Connected Lighting Provides Many Benefits but Adoption Remains Limited

During the past decade, LEDs have grown in popularity due to their increased efficiency, longer-life, and controllability. The penetration of lighting controls has also increased, evolving from manual, non-sensor controls, to sensor controlled lighting, to connected lighting (as discussed more in the Guidehouse Insights report, Connected Lighting Overview, published last year). 

Guidehouse Insights defines connected lighting as an LED-based lighting system with sensors and controllers that are networked, which can be either wired or wireless, enabling lighting products within the system to communicate with each other and transmit data. There are many terms in the lighting industry for these systems, such as networked lighting controls, advanced lighting controls, and smart lighting. Regardless of name, these advanced lighting systems provide many key benefits, top among them being additional energy savings, increased data and insights into the built environment, and greater connectivity with other building systems.

Progress Toward System Adoption

Despite the number of benefits a connected lighting system can provide, lack of understanding and a clear value proposition coupled with insufficient interoperability have led slower adoption of these systems. Progress is being made to combat these issues, however, and help grow adoption of connected lighting. The DesignLights Consortium recently published a report, Interoperability for Networked Lighting Controls, that addresses interoperability for networked lighting controls relating to energy savings and additional value-added benefits. Many manufacturers are working to address this concern but this remains a barrier for greater adoption and collaboration of key industry stakeholders is needed. Beyond the role of manufacturers, standards, and quality organizations, utilities are another key stakeholder that play an important part in increasing adoption. Partnering with manufacturers for customer education and offering rebates for products that meet certain criteria can entice manufacturers to offer products that meet certain interoperability or energy saving requirements. 

Guidehouse Insights is hosting a webinar for a deeper discussion around connected lighting, including key benefits, the role of building codes, connected lighting related to demand response, how utilities are addressing connected lighting, and what is needed for greater adoption. Join Guidehouse Insights’ Krystal Maxwell along with DesignLights Consortium’s Levin Nock, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s Chris Wolgamott, and Con Edison’s Peter Jacobson on July 14 at 1 p.m. EDT. 

Register for the webinar here.