The goal of this project is to design, develop and prototype portable energy-efficient office luminaires that integrate occupancy-based controls to provide users a higher level of control and visual quality than they currently receive from traditional overhead lighting systems. This system is intended to be flexible enough to be suitable for the varied demands of a broad cross-section of office lighting applications.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is leading the research and development work for this project.

On a technical level, this includes developing light distribution systems that integrate user controls with high-efficiency luminaires that provide for both task and ambient lighting needs. The economic goal of this project is to develop a portable luminaire which, when used as a system, will reduce lighting energy costs by 30 to 50 percent in conventional office applications.

This project meets the PIER Goal of "Improving the Energy Cost/Value of California's Electricity" by reducing office lighting energy costs by 30 to 50 percent while improving lighting quality in office spaces. This project also meets a secondary PIER goal of increasing the reliability of the electric system by reducing peak load demand.

The objective of this project is to develop portable luminaires with integrated occupant controlled lighting technology to give the occupant direct control over his/her lighting system, to improve efficiency of office lighting technology by 30 to 50 percent and to improve cost effectiveness of office lighting technology by directing light to the areas where it is most needed. Building-level strategies will also be determined.

This project has four key technical objectives:

1) "Berkeley Lamp II": Research and development of a prototype, next-generation Berkeley Lamp that integrates an occupancy sensor into a floor-based model.

2) Workstation Level Solutions: Research and development of novel portable luminaires designed to provide for all of the task and ambient lighting needs of a cubicle or workstation in a manner that enhances energy efficiency and visual quality.

3) Office-Level Solutions: Integration and controls strategies for the luminaires developed for the workstation level that yield energy savings while providing an appropriate overall lighting environment.

4) Building-Level Concepts: Investigation of broader building-wide systems/strategies that can build on the workstation and office-level solutions in order to achieve further energy savings and control.