Codes + Standards

  The 2023 National Electric Code (NEC) language initially banned battery-only wall light switches. However, the NFPA published a Temporary Interim Amendment to the 2023 NEC that now allows some battery-only wall light switches IF they incorporate a positive means of notification of impending battery depletion. LightNOW published a story on May 4, 2023: 2023 NEC [...]

  Yesterday’s LightNOW post was about the Design Lights Consortium DRAFT Networked Lighting Control v5.1 standard (DLC NLC5.1). This post is about another NLC industry standard, the Bluetooth NLC standard. In September, 2023, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced the completion of Bluetooth Networked Lighting Control (NLC), the first full-stack standard for wireless lighting control. [...]

  The Design Lights Consortium (DLC) has released their draft of v5.1 Networked Lighting Control technical requirements (NLC5.1). NLC5.1 is a minor revision that contains updates to the policy’s energy monitoring and cybersecurity requirements. There will not be a delisting associated with the policy. Existing listed v5.0 NLC will continue to be DLC listed. Energy Monitoring Updates: [...]

  The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) has published three new lighting standards: ANSI/IES TM-40-24 IES Technical Memorandum: IES Method for Determining Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) and Distance from the Planckian Locus of Light Sources Prior to the publication of this Technical Memorandum, no method for calculating CCT (nor Duv) has been formalized by a relevant [...]

  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a voluntary cybersecurity labeling program for wireless consumer Internet of Things (IoT) products, including lighting, on March 14, 2024. The program is called the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark Program and it is designed to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions, as well as incentivize manufacturers to meet higher [...]

  IES has published ANSI/IES RP-46-23, Recommended Practice: Supporting the Physiological and Behavioral Effects of Lighting in Interior Daytime Environments. It is designed to be a companion to IES TM-18, translating the basic science of how light affects visual, circadian, neuroendocrine, and neurobehavioral responses in daytime interior environments, such as schools and offices. This recommended practice (RP) [...]

Here is a summary of the WELL Building Standard Version 2.0 Lighting Requirements: Feature L01: Light Exposure – Provide indoor light exposure through daylight and electric light strategies. Option 1: Daylight simulation The project demonstrates, through computer simulations, that one of the following conditions are achievedOption 2: Interior layout One of the following requirements is [...]

  The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has announced that Wi-Fi HaLow is ready for smart home and commercial IoT deployments across a range of verticals and use cases. Wi-Fi HaLow is designed for long-range and low-power connectivity and is based on the 802.11ah standard. The WBA has released a white paper that provides an overview [...]

Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP recently had the opportunity to interview Szymon Slupik, President, CTO, Silvair about Bluetooth SIG’s new full-stack wireless lighting control standard, Bluetooth NLC.