Copyright May 1997, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, all rights reserved.

Revised !"#!97
$ P P % & C $ ' & ( ) ) ( ' E
An In-Depth Examination of an EnergyEfficiency Technology
OccupancyControls for Lighting
*+mmary
Occupancy sensors-also called motion,or personnel sensors- react to variableslike
heat andor motion by turning lightson or off! They turn lights on "hen peo-ple are
detected and, after an ad#ust-able predetermined period during "hichpeople are not
detected, turn them off!$hile they have potential to reducelighting energy
consumption by %& to '&percent or more, their savings and ap-plicability are very site
specific! The t"o primary types of occupancysensors are ultrasonic and passive in-
frared! (assive infrared )(I*+ sensorstypically detect occupants, body heat!Triggering
occurs "hen a change in in-frared levels is detected, such as "hena "arm ob#ect
moves in or out of vie" of one of the sensor,s -eyes.! /ltrasonic)/0+ sensors, by
contrast, continuouslyemit and sample inaudible sound "avesand listen for a change
in fre1uency of the reflected sound!There are t"o basic mounting configu-rations for
occupancy sensors! 2eiling-mounted sensors have an independentcontroller andor
po"er supply! Theymay be mounted high on a "all or in acorner, as "ell as on the
ceiling! $all-box sensors are primarily designed asretrofit replacements for common
"alls"itches! 3oth ceiling-mounted and"allbox sensors are available "ith ei-ther (I* or
ultrasonic sensing units!The performance and reliability of occu-pancy sensors are tied to
a host of fac-tors, including the shape and si4e of aroom, the installer,s experience,
andinteractions "ith ballasts, lamps and