Cubs' New Clubhouse Will Have Wireless Lighting System

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- While the new Wrigley Field clubhouse for the Cubs has not yet been revealed to the media or to the public, I've learned that the 30,000 square-foot clubhouse and training facility is going to have a lighting system designed by Ideal Industries of Sycamore, Illinois, called "Audacy."

The company says that this wireless system can reduce energy use from lighting by up to 50 percent for almost any space type – including office, retail, multi-use and institutional buildings. The same technology has been used in several large-scale applications; one of the largest is at Universal Studios in Orlando.

As the Wrigley renovation project continues, the 1060 Project team will install Audacy sensors, control units, gateways and reporting components into team facilities, retail spaces, entertainment clubs and suites throughout the ballpark.

The system can connect virtually any new or legacy lighting fixture to a uniquely secure cloud-based operating platform. "We’ll be able to easily set lighting parameters for optimal impact and energy conservation in almost every venue across Wrigley Field," said Carl Rice, vice president of the Wrigley Field restoration and expansion. "What’s more, we can easily make adjustments based on event type, game delays and energy usage patterns from a tablet or mobile phone." The Cubs also will have the ability to automatically monitor and report on energy usage to city, state and federal agencies, according to Rice.

This system will help the modernization of Wrigley Field and make it up-to-date in ways that you don't see on the field. I'm still hoping to be able to go on a media tour (presuming there is one) before the clubhouse opens so I can bring you photos from inside.