Life-cycle assessment of an intelligent lighting system using a distributed wireless mote network

This paper describes a life-cycle assessment (LCA) of an efficient lighting system for commercial buildings using a distributed sensor network. This lighting system is controlled by intelligent software that uses miniaturized wireless networked sensors - motes - for sensing and actuation. The mote network is an experimental wireless sensor network that aims to be smaller, more efficient, less expensive and more versatile than other network alternatives. The LCA described in this paper shows the new lighting system has the potential to achieve environmental benefits in comparison to existing systems. The environmental impacts of the proposed intelligent lighting system are 18 to 344 times smaller than those of the conventional lighting system for the different environmental impact categories considered: acidification, global warming potential, carcinogenicity, non-cancer potential, ecotoxicity, photochemical smog, eutrophication, ozone depletion potential, and fossil fuel depletion. This case study also provides insight for design choices in the sensor network, such as what type of battery should be used or which materials should be minimized.