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Interior / Equipment/Tools / Lighting / Technology
November 2012 Feature 2

Learn To Shine The Light When Necessary

With the extravagant cost of electricity, facilities need to rethink when and how they light rooms not constantly in use.

November 06, 2012
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Types Of Technologies

There are a number of different occupancy sensor technologies from which to choose.EPA EPP certification

The right type of technology, given a building's size and usage, will differ from facility to facility.

The following are a selection of technologies as outlined in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Focus on Energy report:

  • Passive infrared (PIR) occupancy sensors: Infrared sensors detect the difference in heat emitted by humans in motion from heat emitted by the background space
  • Ultrasonic occupancy sensors: Ultrasonic sensors emit a high-frequency signal that is undetectable by humans and animals, which bounces off objects, surfaces and people in a space; it then returns to the sensor, which interprets change in the frequency as motion
  • Dual-technology sensors: Dual-technology sensors employ both PIR and ultrasonic technologies for maximum coverage and reliability with fewer false triggers because these sensors activate lights only when both technologies detect movement.
Amanda-martini-hughes-headshot

Amanda Martini-Hughes is the assistant editor of Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine. A graduate from Siena College, she can be reached at AMartini-Hughes@EBSCO.com. Since joining the publication, Martini-Hughes has worked on numerous industry articles and is responsible for populating the industry's only daily electronic newsletter, CM e-News Daily. Chat online: Facebook.com/CMMOnline and Twitter.com/CMeNewsDaily.

Recent Articles by Amanda Martini-Hughes

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