At DTU Library on Lyngby Campus, 620 lights are on the point of being replaced with LED models. At the same time, CAS and the library have plans to convert the entire space into a living lab which both covers the needs of individual users and gives researchers and students the opportunity to test smart technologies.
Over the coming year, CAS will meet a long held desire from the library for new lighting. The new solution will, of course, be based on LED lights that are not only adjustable, but also save energy. Moreover, the new technology will make it possible to eliminate a lot of wiring and cooling elements, opening up the option of using the lights for something other than illumination. For example, they could be used to regulate ventilation and may be fitted with a wide variety of sensors.
Initially, 20 lights will be installed on an experimental basis on the second floor of the library, and Anders Møller, CAS Operator, and Lars Binau, team leader at the library, are in touch with researchers from DTU Civil Engineering, DTU Fotonik, DTU Compute and DTU Electrical Engineering, who will be fitting them with different senors. These sensors will, for example, be used to measure the level of carbon dioxide in the room and adjust the ventilation to match the current requirements.
“We hope that we will gradually develop the capacity to adjust the climate to match the temperature and lighting requirements of individual students. It may even be possible to work with the noise level. For instance, we have spoken with acoustics researchers whose ideas include experimenting with the sound of running water, birdsong or similar to eliminate irritating and distracting noise,” says Lars Binau.
“Students will also be able to use the lamps and the sensors in dedicated zones to program apps or other software. The intention is for the library not only to help communicate, but also to contribute to learning and innovation at DTU in and of itself.”
To get a sense of the new LED lights, see the installation at the bottom of the stairs in the library, where you can use an app to regulate the light intensity and colour.