Per a change in the 2020 National Electrical Code effective January 1, 2022, 0–10V (Class 2) dimming wire insulation colors have changed to eliminate use of any reserved colors, notably gray. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) responded with an industry guideline adopting pink as a substitute.

My contribution to the October 2021 issue of tED Magazine covered growing demand for plug load control in new buildings, a need that can be handled by lighting control systems.

As it seeks to quantify the non-energy benefits of networked lighting and advanced building controls, the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) is asking for input from facility managers for a short online survey. Results of this research will yield monetized estimates useful for product marketing, efficiency program incentive promotion, and facility management decision making.

In my most recent contribution to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, industry consultant Steve Mesh makes the case for ECs to get to know networked lighting control systems.

Working with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a team led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Brattle Group has developed A National Roadmap for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings. The Roadmap outlines DOE’s national goal to triple the energy efficiency and demand flexibility of the buildings sector by 2030, relative to 2020 levels.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Devis Mulunda, Product Manager – Vive Wireless, Lutron Electronics about plug load control for an article I’m writing for the October issue of tED Magazine, the official publication of the NAED. Transcript follows.

In this article published by LEDs Magazine, Paul Golata, technology specialist with Mouser Electronics, talks about how advances in artificial intelligence may ultimately impact the world of lighting, fostering truly intelligent buildings that continually calibrate to user needs and owner objectives.

The Lighting Controls Association’s Education Express, the online platform for free, instant, 24/7 education about lighting controls, now offers for a majority of courses downloadable one-page summary sheets students can download, print, and use as a quick reference.

Luminaire-level lighting control (LLLC) has attracted significant interest among building owners and utilities as a simple path to maximize energy cost-savings from LED lighting installation. A study conducted by the University of Oregon in Eugene on behalf of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), Portland, Ore., demonstrated that LLLC produced similarly substantial energy savings as a networked lighting control system, but at a lower cost.