In this episode of the Lighting Controls Podcast produced by NAILD and the Lighting Controls Association, hosts Ron Kuszmar and C. Webster Marsh talk to Chris O’Shea, the Head of Marketing and Business Development at Control Force, a new company specializing in startup services, fine-tuning systems, and ensuring long-term maintenance of lighting control systems.

Selecting a Lighting Control System

As LED lighting adoption increases, organizations focused on saving energy are looking more and more to lighting controls as the next frontier for maximizing energy savings and decarbonization. Selecting Lighting Control Systems, a publication by PNNL for the DOE, sheds light on the process of designing solutions that both align with project objectives and are clearly documented. PNNL developed this publication in response to research finding that success with lighting controls can maximized by adhering to industry best practices. The result is a straightforward 20-page guide, with additional resources listed ranging from IES lighting practices ANSI/IES-LP-6 and ANSI/IES-LP-16 to the Lighting Controls Association.

Smart Outdoor Lighting

In an article recently published by LD+A, Mark Duffy, chair of the Zhaga Consortium General Assembly, which develops specifications for luminaire interfaces and interoperable components, describes the transformative potential of the Zhaga-D4i partnership for smart outdoor lighting.

In this article, Gary Meshberg, Market Development Specialist, Building Control Systems for Legrand North America and Chair of the Lighting Controls Association, describes the growing opportunity for integration between lighting control and other building systems, notably the BAS.

This year, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 2024 Integrated Lighting Campaign (ILC) recognized two organizations for exhibiting exemplary support for market adoption of integrated lighting upgrade solutions that generate significant energy savings and create more comfortable, productive, and environmentally responsible spaces. Along with 16 organizations recognized for projects, the LCA was recognized on August 16, 2024 at the IES annual conference.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 2024 Integrated Lighting Campaign (ILC) recognized 16 organizations for exemplary commitment to energy efficiency and environmental responsibility in their buildings and outdoor spaces, highlighting projects that exemplify showcase effective lighting upgrades involving systems integration.

It’s an LED world now; traditional sources are just living in it. The next frontier of energy savings lies in bringing the lighting controls revolution to mainstream adoption in existing buildings via best practices.

This article by David Shiller at LightNOW digs into the Light Solutions Application Guide from Autani-LiteTrace and provides a quick overview of the company’s system’s approach and capabilities.

In the latest episode of the Lighting Controls Podcast, host Ron Kuszmar and C. Webster Marsh had the pleasure of hosting Margaret Wong and Stephen Zhou from mwConnect, a company renowned for its innovative Bluetooth Mesh technology. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, mwConnect, formerly known as McWong, has evolved from its humble beginnings manufacturing ballasts to becoming a leader in the smart lighting industry.

Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP recently had the pleasure of interviewing Brendon Van Campen, Senior Sales Director, Lutron Electronics, for an article about lighting control trends for an upcoming article to be published in tED Magazine, the official publication of the NAED. Here’s the transcript.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has published a concise and informative guide to help designers and project managers select the most cost-effective and energy-efficient lighting and control systems, including lessons learned from evaluations conducted in federal buildings.

Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP recently had the pleasure of interviewing Stephen Zhou, Executive Vice President, mwConnect, for an upcoming article about lighting control trends for tED Magazine, the official publication of the NAED. Here’s the transcript.

Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP recently had the pleasure of interviewing Trevor Palmer, President, Acuity Brands Lighting and Controls, about indoor lighting trends for an upcoming article in tED Magazine, the official publication of the NAED. Here’s the transcript.

LEDucation Archives Available

If you missed LEDucation 2024 or want to revisit some of the presentations, you’re in luck–LEDucation offers an archive at its website.

In March 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) determined that the 2022 version of ASHRAE/ANSI/IES 90.1, Energy Efficiency Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, saves energy over the 2019 version. As such, this standard became recognized as the new national energy reference standard.

Custom Rebates Evolve

While prescriptive lighting rebates have significantly promoted adoption of energy-efficient lighting and controls, the custom rebate option offers a potentially highly lucrative path, particularly in projects with advanced lighting controls.

