The Commission's PIER program supported a prior research project titled "High Efficiency Torchieres". From that research, a series of high output torchieres were developed that employed new lamp technologies. In that effort, the dual distribution lighting system was conceived and the Berkeley Lamp was developed. That effort was fundamental to the development of dual distribution fixture systems for both task and ambient lighting systems.

Through the California Emerging Technologies Coordination Council, the Berkeley Lamp commercialization and field-testing program were developed. From that effort, the potential was identified for unified task and ambient solutions for typical office spaces for energy saving, user control and visual quality. Furthermore, with industrial partners, the potential of product integration and deployment of an "out of the box" solution was also identified for a portable lighting system that integrates an occupancy control system for office environments.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is currently conducting a series of field tests with the Berkeley Lamp in typical small, medium, and large office spaces. To date the testing has indicated:

• A potential for large savings with task - ambient oriented lighting solutions.
• A significant user preference for this type of lighting system (over 100 respondents).
• A further increase in savings when applied with a lighting control system.
• A potential installation cost advantage over other large traditional lamp, fixture, and wiring/control change outs.
• The ability to quickly and easily gain efficiency in a retrofit applications.

However three major problems/issues arose during this first series of studies with the Berkeley Lamp:

1) Low illuminance and modulation - Field studies indicated that the Berkeley Lamp worked very well in approximately 1/3 of office situations that were encountered. However, the field investigators found concern with the amount of light and the integration in larger office applications typically with higher floor to ceiling heights. In one-to-four person offices with low to medium ceiling heights the lamp worked very well. However, in higher ceiling heights and large offices the ambient lighting levels and modulation presented a potential barrier to this specific lighting approach.

2) Occupancy savings - The second issue was that in conventional offices the Berkeley Lamp was often left on during periods on non-occupancy. Users typically controlled the directionality and intensity of lighting for their use, however they did not typically turn the lamp off when they were away. A series of preliminary pilot studies with the lamp hooked to an occupancy sensor power strip indicated the potential for an additional 30 percent energy savings over and above the savings achieved with the lamp alone. Using an occupancy controlled power strip is one solution but this presents issues related to cost and set-up. In a number of the experimental applications the operation of the sensor was defeated by occupant error.

3) Integration within a medium to large office area - In a series of the deployment studies, there were issues with the space being under illuminated during periods of low occupancy. The issues here related primary to modulation and functional requirements for egress. In larger office scenarios these workstation level lighting solutions need to be integrated together as a system to provide an adequate baseline level of light during low occupancy.

4) Lack of Desk Space - Many users liked the Berkley Lamp but did not have desk space for the lamp.