Specifying and selecting building lighting controls with occupants in mind

Lighting controls are essential for the operation of all buildings and the well-being of the people who work, live and play in them. The current designs and applications of lighting controls often do not consider why or how a building occupant might wish to make operational changes to the lighting system. This lack of appreciation likely leads to wasted electric energy and, financially more significantly, a loss in occupant productivity. The aim of the extended sequential narrative (ESN) described here is to help manufacturers, specifiers and installers develop a more empathetic understanding of why and how a building occupant interacts with lighting system control points. The six-phased ESN is a starting point in the thought processes of product designers and specifiers of lighting control systems. It is argued that lighting control product designs and applications following the ESN process will reduce lighting energy consumption and support more productive building occupants. The paper concludes with a series of general hypotheses to facilitate the acceptance or refutation of the ESN’s validity and utility.