Codes + Standards

  The IES has published ANSI/IES RP-47-23 Recommended Practice: Landscape Lighting. The PDF of RP-47 can be purchased online here at $84 for IES members, and $120 for non-members. The chapters include: 1.0 Introduction and Scope 2.0 Definition of Landscape Lighting 3.0 Landscape Lighting Design Process 4.0 Understanding Nature and Human Interactions With Landscape Lighting [...]

The ENERGY STAR Downlights Specification Version 1.0 was finalized on November 16, 2023, is effective immediately, and takes full effect on January 1, 2025 with the sunset of the Luminaires spec. Downlights don’t have to be recessed to qualify for the program. For example, flushmount downlights and even wall mounted downlights can qualify. The new program [...]

Zhaga, a global lighting industry consortium dedicated to the standardization and interoperability of LED lighting components, announced that Zhaga’s Book 14 has been officially designated as IEC Standard 63356-1. The Zhaga Consortium actively collaborates with global and regional standards development organizations, as well as national lighting entities, to promote the widespread adoption of Zhaga specifications. [...]

By Maria Bragina, General Manager, Sundrax Electronics In the rapidly evolving lighting industry, the demand for efficient and reliable connection options has led to the standardization of specialized connectors like NEMA and Zhaga. This article explores the evolution and significance of NEMA connectors, shedding light on their historical roots and modern adaptations. Origin of NEMA [...]

  The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) recently announced its full-stack standard for wireless lighting control, Bluetooth Networked Lighting Control (NLC). It is designed to meet the scale, reliability, and security demands in commercial settings. Bluetooth NLC enables multi-vendor interoperable wireless lighting control systems and unlocks the potential for mass adoption of wireless lighting control. The standard creates [...]

Last week, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) unveiled the Works with WELL Program, a new product licensing opportunity designed to help product manufacturers validate and showcase how their products align with the WELL Building Standard, based on IWBI licensing criteria. Nearly 40 early-adopting companies have enrolled more than 1,000 products in the new program. To earn [...]

By Jeroen van Gils, Founder & Managing Director of LiFi.co In a world where high-speed data transfer and reliable connectivity have become the backbone of our daily lives, the announcement of the IEEE 802.11bb standard for LiFi (Light Fidelity) signals a technological revolution. Born from the union of light spectrum technology and wireless communication, LiFi [...]

  The IES has released six new standards during the past IES fiscal year. At a high level, three address ultraviolet (UV) sources, one addresses light pollution / sky glow, one is about controls, and one is about daylighting. Here are the six:   ANSI/IES RP-27.1-22 Recommended Practice: Risk Group Classification and Minimization of Photobiological Hazards [...]

I recently had the opportunity to interview Andrew Antares, Project Manager of Technical Development, DesignLights Consortium (DLC), for an article I developed for the November 2023 issue of Electrical Contractor Magazine, the official NECA publication. The topic: new sample language that municipalities can use to address “light pollution” as a potential byproduct of outdoor lighting.