Energy consumption for the business has already been reduced significantly with consumption in August down from 716 KW/H to 415 KW/H. In dollar values, this equates to a reduction of $2019 on last year’s power bill.

Factory Floor

ROBUS SONIC LED Highbays were installed on the manufacturing floor to replace previously installed 400W Mercury Vapor Lights. The overarching goal of the client was to reduce costs on power bills thus ROBUS Daylight Harvest Sensors were installed alongside the SONIC Highbays to maximize energy savings.

The SONIC Highbays are an energy efficient alternative to traditional Metal Halide light sources that also provide modern aesthetics with an IP65 that allows installation in many diverse environments without fear of being easily broken or damaged. The body is constructed from die cast aluminum (finished with a black powder coat spray) which is rust proof, strong and durable.  These fittings are a low maintenance solution, which last up to 5 times longer than Metal Halide alternatives without the need of lamp changes or the costs for labour or equipment associated with doing so.

The real drawcard of the ROBUS SONIC LED Highbay for this project was its high quality 1-10 VDC dimmable constant current driver, which allows for dimming (with most 1-10V systems) and switching by PIR, Microwave or Photocell. More importantly, it means it can be paired with the ROBUS Daylight Harvest Sensor to provide further reductions in energy consumption as was done in this installation.

This multi-function Microwave sensors primary function is to save energy by considering the natural light of an area and only adding as much additive light as required to attain a set point lux level. Parameters can be easily set using a 16 channel rotating wheel that allows for setting of detection sensitivity, target light level, standby light level and more. In this project, as natural light was available on the factory floor, the Daylight Harvest Sensor has been set to instruct the SONIC Highbay to only add as much artificial light as is required to reach the set lux level. The ROBUS Daylight Harvest sensor is also IP65 rated with a polycarbonate construction allowing for installation in wet or dusty environments and perfect for use in large, industrial buildings.  

Energy Savings

Penguin Composites has already seen remarkable savings since making the switch to ROBUS LED lighting solutions a reduction of around 42% on kilowatt consumption and approximately 30% of their total energy bill which has the business on track to generate a positive return on their investment. 

About Penguin Composites

Penguin Composites is a Tasmanian manufacturer of fiberglass and composite products to suit a wide range of applications for clients in the industrial, commercial, marine and recreational vehicle markets. Established in 1976, the business has grown in the last ten years with the acquisition of Islander Campers of Devonport and new production equipment to increase productivity and achieve manufacturing goals. The company has a workshop and office space of 3500 square meters over two sites totaling two hectares with separate facilities for RV assembly, metal workshops, fibre glassing and panel manufacturing.

Previous projects have included the manufacturing of Igloos for IceWall One in Antarctica as well as developing an innovative solution for stainless steel exhausts and heat shields that reduce the incidence of accidental fires in coal mines.

Penguin Composites also strive to be a business and community leader, which is demonstrated by their partnerships with UTAS (University of Tasmania), Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Composites Australia. The decision to switch to LED lighting was as much about reducing operating costs as well as mitigating energy consumption and their carbon footprint.