Cleantech finalists: Smart response to energy efficient lighting

A two-year-old Melbourne-based start up has entered the lighting market, with its product that has the ability to halve energy requirements without the issue of retrofitting.

Organic Response has created a sensor node which, when installed with lighting fixtures, emits and receives infrared signals, collects motion and ambient light sensor data.

The sensor nodes have the ability to change brightness of areas that detect motion and/or natural light present in the area. Areas that do not need lighting on are automatically dimmed to save energy.

Speaking with the company’s marketing director, Mark Davidson, on the topic of being a top eight finalist for the Australian CleanTech Awards, which he said has already been beneficial through “increased site traffic which may transfer into potential customers. Mark also mentioned the “credibility” associated with being in the finals and how proud the business is “to be in the company of the other great finalists”.

The full potential of this technology has not yet been realised; the company is attempting to incorporate it into building management systems. According to Mark, Organic Response hopes “to evolve further in the green-space with the utilization of their sensor nodes to control energy use by computers, ventilation and air conditioning”.

Targeted at the commercial building market – or anyone concerned with energy consumption reduction – the company attributes its recent success to the compact matchbox size of the nodes, integration with light fittings and easy monitoring from smart devices such as phones or tablets.

The company has recently completed installations with their lighting partners to install their product in the Sydney office of Commonwealth Bank and the Melbourne based Dickson Advisory group, which saw the companies save energy by 55% and 80%, respectively.

Some of their recent wins include singing up four lighting supply partners in Australia, two in the United Kingdom and one in the Netherlands.

Co-founders, and brains behind the operation Chris Duffield and Danny Bishop were recognised by the Australian National University for commendations in innovation and entrepreneurship.

More recently, the company itself took out 3 of the top awards at the iawards ceremony in Melbourne, just 6 weeks ago.

The company’s grant from Commercialisation Australia, received just over a year ago, for $600,00 allowed the company to realise the product’s full commercial potential.

Mark stated that the end goal for the company “is to be the global standard model for lighting control systems”.

This product comes after reports that improvements in energy efficiency of government buildings could save $35 million a year and as states such as Victoria pledge $3.6 million to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.

Click here to more about the awards and the company.

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