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In this photo, University of California - Davis graduate student Judy Xu is shown adjusting a lab prototype of a daylight harvesting device developed and tested at the university’s California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC). The self-calibrating photocontrol reduces electric lighting power based on the amount of daylight available through skylights. Subsequent field testing took place in a Walmart store in West Sacramento, California, where average energy savings measured about 37%. The device has since entered the market through WattStopper, a leading lighting controls manufacturer, and Walmart is preparing to install the technology in more of its stores.
Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Kathreen Fontecha / California Lighting Teaching Center, UC Davis.