The Lighting Controls Association (LCA) has published Part 3 of  EE302: A Year with a Networked Lighting Control System, a new learning module in its popular Education Express online education program.

The Lighting Controls Association is pleased to welcome SENSORWORX as a new member!

Atar Capital, a Los Angeles-based global private investment firm, recently announced it has completed the acquisition of Universal Lighting Technologies and Douglas Lighting Controls from parent company, Panasonic Corporation.

Kevin J. Cosgriff, President and CEO of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), will retire from NEMA at the end of 2021. During his seven years leading NEMA, Mr. Cosgriff strengthened the electrical equipment and medical imaging industries by modernizing NEMA industry Standards processes, expanding market analytical offerings, and overseeing focused and effective advocacy.

Synapse Wireless has published guidance to achieving best practices and energy code compliance for parking garage lighting control. The guidance describes various relevant regulations and what strategies and equipment are required. “Parking garages can be a challenging environment for lighting designers. From seasonal outdoor daylight patterns, to underground levels, these spaces are a microcosm for [...]

RAB Lighting’s Smart LED Post Top provides cutting-edge control without having to upgrade luminaires.

Rebates remain a strong incentive for investing in energy-efficient lighting and controls. In 2021, significant opportunities are widely available for LED lighting and controls, including continuing availability of rebates for networked controls.

Lutron Electronics’ Vive PowPak Phase Select modules offer a remote mountable dimming option that can easily adapt to the various phase dimming needs of a project.

EiKO recently announced the company has partnered with KSA Lighting and Controls, a full-service rep agency covering the Northern Illinois and Indiana markets.

The Lighting Controls Association (LCA) has updated EE201: Daylight-Responsive Lighting Control, a popular course in its free, 24/7 Education Express program.

nLight®, an Acuity Brands company, recently published a new whitepaper describing its new nLight Autonomous Bridging Technology (ABT), which increases the range and improves the responsiveness of wireless networked lighting controls across indoor and outdoor spaces and around obstructions.

The Lighting Controls Association is sponsoring a series of design awards produced by the Strategies in Light conference and LEDs Magazine, which has expanded its popular SAPPHIRE Awards focusing on LED products to now include design projects. This includes the Design Excellence in Tunable-White Lighting, Design Excellence in Networked Lighting Control, and Design Excellence in [...]

The Illuminating Engineering Society is seeking lighting professionals to participate in the 2021 IES Illumination Awards as judges for projects potentially receiving Merit Awards, including for the Lighting Control Innovation Award sponsored by the Lighting Controls Association.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) published the 2021 Electrical Standards & Products Guide (ESPG), a comprehensive guide that includes nearly 800 NEMA publications for electrical and medical imaging industries, as well as product categories and NEMA Member manufacturers of those products.

In January 2021, the International Code Council published the 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which has been updated every three years since 2000. This new version reduces lighting power allowances, expands mandatory controls requirements, and issues clarifications.

The Lighting Controls Association is sponsoring a series of design awards produced by the Strategies in Light conference and LEDs Magazine, which has expanded its popular SAPPHIRE Awards focusing on LED products to now include design projects. Submit your project by March 1 for an early bird discount and by April 1 to be considered.

A majority of respondents reported an unchanged business environment in January, pushing the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Electroindustry Business Confidence Index’s (EBCI) current conditions component to 60, a nearly imperceptible increase over December’s 57.7 reading, above the 50-point mark and indicative of positive business conditions.

The Lighting Controls Association (LCA) has updated EE103: Dimming Controls, Section 1 Part 2: Dimming Controls and Systems, a popular learning module in its Education Express program.

Leviton recently announced the availability of its second generation eBusiness platform, Leviton B2B. The new online ordering system is designed with several enhanced features to simplify the critical needs of distributor procurement and sales professionals around the world.

In January 2021, the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) semi-annual Consensus Construction Forecast, a survey of the nation’s leading construction forecasters, projected a 5.7% decline in nonresidential construction spending in 2021. Construction spending is then projected to grow 3.1% in 2022 as the renewal of economic activity unleashes pent-up demand for nonresidential space.

Networked lighting controls may get a boost in adoption by shifting the conversation beyond mere energy benefits, says Liesel Whitney-Schulte and Dan Mellinger.

