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Lutron Lighting and Shade Control Systems Help the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Achieve Dual Platinum Ratings at New Headquarters


New Washington, D.C. Headquarters is world’s first Platinum WELL and LEED building

Coopersburg, PA (July 25th, 2017) – Lutron Electronics is pleased to announce that its Quantum Total Light Management System and Sivoia QS shades with Hyperion solar adaptive shading software helped the American Society of Interior Design’s (ASID) new headquarters become the world’s first project to achieve Platinum Level Certification for both the WELL v1 Building Standard (WELL) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), under the LEED ID+C rating system.

ASID leadership, along with architectural firm Perkins+Will, lighting designers Benya Burnett Consultants and electrical engineers GHT Limited, were committed to making the new ASID headquarters a showcase for progressive design, and prioritized the goal of achieving Platinum certification from both the International WELL Building Institute and the U.S. Green Building Council.

“At ASID, we take tremendous pride in being a champion for good design and demonstrating that design impacts lives,” said ASID CEO Randy Fiser. “Lutron played a critical role in the space achieving LEED and WELL Platinum. The automatic shades and lighting control system enhanced the efficiency of the space while improving the comfort and productivity of the employees. Our shared vision would not have come to fruition without commitment from our construction partners and consultants, and complete buy-in from ASID staff.”

James Benya and Deborah Burnett created a lighting design to ensure circadian-optimized lighting and daylighting, critical luminaire placement, and annual lighting schedules and sequences. To maximize points in both WELL and LEED programs, a Lutron Quantum system was selected to automatically adjust shades and light to provide appropriate spectra, light intensities, and exposures throughout the year while saving as much energy as possible. The Quantum system also provided data to help analyze building energy use, and provide proof points to support certifications.

Working with Lutron field service engineers to set up and program control protocols, the ASID Headquarters met stringent requirements of WELL and LEED certification, with the Lutron system contributing points in three WELL categories and three LEED categories, and was essential in achieving almost all energy efficiency points.

“The Lutron Quantum system was uniquely able to provide all the lighting control capability we needed for this landmark project – automated, solar-responsive daylight and shade control, astronomic time clock, manual overrides, precise control of several types of electric light sources, compliance with the energy code, and the data needed to prove LEED and WELL certification requirements. Quantum met every need,” said Jim Benya, Principal and Partner, Benya Burnett Consultancy.

Co-principal Deborah Burnett added, “With our Lutron field service team, we were able to program all the wellness protocols and transitions, as well as provide everyday functions like personal task light dimming. Even better, the programming automatically adjusts light intensities and durations for seasonal solar angles, changing weather conditions, available daylight, and occupancy.”

About the Lutron Quantum Total Light Management System
Quantum is used to control every light in the space, and the system uses Lutron Hyperion solar-adaptive software to silently and seamlessly adjust Sivoia QS shades over the course of the day to minimize glare, reduce heat gain, and enhance comfort throughout the space. Adjustments can easily be made from the Quantum Vue software to ensure the space remains dynamic, and the facilities team is able to quickly make adjustments to meet changing space requirements.

The ASID intends their new space to be a dynamic “living laboratory” for the design community, offering an opportunity to engage in pre- and ongoing post-occupancy research. “Lutron is proud to be part of the new ASID headquarters, and we are committed to continued research and development of lighting control solutions that support and enable performance-based lighting protocols,” said Eric Lind, Vice President Global Specifications, Lutron Electronics


About Lutron Electronics (www.lutron.com)
Founded in 1961, Lutron Electronics is headquartered in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the Lehigh Valley. From dimmers for the home, to lighting management systems for entire buildings, the company offers more than 17,000 energy-saving products, sold in more than 100 countries around the world. In the US alone, Lutron products save an estimated 10 billion kWh of electricity, or approximately $1 billion in utility costs per year. The company’s early inventions—including the first solid-state dimmer invented by Lutron’s founder, Joel Spira—are now at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.