In the ever-evolving landscape of lighting control systems, the key to their successful maintenance lies not just in technological interoperability but also in continuous education. In this episode of The Lighting Controls Podcast presented by the Lighting Controls Association and supported by NAILD, Chesapeake Lighting’s Kelly Gallagher emphasizes this crucial point, stressing that without adequate knowledge, even the most advanced systems can falter.

“Being in the lighting and controls industry for the past 27 years, I’ve internalized to a high degree that there are few constants,” writes mwConnect’s Blane Goettle in this guest post. “One is change, and the other, that the more things change, the greater the need for connection.”

Build America Buy America

Enacted as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on November 15, 2021, The Build America Buy America Act, or BABA, established a domestic content procurement preference for all infrastructure projects receiving Federal financial assistance after May 14, 2022.

In September 2023, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) released Bluetooth® NLC, a series of specifications that define roles and responsibilities for common lighting control devices. Bluetooth NLC builds on wireless standards Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and Bluetooth Mesh to provide full-stack standardization. By ensuring true multivendor interoperability across the control system, the Bluetooth SIG believes this will enable mass adoption of wireless networked lighting controls in commercial buildings, including small and medium-sized as well as large buildings.

In this episode of the Lighting Controls Podcast co-sponsored by NAILD and the Lighting Controls Association, the DALI Alliance’s Carol Jones draws attention to the inevitability of change emphasizing the need for lighting controls interoperability within the construction sector.

The Lighting Controls Association, a council of NEMA, has updated EE107B: Lighting Controls and Commercial Lighting Rebates, a course in the organization’s Education Express program.

In this episode of the Lighting Controls Podcast co-sponsored by the Lighting Controls Association and NAILD, the Lighting Controls Association’s education director Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP discusses the state of the category, industry trends, and the value of education delivered by the organization’s free Education Express online system.

In 2024, commercial lighting rebates remain a strong incentive for adoption of energy-efficient lighting and controls in existing buildings. Notable trends in prescriptive rebates include continuing widespread availability, softening demand for rebate dollars, more bonus programs, generally increasing average rebate amounts, and strengthening of networked lighting control rebates.

In this episode of The Lighting Controls Podcast presented by the Lighting Controls Association and NAILD–with this episode sponsored by mwConnect (formerly McWong International)–Shoshanna Segal, principal of Hartranft Lighting Design, talks about how a clearly written intent is the way to achieve better lighting control.

To improve understanding and possibly resolve the shortcomings of 0-10V products, the Department of Energy recently published the results of a study conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The study characterized 23 LED streetlights that claimed dimmability via a 0-10V interface, quantified the performance variation found in market-available LED drivers, and explored the potential impact of the most recent 0-10V voluntary standard, ANSI C137.1-2022.

LCA TV: Lighting Controls Academy Publishes Video Version of Introduction to Dimming Course

The Lighting Controls Academy has published a video version of its popular Education Express course EE103A: Introduction to Dimming, now available at YouTube.

LCA TV: Lighting Controls Academy Publishes Video Version of Load Control Hardware Course

The Lighting Controls Academy has published a video version of its popular Education Express course EE102B: Load Control Hardware in Modern Lighting Control Systems, now available at YouTube.

LCA TV: Partition Controller by Avi-on Labs

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces the Avi-on Partition Controller by Avi-on Labs, Inc.

LCA TV: Wireless BACnet Gateway by mwConnect

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces mwConnect’s wireless BACnet gateway.

LCA TV: GreenMax DRC Touchscreen by Leviton

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces Leviton’s GreenMax DRC Touchscreen.

LCA TV: NXSW2 Smart Wall Stations by Current

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces NXSW2 Smart Wall Stations by Current.

LCA TV: F-Drive RX by ETC

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces the F-Drive RX from ETC.

LCA TV: AWT 1000 Smart Thermostat with EnergyCenter by Autani

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces Autani’s new AWT 1000 Smart Thermostat.

LCA TV: Lighting Controls Academy Publishes Video Version of Commissioning Course

The Lighting Controls Academy has published a video version of EE110: Commissioning and Lighting Controls, a free course available at YouTube.

LCA TV: Avi-on Touch Screens for Elegant, Responsive Lighting Control

This educational video, produced by the Lighting Controls Academy at the 2026 LEDucation event in New York City, introduces Avi-on Touch Screens.