Actually – this isn’t just for electrical contractors!  Just about anyone can learn how to commission a networked lighting control system (NLC), writes Steve Mesh.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) recently announced it welcomed the news that congressional leaders have reached an agreement on an omnibus spending package that also includes important energy and tax policy provisions. 

While “circadian lighting” varies in definition, it generally refers to design that uses intensity and spectrum of light for a non-visual effect—namely, to support regulation of circadian rhythms. A new study suggests that by enabling intensity and spectral adjustment and optimizing exposure based on time of day, designers and owners can minimize the energy tradeoff imposed by associated typically much-higher light levels. This would entail use of an advanced lighting control system capable of scheduled dimming and perhaps spectral emission adjustment.

A U.S. Department of Energy-funded Pacific Northwest Energy Laboratory (PNNL) study found that hospital nurses value controllability in lighting and that this controllability can translate to greater satisfaction among patients.

Jeremy Day, Application Engineering Director for LumenPulse, wrote an interesting article laying out a simple process for designing a lighting control system.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)  recently announced the creation of its new Industrial Control Panel Council to promote the proper installation of industrial control panels, provide guidance and recommendations on installation practices for various jurisdictions, advocate for Standards and best practice documents for the industry, and develop educational materials. 

McWong International, a leading innovator in Bluetooth® mesh technology, collaborated with LEDRAbrands and Casambi to create a unique, responsive commercial lighting environment for LEDRAbrands’ new corporate headquarters in Irvine, California. The project, detailed in the partners’ new white paper, focused on several objectives.

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) recently released results of a new study that strengthens the case for expanding use of networked lighting controls (NLC) to significantly drive energy savings in commercial and industrial buildings. The report found that energy savings possible by adding NLCs to LED lighting projects approach 70 percent for some building types, with savings across various categories of buildings averaging 49 percent.

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) recently published a study seeking to compare one-for-one luminaire level lighting control (LLLC) retrofits with a comprehensive networked lighting controls (NLC) redesign. Conducted by the University of Oregon, the study found that a one-for-one LLLC upgrade produced comparable energy savings and lighting quality at a competitive cost.

“In my latest education express course, Integration and Building Automation, I discuss basic uses for a Building Automation System (BAS). One use not mentioned is Contact Tracing, which has been brought to the foreground primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic (also known as Coronavirus). Contact tracing is potentially an essential part of safely re-opening businesses during Coronavirus and since lighting fixtures and lighting controls are necessary wherever people occupy a building, building management can make use of intelligent lighting control systems to improve their contact tracing methods to ensure their occupants are safe.”

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Association, introduces the building industry to McWong International’s TruBlu commissioning tool for SIG-qualified Bluetooth mesh lighting control networks.

Presented by Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP, education director for the Lighting Controls Association, this 30-minute webinar provides a deep overview of tunable-white lighting, a relatively new dimension of LED lighting control that is pioneering new capabilities and applications.

Intermatic recently released a video describing its safety measures during the pandemic, resulting in the company back to operating at 100% capacity.

Endeavor Business Media and the Lighting Controls Association (LCA) are pleased to announce their collaboration agreement on Strategies in Light and its Sapphire Awards program. The Sapphire Awards will be held on June 23, 2021 at the Club Auto Sport in San Jose, CA.

Based on its recent analysis of the North American building Internet of Things (IoT) platforms market, Frost & Sullivan recently recognized Enlighted, Inc., a Siemens company, with the 2020 North America Company of the Year Award.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association  (NEMA) recently launched its new website, showcasing a fresh look for the Association with its mobile-responsiveness and easy-to-navigate design. The revamped website encompasses many features to help users get faster search results, filter by news type or topic, and customize personal newsfeeds with a new preference center.

With increasing frequency, lighting control systems are tasked to interoperate with other building systems such as building automation systems (BAS) to share information and automate building functionality. Ensuring communication and smooth interoperability is called integration, a potentially challenging undertaking during a project. This is the topic of a new Education Express course developed for the Lighting Controls Association by C. Webster Marsh, HLB Lighting Design.

This month, we explore a dynamic, complex, and award-winning lighting controls installation at Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore.