same time, it uses its light sensor system to check the current brightness. If the daylight entering through the windows is sufficient for work, the presence detector switches the lighting off. If it also has the facility for constant light control, it only dims it as much as the available daylight requires. In other words, it saves energy using daylight.

Of course, the whole thing also means maximum comfort. After all, a presence detector automatically ensures that it never gets too dark or too light. People no longer have to worry about anything and can concentrate fully on their work. Furthermore, demand-controlled automation is also helpful in terms of hygiene, for example, it’s a very topical issue..

Can you explain this in more detail?

It is all about the classic light switch on the wall. The light switch is one of the biggest transmission points for infections. Especially, where many people use the same place as in corridors, sanitary areas, not only at home but also at offices. However, anyone using presence and motion detectors can dispense with the light switch because they switch the light automatically. In this way, demand-controlled automation can make an important contribution to health. Especially as hygiene standards in buildings will continue to rise significantly in the future even after the current crisis has been overcome.

How do you simultaneously optimise the room temperature, air quality and lighting?

We achieve this with a multisensory device: the ATMO presence detector. At its highest level of expansion, it detects changes in the lighting situation, humidity, temperature and air quality. In KNX systems, it automatically ensures that the room is not only optimally bright when people are present, but also a healthy and comfortable climate is maintained. In doing so, it can run the air conditioning and ventilation system at different levels depending on the current air quality. The multi-sensor technology in just one device also saves the need for several individual solutions and complicated installations.

What are the different kinds of technologies that you are using to provide the integrated best comfort feeling indoor?

In addition to the presence detectors such as the PD-ATMO, SymbiLogic technology, which is used in our lighting systems with ESYLUX Light Control, is particularly noteworthy. SymbiLogic technology creates dynamic, daylight-like light sequences, so-called Human Centric Lighting. This is the top topic in the lighting sector and will remain so in the future. It has been scientifically proven that Human Centric Lighting improves people’s vitality, well-being and, for example, their ability to concentrate. It also makes people sleep better at night, which is good for their health.

The special feature of SymbiLogic is the very energy-efficient implementation of Human Centric Lighting. By using intelligent sensor technology, the light is also here switched according to presence and daylight, but above all the technology realises a presence and daylight-dependent adaptive HCL light control. This means that it transfers the principle of daylight utilisation known from constant light control to the HCL. This makes the use of Human Centric Lighting also sensible in terms of energy consumption.

What is your comment on CAPEX and OPEX when ‘Demand Driven Automation’ system is implemented in a building?

The potential savings in operating costs that result from demand-driven automation are quite considerable, especially when combined with LED-based lighting. Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena), the German Energy Agency, estimates it at around 70%. This applies to lighting alone. If automation is used in an air-conditioning or ventilation system, this naturally takes on quite different dimensions. Everyone knows how high the energy requirements of such systems are. So, automatic, presence-dependent switching off is a correspondingly helpful feature.

As far as CAPEX is concerned: both our presence detectors and our lighting systems are future-proof, ready-to-use technology that is suitable for any type of building and can be easily retrofitted if required. This leads to an increase in the value of the property while at the same time keeping maintenance costs low. The investment is made even more worthwhile by the fact that presence detectors make optimum use of the long service life of LEDs by switching them off automatically.

Above all, however, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the long-term effects for the employees in such a building. And this is through the increased comfort and health. Employee satisfaction is a great asset in today’s world. It not only helps to keep good employees in the company, but also contributes to higher productivity. In the long term, this results in a win-win situation for investors and employers as well as for the users.

How do you address the complex demands of customers with simplified technologies?

The Performance for Simplicity is our brand promise and can be seen in many different places. This starts with personal expert advice from our own experts, which takes many decisions away from the customer, and extends to simple parameterisation, remote control and documentation of our remote-controlled devices via app. Our plug-and-play solutions, which allow installation via a simple plug-in connection and often even configuration, are a prime example. This is pure simplicity and saves time and money.

What kind of R&D works do you conduct inside the company?

Our research and development is based in the Hamburg metropolitan region, i.e., in Germany. Germany continues to enjoy an excellent reputation throughout the world, but I am certainly not telling you anything new. Our engineers focus on all significant technical innovations, developments and improvements in the field of electronics. Both in the field of automation and lighting. Incidentally, our lighting laboratory is also located at the same site, where we use our own sensor technology for tests and light measurements. This is of course very practical.

Please tell us about ESYLUX’s patented solutions.

We have a whole range of German and international patents. These include products I have already talked about, such as the ATMO presence detector or the lighting systems with ESYLUX Light Control. Sometimes our patented solutions are particularly small: the presence and motion detectors of our COMPACT MINI series, for example. They are hardly noticeable on the ceiling and are now also installed by us in the diffusers of downlights. The intelligent vandalism and sabotage protection of our new DEFENSOR outdoor motion detectors is also exciting. More information on this can be found on our website.

Please tell us about some of ESYLUX’s highly critical Indian projects?

Since the brand has been launched together with our partner iTvis Innovation in India in the year 2019, we have completed a considerable number of projects across India. Our solutions found their place in buildings and facilities across various industries and locations of the country. We’ve equipped the office space in the plant of a sizable automotive manufacturer in Maharashtra with our demand-driven Human Centric Lighting solution SymbiLogic. We have helped a multinational eTailer to reduce the energy costs at its warehousing locations across India with the help of our motion detectors. Also, well-known cosmetic companies are using our DALI broadcast sensors for constant light control at their corporate offices in one of Mumbai’s prime locations.

What would you like to tell the Indian lighting enthusiasts?

We all know how immensely important lighting is for people. Especially in today’s world, where many more people work in buildings and offices than was the case in the past. The conversion from traditional lighting into LED lighting has already progressed very fast in India. But now it is time to take the next step and use intelligent, sensor-controlled automation and lighting solutions such as those already established in the European market. They improve people’s quality of life as well as energy efficiency, and not least the use of energy-efficient Human Centric Lighting will lead Indian offices, educational establishments and healthcare facilities into a new age.