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.
DiLouie: How would you characterize demand for lighting controls in 2024? How strong is the category?
Van Campen: The category is very strong, and there are a variety of factors contributing to market growth, including:
• Updated energy codes and regulations, a global focus on sustainability, and the emergence of high-tech smart building technologies are all contributing factors.
• Governments and regulatory bodies in the US and worldwide are updating energy codes and standards, especially for commercial buildings. Lighting control strategies such as dimming, occupancy sensing, and daylight management are crucial in helping buildings meet these evolving standards. In many states, Luminaire Level Lighting Control (LLLC) requirements fuel the need for in-fixture technologies while paving the path to obtaining utility rebate credits. In addition, legislative bans and restrictions on fluorescent lamps in Canada and the US are on the uptick, expanding the need for wireless fluorescent-to-LED retrofits.
• The trend toward smart buildings, cloud connectivity, and building automation generates demand for integrated lighting control solutions that contribute to overall building intelligence, occupant comfort, and enhanced productivity.
• Finally, growing concerns about environmental sustainability are crucial in developing proven, reliable wireless technologies that help businesses and consumers prioritize green-building practices. Lighting controls can contribute to certifications like LEED and WELL standards and help minimize environmental impact by increasing lamp life, optimizing energy usage, and reducing light pollution. Wireless systems help reduce the overall amount of building construction materials used on a job and facilitate the redesign of electrical spaces once used for traditional electrical gear into larger usable spaces in retrofit or new construction scenarios.
Overall, the demand for lighting controls in 2024 is likely to be strong, and we can expect ongoing advancements in integration with other building systems, further solidifying the category’s importance in the building automation landscape.
DiLouie: What do you see as the top five trends in the marketplace shaping demand for lighting controls? Are there any sweet spots in terms of current vertical markets/applications, particularly among existing buildings?
Van Campen: Trends shaping demand for lighting controls in the marketplace include:
Ballast retrofits. Over the next few years, LED lighting has an enormous retrofit opportunity. Many commercial buildings are still using fluorescent lighting. As of January 1, 2023, Canada and many U. S. states instituted fluorescent lighting bans or restrictions, and many other states are considering similar legislation.
Electrical distributors, especially those with commercial lighting departments, are well advised to seek out customers still using fluorescent lighting and help them plan their LED upgrades as soon as possible. Lutron offers simple fluorescent-to-LED ballast upgrade kits, making the process easy to bid and install. These retrofits can often use existing controls, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to upgrade control capabilities using existing wiring.
Smart Building Integration. Integrating lighting controls with other building systems, such as HVAC, security, and building management systems (and guestroom controls in the hospitality space) enables comprehensive building automation, enhancing energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and increased building performance.
Cloud-connected systems. Adopting cloud-connected technologies and smart dashboards is revolutionizing lighting control systems. Software updates can be pushed via the cloud as technology improves, ensuring that the lighting control systems become more valuable and powerful over time. Smart, wireless control systems can be used in both new and retrofit projects, reducing installation costs while enhancing data capture to deliver buildings that can quickly adapt to changing needs and even changing occupants. Connected systems expand the opportunity for remote service and troubleshooting access, allowing for system maintenance and system optimization at any time without a tech needing to be on-site.
Data Analytics: Integrating data analytic capabilities enables predictive and preventive maintenance and improved energy optimization, space utilization, and personalized lighting experiences. Sensor data and occupancy patterns help optimize lighting schedules, identify maintenance needs before they become problematic, and deliver tailored lighting environments.
Prioritizing the human experience of light. The growing recognition of the impact of lighting on human health, well-being, and productivity is driving the adoption of human-centric lighting solutions. HCL focuses on mimicking natural daylight patterns and adjusting lighting conditions to support circadian rhythms, improve mood, and enhance productivity in indoor environments.
Vertical markets that stand out in the current business climate include:
Commercial Office Buildings: Office buildings are prime candidates for lighting control solutions due to their large-scale lighting infrastructure and the potential for significant energy savings. Integrated systems can optimize lighting based on occupancy patterns, daylight availability, and task requirements, enhancing employee comfort and productivity while reducing operating costs. Wireless, individual fixture control as part of an integrated system can play a big part in office buildings, allowing them to react quickly to change and better serve their clients.
