Since 2015, the Audacy® Wireless Lighting Control System has been installed on large campuses and in stadiums, hospitals and commercial buildings all around the country. While large, complex installations and enterprises such as these benefit from the flexibility and energy-saving technology of the Audacy system, smaller-sized installations such as medical offices, small commercial offices, churches, and small schools can now also enjoy the same benefits thanks to two new products recently added to the Audacy Wireless Lighting Controls System.
Smaller-sized installations have unique problems that are often different than large-scale installations. IT support is often minimal, if not non-existent, meaning that employees are on their own with any technical issues they may encounter. Budgets are always tight, but for a small business, “don’t fix what isn’t broken” is a way of life. Due to this, technology gets quickly outdated. For example, many small businesses still have not made the leap to install LEDs or any sort of lighting controls, due to the labor costs of installation, as well as costs of the products themselves. Many commercial-grade lighting controls systems are simply too big, deterring smaller facilities from implementing the solution due to cost and complexity. As a result of keeping the outdated technology in these smaller applications, businesses, schools, and churches often end up overpaying for electricity and energy in general. Two new additions to the Audacy Wireless Lighting Control System – the Audacy Single Room Controller and the Audacy Proxy Kit – are specifically designed to remove these barriers, allowing smaller facilities to enjoy the benefits of an advanced lighting control solution without breaking the bank or requiring a large IT staff for support.
The Audacy Single Room Controller can be used as a standalone solution for small spaces such as private offices, utility closets, restrooms and more. It combines the functionality of an Audacy Wall-Mount Switch, Motion Sensor, and Luminaire Controller, all in one device. The Single Room Controller has on/off and 0-10V dimming capabilities for its switch functionality, and its Motion Sensor functionality can be used for both occupancy and vacancy modes. And, if the installation grows, or if the occupants want to add cloud connectivity, the Audacy Single Room Controller can be incorporated as part of a larger, networked Audacy wireless solution, allowing for remote system monitoring and control.
The Audacy Proxy Kit is an “always-on” cloud communications device that enables an Audacy Gateway to securely connect to the cloud for an installation that doesn’t have a dedicated IT department capable of running the Gateway proxy on a server. The Proxy Kit allows you to configure, control, and monitor your environment while eliminating the step of having an IT employee configure the Proxy during installation of the system. Once connectivity to the cloud has been verified, the Proxy Kit is essentially maintenance-free.
With the Audacy Single Room Controllers and Proxy Kits, the need for IT support for smaller businesses to maintain a lighting control system is virtually eliminated. With the combinations of functions within the devices, there is a lower up-front cost versus other larger solutions that require many devices to do the same functions. The wireless nature of the Audacy System also lowers costs – it is easily retrofitted as there is no need to open walls to rewire switches or add cables. The occupants can slowly build their Audacy control capabilities as their needs grow yet can still receive substantial energy savings from day one. For example, depending on the use of the space in which the sensors are installed, occupancy sensors can reduce energy use anywhere from 10-90%*. To make the installation additionally budget-friendly, energy incentive rebates are available via local utility programs that are constantly working to help businesses comply with the latest energy codes. A full list of local programs is available at dsireusa.org.
While many small businesses and installations may not have the scale of a large corporate campus or higher education institution, many are looking to grow and are looking towards the future. The Audacy System eliminates the need for changing lighting control solutions as the business grows, as the components allow for easy scalability.