Roy Harvey, LC of OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc., SSL Electronics & Infrastructure Standards & Regulatory Affairs Vice-chair of ASC C137 and Head of C137.1 Ad Hoc Group, recently contributed a blog post to UL.com describing the C137 standard. This standard covers a 0-10V analog interface between dimmable LED drivers, fluorescent ballasts and dimming controls. Click here […]


ZigBee Alliance Accelerates IoT Unification with 20 ZigBee 3.0 Platform Certifications From Eight Silicon Providers
The ZigBee Alliance, a non-profit association of companies creating, maintaining and delivering open, global standards for the low-power wireless Internet of Things (IoT), recently announced that eight member companies have achieved certification for 20 silicon platforms which form the basis for ZigBee 3.0 products. The large number of certifications gives product developers broad supply chain […]

NEMA Standard Promotes Uniformity for Occupancy Motion Sensors
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published NEMA WD 7-2011 (R2016) Occupancy Motion Sensors Standard, which promotes uniformity in the use and application of occupancy motion sensors used in lighting control systems, HVAC, and other devices. This standard explains field of view and coverage characteristics relevant to vacancy and occupancy sensors using passive infrared, […]

Lighting and Control Aspects of ASHRAE 189.1-2014 Green Building Standard
In November 2014, ASHRAE published ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. The standard, which updates the previous 2011 version, covers site sustainability, water use, energy, indoor environmental quality, and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources. The standard provides states and other jurisdictions a […]

NEMA Lighting Standard Recommended in Revised DOE Report
As reported earlier this week on this blog, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) revised its October 2013 report, Dimming LEDs with Phase-Cut Dimmers: The Specifier’s Process for Maximizing Success. The new report features recommendation of a National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) lighting standard, NEMA SSL 7A-2013 Phase Cut Dimming for Solid State Lighting: Basic […]

Municipal Consortium Releases Updated Model Specification for Networked Outdoor Lighting Control Systems
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium (MSSLC) has released an update to its Model Specification for Adaptive Control and Remote Monitoring of LED Roadway Luminaires, V1.0. The new resource has been renamed to better reflect its evolving scope. The new Model Specification for Networked Outdoor Lighting Control Systems, V2.0 is intended […]

NEMA Publishes ANSI C136.41-2013 For Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment–Dimming Control Between an External Locking Type Photocontrol and Ballast or Driver
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) published ANSI C136.41-2013 For Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment–Dimming Control Between an External Locking Type Photocontrol and Ballast or Driver. This standard describes methods of light level control between an external locking type photocontrol (or similar device) and a dimmable ballast or driver for street and area lighting equipment. […]

NEMA Publishes NEMA BL 3-2013 Dimming Ballast Energy Performance
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association recently published NEMA BL 3-2013 Dimming Ballast Energy Performance. This standard provides a methodology for applying existing test methods for program start ballasts to fluorescent dimming ballasts. It also provides a method to calculate ballast luminous efficiency (BLE) for fluorescent dimming ballasts. Information for proper lamp and ballast compatibility for […]

Last Chance for Commercial Buildings Deduction?
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction (CBTD) to encourage owner investment in energy-efficient building systems. The CBTD establishes a special tax deduction rewarding investment in energy-efficient interior lighting, HVAC/hot water systems and building envelope, subject to a cap of up to $1.80/sq.ft. It’s an accelerated tax deduction, meaning […]

IEC Publishes New Ultra-Low Power Consumption Wireless Technology Standard
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has ratified a new standard–ISO/IEC 14543-3-10–for wireless applications with ultra-low power consumption pioneered by EnOcean. The standard can be downloaded from www.iso.org. The new standard is geared to wireless sensors and wireless sensor networks with ultra-low power consumption. It also includes sensor networks that utilize energy harvesting technology to draw […]