Royal Philips, the global leader in lighting, today announced the unveiling of a first-of-its-kind, large-scale lighting installation at a major university campus that leverages Power over Ethernet (PoE) as part of the recently opened Watt Family Innovation Center at Clemson University. As a founding innovation partner of the center, Philips implemented a PoE-based indoor lighting system combined with LED lighting to provide flexible work spaces that encourage collaboration between faculty and students, optimize space management in the facility, and improve energy efficiency. This new lighting solution will deliver up to 70 percent in energy savings compared to similar buildings using conventional lighting. 

Watt Family Innovation Center at Clemson University uses LED Lighting system powered over Ethernet. (All Photos Courtesy of Philips)

The intelligent PoE system delivers energy savings by gathering historical and real-time anonymous data from each lighting fixture to determine when a room is being used.  These occupancy sensors also trigger lights to turn on and off, saving additional energy. The Philips EnvisionManager, an advanced lighting control system, enables all the lights to be controlled from a single, tailored software console.  The system supports remote access and web based control letting occupants control their lights via any authorized computer, smartphone or tablet.  This ensures the right amount of light is provided only when, where and how it is needed.

The installation includes more than 45,000 individually controllable light points designed for extraordinary effects and expansive installations.

“The Watt Family Innovation Center is a beacon for progressive schools like Clemson University looking to engage and motivate their students to develop cutting-edge ideas in collaboration with industry and government that can have real world impact,” said Amy Huntington, President of Philips Lighting Americas. “This is the first time that a University in the US will benefit from a commercial Power over Ethernet connected lighting system which will be able to deliver more control, energy efficiency and cost savings directly to the center. We are proud to be a founding innovation partner and help support the vision of the center with these lighting solutions.”

The Watt Center also features the largest media facade installation in the United States using Philips iColor Flex LMX gen2, flexible strands of large high-intensity LED nodes with intelligent color light.  Installed outside the center, the facade features a digital canvas and delivers messages to the campus to rally students, further enhance school spirit, and provide a highly visual element that drives the innovative brand image of the University. The installation includes more than 45,000 individually controllable light points designed for extraordinary effects and expansive installations.  Without the constraints of fixture size, shape, or space, LMX gen2 is useful for a variety of applications from media facades, building facades, bridges, parks, plazas, retail and more.

The facade features a digital canvas and delivers messages to the campus to rally students, further enhance school spirit, and provide a highly visual element that drives the innovative brand image of the University.

“We have built a cutting-edge facility that showcases Clemson's academic enterprise in action. Philips has been an outstanding partner and their lighting solutions allow us to reach our sustainability goals while giving us the ability to better understand how the building is being used and the ability to adjust the space-flexible facility as needed,” said Dr. Charles Watt, Clemson alumnus and Founding Director of the Watt Family Innovation Center. “We are most appreciative of the partnership and the products they have in this new building on the Clemson University campus.”