Lighting eats up up to 17% of a commercial building’s energy. It’s a pain point for facility managers and engineers. You need to cut that number, keep everyone safe, and make sure the building stays comfortable. A vacancy sensor hits all three goals in one shot.
Vacancy sensors pair manual-on control with automatic shut-off. That setup saves 20-30% more energy than regular occupancy sensors. Connect sensors to your building automation system and you’ll get real-time data for HVAC tweaks, cleaning, and smarter space planning.
This guide covers everything you need, including:
Energy codes set the ground rules for all buildings. IECC, ASHRAE 90.1, and California Title 24 are the big three. Either way, you’re heading toward automatic lighting controls for most spaces.
The auto-off rule is easy. Sensors must turn off lights within 20 minutes after people leave. Timers work too, as long as they deliver the same result.
Manual-on rules are newer. ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC say controls can’t turn lights to full brightness automatically. Use manual-on or let sensors bring lights up to just 50% when motion’s detected. Full auto-on works only in public corridors, stairwells, restrooms, entrances, lobbies, or spaces where manual control isn’t safe.
Zone size counts in open offices. Title 24 caps lighting control zones at 600 sq ft. If your office is bigger than 250 sq ft, you need occupancy sensors.
For stairwells and egress paths, follow NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. Emergency lights must deliver an average of 1 footcandle (10.8 lux) and a minimum of 0.1 footcandle (1.1 lux) along egress. New stairs need 10 footcandles during use. Federal standards need bi-level switching in stairwells and low-occupancy hallways. You get energy savings, but always meet the NFPA 101 minimums.
An occupancy sensor flips lights on when it detects motion. After you leave, the sensor keeps the lights on for a bit, then shuts them off. A vacancy sensor is more hands-on. Push a button to turn lights on, and the sensor switches them off once no one’s there.
The manual-on rule puts the choice in your hands. If sunlight pours in, you might just skip the switch. With an occupancy sensor, the lights turn on no matter what. Vacancy sensors save 20-30% more energy for that reason.
Use vacancy sensors in offices, conference rooms, or anywhere with good daylight and a switch near the door. They’re not a fit for stairwells, corridors, or warehouses with lots of entrances and no easy switches. Don’t use them where you need light instantly for safety.
Occupancy sensors shine where people come from all directions and want lights on right away. Think restrooms, lobbies, and big open zones - spaces where automatic-on just makes sense.
Today’s codes lean toward manual-on or partial-on setups. If you go with occupancy sensors, set them for 50% auto-on to pass ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC. Vacancy sensors check the “manual-on” box by default.
Networked lighting controls with occupancy sensors bring average savings of 49%. Systems with luminaire-level controls can reach 63% - thanks to better zone management.
Occupancy sensors alone save anywhere from 10-90% (depends on vacancy). In multifamily buildings, a 30-second off-delay can save 74% compared to 24/7 lighting. Choose controls with short off-delays and you’ll push savings close to 80%.
Open offices? Respect those zone limits. Title 24 caps them at 600 sq ft. Put sensors in every zone. Use manual-on or 50% auto-on. For offices over 250 sq ft (California), install occupancy sensors. In window-lined zones, go with vacancy sensors for daylight savings.
Classrooms run best with occupancy sensors that have longer off-delays - aim for 15-20 minutes. That way, lights won’t flick off during quiet moments. Skip vacancy sensors in classrooms; with lots of doors and people, lights need to come on automatically.
Restrooms prefer occupancy sensors with full auto-on. Manual switches are awkward, and people want lights to pop on fast. Group a few stalls to one sensor to save money, but make sure every spot is covered for motion.
Stairwells need bi-level controls for both safety and energy codes. Use sensors that dim lights when empty but snap back to full brightness for anyone using the stairs. The “dim” setting still needs to meet egress lighting minimums: 1 footcandle average, 0.1 footcandle minimum. New stairs should always hit 10 footcandles when used. Use fail-safe wiring so lights stay on if a sensor ever has an issue.
Warehouses and storage areas deliver up to 68% savings since they’re empty most of the time. Use auto-on occupancy sensors in aisles and docks for safety. Choose vacancy sensors in break rooms or office spaces to capture extra savings from daylight.
