Craig DiLouie recently interviewed Scott Ziegenfus, Vice President of Technical Customer Experience (CX) at Current, about general lighting trends for an article for tED Magazine, the official publication of the NAED.
DiLouie: As the LED revolution completes its displacement of traditional lighting systems, what’s next for lighting as a category and an industry?
Ziegenfus: We’re past the era of “just turn it off when no one’s around.” LEDs checked the efficiency box but now we’re in the stage where lighting is part of something bigger. It’s infrastructure as an intelligent layer that can sense, respond and inform. Because lighting is everywhere people are, it’s perfectly positioned to integrate with other systems: HVAC, access control, fire, security, even and facilities management platforms. And that’s what you’re seeing and will continue to see: lighting as a connective tissue across the building.
DiLouie: What do you see as the top five trends in the marketplace shaping demand for commercial indoor lighting products?
Ziegenfus: I think it starts with system integration. Customers want systems that talk to each other so that, for example, when someone badges in, the lights go on and the HVAC kicks in. The built environment—it’s very responsive, and lighting is at the center of it.
Embedded controls in fixtures is also a trend. More products are arriving smart and ready with wireless capabilities, and that’s what people expect now. Which leads to data as a deliverable as another trend, because it’s not just about lighting a space anymore. It’s about the data the lighting can collect, like occupancy, movement and utilization, and how you can leverage it to operate a more efficient building that’s also more accommodating to its occupants.
Similarly, there’s more code compliance already built in because contractors don’t have the time to decipher complex sequences or add layers of third-party components just to pass inspection. The expectation now is that luminaires and controls come ready to meet ASHRAE 90.1, IECC or Title 24, with settings that can be fine-tuned but don’t need to be reinvented. The product should do the heavy lifting right out of the box.
And I would point to simplified commissioning, meaning contractors want intuitive tools that work the way they work. No one’s flipping through a 200-page manual on site to get a conference room to dim properly. They want mobile apps, visual interfaces and things like push-button pairing. If they can figure it out without calling tech support, that’s a win.
DiLouie: What vertical markets are particularly strong for commercial indoor lighting products this year?
Ziegenfus: Schools always because that’s a market that knows how lighting impacts attention, behavior, energy bills, etc. Office space is changing fast, too. The hybrid model means the space is being rethought, and lighting plays a huge role in knowing what’s being used and when. Warehousing is another because it comes with unique challenges like high ceilings, big swings in temperature and long hours. At Current we are seeing wireless controls making more inroads there.
DiLouie: What are the top five technological trends in commercial indoor LED luminaires, shaped by capability and demand?
Ziegenfus: Touching again on [my earlier responses], I would add:
• Flexible architecture that changes with the space with simple programming not rewiring.
• PIR + daylight + sensors in one device or fixture (now we’re talking about reducing install time and increasing intelligence as part of a seamless approach).
• Fixtures as platforms (again they are not just fixtures anymore, they’re hosts for sensors, software and analytics).
• Edge processing (Distributed intelligence that luminaires can make decisions locally before ever sending data upstream).
• Tool-free commissioning (we’re seeing real demand for lighting that’s plug-and-play).
DiLouie: What impact are these trends having on the state of lighting in 2025?
Ziegenfus: Lighting has quietly become an essential digital infrastructure because it’s always on and always everywhere people are in a building. And because of that, it’s a perfect way to embed intelligence without needing to rip open ceilings or walls. We’re seeing it shape how buildings operate in terms of where people go, how long they stay, how resources are used. It’s no longer a discrete system—it’s part of a building’s brain.
DiLouie: As LED achieves a high degree of saturation, will the lighting industry return to embracing standardization?
Ziegenfus: I think it has to because things like field serviceability, upgrades and flexibility are only possible if we have standard interfaces. You shouldn’t need a proprietary adapter to replace a driver for instance. And from a building owner’s perspective, the less locked-in they are, the better. Open standards like BACnet are part of it, but we need to push that thinking further into hardware and physical interfaces too.
DiLouie: How is demand evolving for luminaires with onboard controls?
Ziegenfus: Demand is steady and strong. As we’ve talked about, wired and wireless onboard controls are now expected to a large degree. Customers want them because they simplify installation and reduce above-ceiling labor. Changes to spaces shift with programming not rewiring. Engineers spec them because they help with energy code compliance. And you have owners, of course, who like that they can be reconfigured without a lot of technical complexity. It’s one of those “everyone wins” scenarios. I’d say we’re past the early adoption phase to where it’s the standard in many markets now.
DiLouie: What are the top five trends in lighting design in commercial buildings? What today is considered “quality lighting”?
Ziegenfus: Some similar themes here again, but to go deeper:
• Lighting that disappears (not literally, but the design blends into the architecture so that it’s barely perceptible).
• Human-centric focus (fixtures with color tuning, circadian alignment and glare control capabilities are getting more attention).
• Controls-ready design (not to be repetitive, but more fixtures are built with the expectation that they’ll be part of a system).
• Intelligent layouts (this based on actual space use data and analysis, not assumptions or “gut” instinct).
• Sustainability-driven decisions (more LED retrofits because while many spaces made the switch long ago, there are still many that remain tied to legacy lighting tech).
To sum that up, quality lighting today is about invisible performance or working without calling attention to itself—but it still makes every space feel better.
DiLouie: How does the typical owner regard lighting today, and what opportunities exist for distributors to promote lighting options that save energy but provide a better luminous environment?
Ziegenfus: You could argue that owners are more educated in general. They’re aware lighting affects more than bills, in other words. They want to know more about how it shapes experiences, especially in learning and working environments. Of course, price still drives a lot of decisions, and that’s where distributors come in. It’s a chance to guide the conversation to not price but value and show how better lighting leads to practical benefits like fewer complaints and more productivity.
DiLouie: What can electrical distributors do to become more effective lighting sellers in their territories?
Ziegenfus: Know your codes, rebates and control systems inside and out. Bring more to the table than product specs and show contractors how your solutions save time and hassle. It sounds simple but offers products that are easily installed and meet inspection on the first pass, and you need to clearly communicate that value. If you make the job easier, suddenly you’re a partner to them and not just a supplier.
DiLouie: What can electrical distributors do to more effectively partner with manufacturers to develop lighting business?
Ziegenfus: Talk often. Bring insights from the field. Let manufacturers know what pain points are showing up on jobs. Be part of the design conversation if you can, not just the pricing conversation. That’s where value gets created for everyone.
DiLouie: If you could tell the entire electrical distribution industry just one thing about current trends in commercial indoor lighting, what would it be?
Ziegenfus: Beating the drum even louder, lighting is now a system. It’s connected and aware. It’s feeding data with every other building system. And if you’re not seeing it that way, you’re missing where the industry is already heading.
DiLouie: Is there anything else you’d like to add about this topic?
Ziegenfus: Current has spent decades making lighting, and especially LEDs, more efficient. Now we’re making it smarter so that it can shape the way buildings function, how people feel, and how energy gets used. Good design, yes, but it’s also good business when things run smarter, safer and better for everyone involved.
