In May 2016, the DesignLights Consortium® (DLC) released V.1.0 of its Networked Lighting Control Systems Specification, which formed the basis of a new Qualified Lighting Products List (QPL). The intent was to provide utilities and energy efficiency programs a resource to qualify networked lighting control systems so they could be covered in commercial sector lighting […]
Kevin Willmorth on Dimming and Flicker
Guest Post by Kevin Willmorth Flicker presents itself in several forms, each with its own cause. For lighting decision makers, avoiding flicker requires understanding what causes it and what can be done to avoid it. For a good understanding of what flicker is and how we see it, NEMA’s position paper TLAs-2015 Temporal Light Artifacts […]
Steve Mesh on Luminaire-Integrated Lighting Controls
Guest post by Steve Mesh, LC A relatively recent trend in the industry is to embed “luminaire-integrated” (embedded) controls into each fixture. This can be done in different ways, with different types of components, and with different types of control systems. The most basic version of “luminaire-integrated” controls consists of on-board sensors that tell the […]
Jim Brodrick on Connectivity
Republication of Postings from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting Program by Jim Brodrick, SSL Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy It’s no secret that the explosion of connectivity triggered by the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) is also impacting the lighting industry — to such an extent as to constitute […]
DOE Calls Lighting Control Upgrades “Relatively Easy, Accessible and Affordable Changes”
The most recent Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) collected new information about lighting control technologies and strategies in the United States in 2012. Compared with other investments in energy efficiency—such as upgrading heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems or replacing insulation—lighting controls are often “relatively easy, accessible, and affordable changes,” according to the Department of […]
All About Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors
Occupancy and vacancy sensors are devices that detect when a space is unoccupied and accordingly automatically turn OFF (or dim) the lights, thereby saving energy. The device may also turn the lights ON automatically upon detecting the presence of people, providing convenience and a potential security aid. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, occupancy-based […]
Lighting Control Networking 101
Guest post by Steve Mesh, LC Networked lighting control systems are all the rage these days. Rightfully so, given their enormous capability to control luminaires, energy use – and potentially much more. But what are the major elements that define a networked lighting control system? Understanding that will help the specifier to decide which system […]
2017 Connected Lighting Workshop Presentations Posted
The 2017 DOE Connected Lighting Systems Workshop was held June 7–8, 2017, in Santa Clara, CA. Now you can download the presentations from the DOE SSL website and discover what the speakers had to say about key issues in connected lighting and what actions are needed to move it forward. Click here to get the […]
Introduction to Lighting Controls
A good lighting design includes a good controls design. Lighting controls play a critical role in lighting systems, enabling users manually or automatically to: • turn the lights ON and OFF using a switch; and/or • adjust light output up and down using a dimmer. This basic functionality can be used to generate these benefits […]
Wireless Control for Small and Mid-Scale Installations
Guest post by Kevin Willmorth, Lumenique In small- and medium-scale lighting application, wired controls remain the foundation for robust controls system architectures. However, the growth of wireless controls is expanding rapidly, and for good reason. The advantages of wireless controls include the ability to move controls and loads and re-assign control-to-load connections without involvement of […]
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