Sensor controls keep people safe. Lights stay on when someone’s in the room and turn off or dim when it’s empty. NFPA 101 says you can use sensors in egress paths - just maintain minimum light and use fail-safes.
People feel better when lights act predictably. Partial-on and manual-on don’t jar you with sudden brightness. Longer delays mean lights don’t shut off if you’re sitting still at your desk or reading.
The numbers matter:
Savings depend on setup, tuning, and actual use - but they’re real.
Connected lighting controls feed data to your building automation system. If a meeting room empties, the BAS raises the temp or dims the lights. Demand-controlled methods like this save up to $0.50/ft² a year on HVAC.
Your sensor data slides right into building automation tools (like BACnet or custom APIs). Once you connect, you can:
Integrated Workspace Management Systems combine:
This gives a sharp picture of how people use your spaces - what’s busy, what’s not, and where to focus cleaning or upgrades. It’s a data-driven way to optimize every square foot.
Hybrid work makes real-time occupancy essential. People work everywhere, every day. Some days, every desk is full. Other days? Half empty. Smart building technology helps you monitor in real time. You tune cleaning, resources, and layouts based on what’s actually happening - not guesses. Room analytics even trim no-shows and wasted bookings.
Networked lighting controls paired with occupancy sensors slash costs up to 30% in hybrid spaces. Empty conference room? Lights and HVAC auto-adjust. If people show up, airflow ramps instantly. It’s all real time.
APIs push occupancy stats to dashboards, digital signs, or workplace apps. Students can see if the library’s packed before heading in. Employees get a quick glance at open floors. This fairness keeps people happy and spreads out traffic.
Modern occupancy sensors don’t spy on anyone. Camera-free sensors use passive infrared, thermal, mmWave radar, or wireless signal scans. They see movement, not faces - or IDs.
All the readings stay anonymous. Data’s always aggregated by room or floor. You’ll see:
No names. No personal trails.
“Privacy by design” means locking privacy in from day one. Don’t combine data streams in a sneaky way. Keep analytics anonymous, don’t hoard old data, and post clear notices telling people what’s tracked and why.
Badge data tells you who swipes in, but not who sits where. Wi-Fi analytics can track devices but most phones randomize signals, so it’s far from perfect. Camera-free sensors give counts with none of the privacy headaches.
Wi-Fi Round-Trip Time (RTT) calculates how far a device is from each access point using signal speed. Android supports RTT and gets accuracy between 3 and 6 feet if three access points hear the signal. For even better accuracy, use Ultra-Wideband (UWB). UWB nails it to about 1.6 feet but needs special hardware.
Use an Integrated Workspace Management System. It pulls:
One dashboard gives a clear view of how people use desks, rooms, and zones—so you can right-size, clean, and plan by actual demand.
Yes, you can. Occupancy sensor data creates heatmaps showing busy and quiet zones—no tracking people, just raw movement. Put sensors in entry points and hallways. Occuspace provides these visualizations using only anonymous data.
Badge data logs entry but not where people go or how long they stay. Wi-Fi can track device locations but is often scrambled by privacy settings. Camera-free sensors skip IDs and focus on room-level accuracy with real-time numbers. Compare all three in your IWMS for a full picture.
Want faster code compliance, more comfort, and real savings? Sensor-based lighting controls deliver. A vacancy sensor adds 20-30% more savings than standard occupancy sensors by letting people decide.
Networked controls multiply savings, even up to 63% with luminaire-level setups. When you tie sensors to automation platforms, you optimize everything. Hybrid work needs real occupancy data, so you react in real time - not with guesswork.
Privacy always comes first. Camera-free sensors count feet, not faces. You get valuable data: total foot traffic, occupancy, dwell time - always anonymized and grouped by space.
Occuspace offers privacy-first occupancy intelligence live in just 1-2 days. Plug sensors in, scan wireless signals, get people counts with about 95% accuracy. No cameras. No personal info. Only anonymous counts. Seamless integration with BAS, IWMS, and workplace tools. Dashboards and data exports make it actionable - slash energy, optimize space, and boost comfort.
Start with high-traffic areas - conference rooms, open desks, lobbies. Watch energy use drop, space get used smarter, and costs go down. Deploy Occuspace in days, plug into your automation tools, and see results within weeks.
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