What are the common challenges and pitfalls of lighting control projects?

In my experience, it seems the most common challenge is a lack of complete coordination and design between ownership, specifier, plans, and the practicality of the installer/installation.

Choosing the right control system comes down to 2 things in my experience. How the client wants to interact with the system (GUI, wall controls, automation, etc.) and what the client can/will spend on a system. Upfront costs, installation, and maintenance are the primary factors that can drastically impact the cost of ownership. Most clients will have to accept trade-offs between the system they both can live with, and the functionality they need. Most people want a Ferrari but only want to pay for a Chevy. Most clients usually end up somewhere between a Chevy and a BMW.

Too many people and too many buttons. The lighting control system designer needs to 'own' the project and keep everybody moving, at times letting multiple people provide input on scene buttons which seems to create too many. Less is more. Simple and intuitive wins. This is before any lighting control system is specified or chosen.

Choose a system that is easily upgradable with minimal change out of equipment, where you can easily add devices either wired or wireless, that is very, very easy for the end user to use with little documentation. These systems are out there.

When I think about controls solutions, I look at project size and code requirements. Being in California, we know that most jobs >10,000sq ft need to be networked for demand response. This requires a system that can meet those needs. The next thing I consider are budget and functionality. Not necessarily in that order but budget usually plays the biggest role. It is best to meet functionality with budget prior to specification for obvious reasons. If you are an installer and you have an "or equal" option, my advice is to lean heavily on your lighting control (or in CA case, Title 24) consultant. They can comb through your plans to ensure code compliance, functionality and a healthy BoM (think not loaded with devices you don't need).

Preplanning your lighting controls install is of utmost importance. Most installers are in the rough-in phase as the submittals are still being reviewed and this can cause problems as not all systems require the same things (think wired and wireless solutions). My advice is always have a few pre-wire walks scheduled. Have one prior to rough-in, have one when the control devices are onsite and have another at your mid-point. Personnel on site change all the time. Make sure to have a consistent, single point of contact for install. This helps in the programming / start-up phase. Never terminate your own Cat5/6. I cannot stress this enough. If you have no other choice, have someone with experience and give them a tester!

The best advice I would provide to installers is to: Be exceptionally diligent about their documentation. Programmers are expensive to have on the job site and depend on the documentation they get from the installers. Its easier to maintain an as-built than it is to go tell the superintendent that they will have to pay the technician another week because the lighting network needs to be traced out again. New wireless systems are less reliant on knowing where every device is installed but if one device is proving difficult, its often documentation that can help solve the mystery.

Installing the lighting control system is typically more expensive than the system itself. Most clients only see the upfront cost of the controls system but the installation cost can be as much per device, or higher. When it comes to low voltage wiring or data cable installation, many electrical contractors will have specialists come in for this. I've also found that controls engineers who design the systems do not speak the same language (terminologically speaking) as the electrical contractors (EC's) installing the system. It is imperative to a successful installation to have someone who either can relate to the EC's on the engineering team or vise-versa. It is best to have open communication between the controls manufacturer the EC's.

Provide easy to install drawings for the electrician, do not complicate the plans. The easier the plan is to understand, the better.

- Technical Expertise: Installation requires skilled technicians who understand both the hardware and software aspects. - Integration Challenges: Integrating new systems with existing electrical and network setups can be complex. - Time and Disruption: Installations can be time-consuming and disruptive to normal operations, particularly in occupied spaces.

Make the system easy to use, but provide the operations needed by the user. Do not complicate the gui. You should not need a manual to operate the system. It should be intuitive.

Whether working with a lighting designer setting scenes, a single room user or an engineer, it is imperative to have training geared toward the specific user. There are many different levels of training needed for a controls systems. If an employee walks into an office and the lights don't turn on automatically, they should know that that type of space is likely a vacancy only controlled space and they will need to manually turn the lights on. On the other end of the spectrum, building engineers will need to know this plus how to override the control system to get the lights back on incase of equipment failure and how to power off the system to perform maintenance.

The most difficult task I had to do in the field was troubleshoot operation issues on a system that hadn't been maintained. I would be called to a job site to troubleshoot a rogue switch only to find out their entire LLLC network is plagued with packet loss and half the network is MIA. A lighting system is similar to any other building system, it needs basic maintenance throughout the year to ensure continuous operation without issue. Working with the end users and building maintenance team is key. Setup regular service intervals, identify common problems and resolutions, and instruct the staff how to operate their network controllers/computers. A lot of time and money can be saved with simple processes/checks that are easy to teach.

Programmers, get an SOO as soon as you can. Prior to programming, look at the space as a whole, take time to understand what control stations are where and what circuits they'll be controlling. Look at your daylighting zones and understand at which point in the programming process these need to be calibrated. If you have demand response requirements, know which areas you will include. As an end user, have a building maintenance person and an occupant of the space walk through the initial programming phase to understand how the wall stations work, what daylighting zones may look like and how occupancy sensors in the area function. Schedule a final walk through with key figures for closeout. Most importantly: DOCUMENT EVERYTHING

- User Training: Ensuring users understand how to operate the system efficiently. - Maintenance: Regular maintenance is necessary to keep the system functioning optimally, which can be overlooked. - Updates and Upgrades: Keeping the system updated with the latest software and technology can be challenging. - Troubleshooting: Addressing issues and glitches that arise during operation requires prompt and efficient problem-solving skills.