ETC expands Unison Aero product family

In 2012, ETC introduced the Unison® Aero® family , which brings cost-effective, energy-saving control to existing or new lighting systems in hotels, office buildings, dormitories, conference rooms, classrooms, nursing homes, retail outlets, restaurants and beyond. Now ETC is adding three new products to the line that conserve even more energy and further increase flexibility.

The Unison Aero Contact Interface joins the Aero system's lighting-control offerings. With four contact inputs or outputs, the Contact Interface can communicate with third-party equipment. "The Contact Interface can connect almost any kind of new equipment that you add to a lighting system, ensuring that all components work together," says ETC Architectural Market Manager Bryan Palmer. When it's used with Aero SmartClick Stations , SimpleTap Sensors and Power Controls , it wirelessly passes system-function back and forth between devices.

The new Aero Outlet Controller and Aero Dimmer are new tools in the Aero power-control family. With a Duplex Edison receptacle that combines a 15-amp switched receptacle and a 15-amp constant-power receptacle, the Aero Outlet Controller meets current energy codes by allowing automatic shutoff based on occupancy. "The Controller makes it really easy to upgrade outlets to meet new regulations," explains Palmer. "Instead of having to go through a long, expensive project, the Aero Controllers can be installed quickly and easily using existing wiring."

The future-proofed Aero Dimmer can control tungsten, LED and two-wire fluorescent lighting loads, automatically detecting if a fixture needs to be in forward- or reverse-fade mode. And its operation can be manually overridden using simple commands with just a few button presses.

Currently Unison Aero products are only available in North America.