One of the largest and most modern logistics centres in Europe is located at Baunatal near Kassel in Germany – the original parts centre for Volkswagen. More than 450,000 VW original components are dispatched from the location to seven domestic sales centres and 83 countries. As part of the "Think Blue. Factory." campaign, Volkswagen also aimed to set standards in terms of energy saving, and as a consequence it was decided to sustainably upgrade the company’s employee car park with 500 parking lots. Energy savings of 65% are now achieved with the new lighting installation from Osram based on innovative LED luminaires and intelligent light control. Thanks to electricity cost savings, the investment is also paid back within three years.

Sensors and control technology allow luminaires to be controlled in accordance with motion and daylight according to the parking level. (All Photos Courtesy of Osram)

With the "Think Blue. Factory." campaign, Volkswagen set itself the global target of cutting energy by 25% via refurbishment measures and new constructions. For upgrading the lighting system in the employee parking garage at Baunatal, VW was on the lookout for a complete solution that not only met requirements concerning energy economy but also provided significant added value in terms of safety, reliability and simple handling. Osram Lighting Solutions drew up a modern lighting concept for the purpose that cuts both energy consumption and costs and simultaneously improves convenience.

A new analysis process as the basis for the concept

The obsolete system was equipped with 350 1x58 W damp-proof luminaires with low-loss ballasts and a yearly consumption of approximately 140,000 kWh, corresponding to greenhouse gas emissions of 93 tons. As a first step, technicians from VW and Osram/Siteco carried out a detailed analysis together concerning future needs. Frequentation in the existing car park was measured by a data logger, and the measuring results were then input into the cost-efficiency calculation, which included return on investment. The new type of analysis supplies the basis for the concept of the new lighting system.

The illumination upgrade to Osram's LEDs save Volkswagen 65% of  energy expense.

LED luminaires with state-of-the-art sensor and control technology

Based on these calculations, Osram Lighting Solutions then developed a comprehensive lighting solution for the VW parking garage. The car park is now equipped with Siteco Monsun 2 LED damp-proof luminaires. The housing material consists of glass fibre-reinforced polyester with IP66 protection rating, making the LED luminaires ideal for tough, durable use in parking garages. The wide light distribution characteristic optimally illuminates the complete car park.

The infrared sensor from Osram.

The luminaires were combined with state-of-the-art sensor and control technology. Osram offers the PC 1 infrared sensor specifically for car park applications, featuring a detection characteristic matched for car park applications to precisely detect the motion of people and vehicles. "It achieves a very high tangential detection range of 40 metres in diameter, meaning less sensors are needed for such relatively large areas, and these areas are also reliably detected," explained Christian Remmelberger-König, Application Engineer at Osram Lighting Solutions. The sensor is ideal for rugged car park operation with IP54 protection. The intelligent Basic Industry control precisely matches the illuminance level to momentary lighting needs in the parking areas, and luminaires are controlled according to the specific parking level via DALI depending on levels of daylight and motion.

Greater efficiency and safety

These plug & play solutions mean that electrical connection and commissioning of the control is very simple and time-saving for technicians. The control system is supported with a twilight switch in accordance with levels of daylight. If nobody is present in the sensor detection range the system runs in reduced mode that in this case is set to 20% of regular illuminance. If motion is detected in the detection range, the corresponding luminaires are immediately raised to 100% illuminance. In addition, the higher detection quality of the sensor means the delay time is reduced to a minimum - 10 minutes in the application. Both operating modes ensure 100% illuminance uniformity to strengthen the feeling of safety in the building. This achieves an optimal combination of energy-saving and safety atmosphere.

Energy savings of 65% with the new lighting system

The new lighting solution scores points both ecologically and economically, and helps VW to achieve its "Think Blue. Factory." targets. Energy reduction with the new system is a verifiable 65% and the return on investment (ROI) is three years. The 350 new luminaires together with high-resolution sensors and professional control technology annually save approximately 90,000 kWh and therefore 60,000 tons of CO2 emissions. As a full solution provider, Osram Lighting Solutions offers complete lighting solutions from a single source, and ensures problem-free projects from planning and implementation to installation.