Healthcare Facilities: Healthcare facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes, can benefit from lighting control solutions that support patient recovery, staff well-being, and operational efficiency.
Hospitality Industry: Lighting controls can enhance guest experiences and facilitate operational improvement through dynamic lighting scenes, automated dimming, and personalized lighting control options. In many cases, nothing is more important than the comfort and convenience of hotel guests, and hoteliers are increasingly looking for guestroom systems that offer aesthetically beautiful and intuitive in-room keypads for seamless access to lights, shades, and temperature at the touch of a button.
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities: Smart lighting systems can adapt to help create the optimal environment in classrooms, lecture halls, and common areas, providing the proper illumination for different activities. Automated controls, such as occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting, ensure lights are only used when necessary, promoting sustainability, comfort, and energy efficiency. By integrating advanced lighting and automated shading control, higher education institutions can foster a more efficient, productive, and eco-friendly campus environment.
DiLouie: As the installed base of LED lighting ages, both indoors and in particular, outdoor, there is emerging a national opportunity to replace these older systems with the latest technology. What opportunities will there be for lighting control sales in these applications?
Van Campen: Today’s LEDs and control systems combine to create highly efficient solutions and offer various performance benefits compared to older LEDs. Wireless controls paired with high-performance LED drivers optimize lighting performance and make it easier for contractors and customers to use virtually any LED fixture. Installation is fast, and retrofits can be installed in up to 70% less time than wired solutions.
The latest LED lighting technologies also offer improved performance in tunable white control, color quality, and longevity compared to older systems. Lighting controls can complement these advancements by providing dynamic features such as tunable white lighting, color tuning, and dimming capabilities. Distributors can increase sales opportunities with tailored lighting control solutions that optimize the visual environment, enhance user comfort, and support specific application requirements, and many upgrades use existing lighting control infrastructure – no opening walls or running new wiring necessary.
Another big opportunity for distributors is fluorescent-to-LED retrofits. Several US states and Canada have adopted legislation banning the sale of fluorescent lamps, and many other states are enacting restrictions on high-CRI linear fluorescents. As the new regulations limit demand, maintaining installed fluorescent lighting will become increasingly difficult.
LED upgrades can easily be accomplished with LED retrofit kits that bundle the LED lamp with the appropriate driver to ensure compatibility and simplify installation. With kitted options, it’s typically possible to maintain existing fixtures and controls while improving light quality and ensuring uninterrupted lighting performance. The result is a straightforward, 1:1-replacement process involving swapping the fluorescent tubes and ballasts with LED lamps and drivers.
LED upgrades often present the perfect opportunity for customers to evaluate the benefits of a comprehensive control + lighting system upgrade. A large-scale lighting retrofit can be the ideal time for many properties to install a digital lighting control solution, maximizing the building’s lighting performance, operations, and energy-saving benefits.
The national opportunity to replace aging LED lighting systems with the latest technology presents a fertile ground for lighting control sales across various applications. By offering comprehensive solutions that address energy efficiency, lighting performance, smart building integration, maintenance, and outdoor lighting needs, lighting control providers can capitalize on this growing market opportunity and drive continued innovation and adoption in the industry.
DiLouie: Market forces leaning toward greater integration with lighting controls and other buildings systems appear to be strengthening. Would you agree with that statement, what impact is this having and will this have in the future?
Van Campen: Owners and facility managers recognize that robust building system integration can result in more intelligent and efficient buildings. By linking lighting system controls like occupancy and daylight sensors with other building systems such as automated shading systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and security, buildings can optimize energy usage, improve comfort levels, and reduce operational costs.
With the growing emphasis on sustainability and the power of natural light to create a more welcoming, productive environment, automated shading solutions integrate beautifully into smart lighting solutions to invite the outdoors in while effectively managing heat gain and glare. Lighting system dashboards can provide a single source for data collection and analysis to provide valuable, actionable insights for system management at scale.
Solutions that enable APIs to creatively integrate lighting and other building technologies will become more important in designing dynamic, personalized environments, leading to more sustainable and intelligent buildings.
The growing emphasis on smart buildings and sustainable practices will likely drive regulatory requirements and industry standards favoring integrated building systems. As a result, we can anticipate continued growth in adopting integrated lighting controls and other building systems, focusing on maximizing efficiency, sustainability, building occupant comfort, and overall building performance.
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