Advanced environmental sensing solution integrated into lighting controls commercially available

Helvar has announced the official commercial launch of Helvar Senses, an advanced environmental sensing solution integrated into lighting controls. Building on insights gained from pilot projects across diverse industries, including successful trials with Rejlers and BakerHicks, the solution is now available to the broader market. It aims to optimise building performance, sustainability, and occupant well-being by including smart environmental sensing into its offering.

A crucial element of enhancing building performance through lighting systems has often been overlooked – the potential to go beyond traditional controls. Lighting systems, which already serve as one of the densest sensor networks within a building, offer a unique opportunity to supply much more than light. With the addition of environmental sensing capabilities – such as monitoring air quality, temperature, humidity, and noise levels – the solution collects actionable data to optimise lighting and overall building performance.

This approach supplies a scalable solution that is easier to manage and maintain compared to deploying standalone sensors. By integrating environmental sensing into the existing lighting infrastructure, building operators benefit from a unified system that lowers complexity, lowers operational expenditure (OpEx), and is easier to maintain over time. By correlating data on occupancy and environmental conditions, building operators can make more informed decisions, leading to notable energy savings and decreased carbon emissions. For instance, integrating HVAC systems with the solution helps avoid siloed operations and allows better control over energy use by aligning air quality with occupancy patterns.

In response to increasingly stringent sustainability directives such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and evolving building standards like BREEAM, WELL, and LEED, Helvar Senses delivers a solution that helps minimise the 'performance gap' – the difference between predicted energy performance of a building and its actual energy usage. By providing real-time data, building operators can modify systems to ensure that energy consumption is optimised according to real conditions, helping to meet regulatory requirements and sustainability goals.

The solution enables building operators to monitor key indoor environmental factors and thus better support occupants' well-being. This is particularly relevant as organisations prioritise creating healthier workspaces that promote productivity and comfort.

The deployment of the solution in real-world projects has already produced impressive results. BakerHicks, a multidisciplinary design and engineering firm, has successfully integrated Helvar Senses into their Scotland, UK office. Kenny Corbett, principal electrical engineer at BakerHicks, shared his experience: "The information we are taking from the Helvar [Senses] environmental sensors is the only real view we can get of what is happening in our office space ... that certainly helps us as a company."

Similarly, Rejlers, a leading engineering consultancy, expanded their system in their Gothenburg, Sweden office to include Helvar Senses and saw immediate benefits. Nicklas Stenberg, project manager and team leader at Rejlers, explained how the solution has improved their indoor environment: "After expanding the entire system with Helvar Senses, we now have an easy way to check temperatures and air quality inside the premises. Previously, if we felt the air was bad, we would complain without any data to back it up. Now, we can monitor the actual conditions and take action accordingly."

The solution empowers buildings to attain greater energy efficiency while improving occupant well-being. By leveraging data from lighting sensors, Helvar Senses optimises lighting and energy use and supports a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment.