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Lighting Energy Experts from Lutron Electronics and Purdue University to Co-Present at IES Annual Conference 2014

Posted on Friday, October 31, 2014

Coopersburg, PA (Friday, October 31, 2014) – Brent Protzman, Ph.D, Manager of Energy Information & Analytics, Lutron Electronics and Thanos Tzempelikos, Associate Professor of Civil (Architectural) Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University will be co-presenting “Window treatment science – a research driven approach” at the 2014 Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Annual Conference at 1:15 pm on Monday, November 3 in Pittsburgh, PA. The IES Annual Conference is held for professionals from diverse disciplines to come together to explore, present, discuss, debate and exchange best practices in the art and science of lighting.

Protzman and Tzempelikos are both experts in the field of daylighting design, and will present a research driven methodology that will illustrate the effect of daylighting design, fabric selection, and shade control on glare control, daylight autonomy, and view preservation.

“Historically, window treatments in commercial buildings have been chosen based on color, texture, and architectural preference. As a result, occupant comfort or building performance suffers – sometimes, both,” says Protzman. “Although, in the past, specification of shade fabrics may have been thought of as trivial, improper consideration of performance properties will have a detrimental effect on building performance including human comfort and daylight autonomy. By combining proper fabric selection with automation, indoor environmental comfort and energy performance is maximized. We look forward to presenting our research and engaging participants to discuss this important topic.”

Protzman has a Ph.D in Architectural Engineering from the University of Nebraska and is a former Assistant Professor and Researcher in the Building Systems Program at the University of Colorado. His research and publications have focused on building performance through human factors and sustainable building systems. With an expertise in both energy performance and human factors, he has unique understanding of the interactions between building system operation, occupant acceptance, and environmental functionality. As Manager-Energy Information and Analytics at Lutron Electronics, his team’s research and collaborations are often at the forefront of building system technology and innovation.

Thanos Tzempelikos is an Associate Professor of Civil (Architectural) Engineering and Mechanical Engineering (by courtesy) at Purdue University. He holds a B.Sc. in Physics and M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Building Engineering from Concordia University and has published over 70 articles in refereed scientific journals and conference proceeding. His research is focused on advanced and dynamic building façades, integrated thermal and daylighting analysis of buildings, indoor environmental comfort and shading systems design and control. He serves as the vice chair and program chair for ASHRAE’s fenestration technical committee and has also been a façade energy consultant for several architectural and engineering firms.

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