As we do every April, this issue is dedicated predominantly to the latest trends in lighting & control. Although lighting is a hot topic for a wide range of EC&M readers working in different vertical markets and applications each and every month, with LightFair 2023 coming up at the end of May, it seemed only fitting to offer a little extra lighting content this month.
As has been the case for many years, there’s been a lot going on in the lighting industry, especially when it comes to mergers and acquisitions. Here are just a few examples. Signify recently acquired Minnesota-based Intelligent Lighting Controls, Inc. (ILC), a maker of wired control systems, in March of this year. In January 2022, Orion Lighting announced the acquisition of Stay-Lite Lighting. In 2021, GE Current closed its acquisition of Hubbell Inc.’s commercial and industrial lighting business in February. And Legrand acquired Canadian commercial lighting controls manufacturer Encelium in December. For an excellent synopsis on the latest mergers and acquisitions in the lighting & control space as well as new business opportunities/technologies that are reshaping the market, read Jim Lucy’s recent column on lighting megatrends at https://bit.ly/3UgrwtZ. Editor-in-Chief of Electrical Wholesaling and Electrical Marketing, sister publications to EC&M, Jim is a veteran journalist who has been covering the electrical industry for more than 30 years. His unique perspective on the historical progression of the lighting market and what trends will have the greatest impact on our market is definitely worth a read. In this issue, we have assembled a great lineup of articles that address different aspects of lighting & control:
- At the start of 2023, 78% of the United States had a commercial lighting rebate program available. For more details on how these different programs and rebates shake out, read about the latest trends from Randy Young at BriteSwitch.
- The cover story, written by Ruth Taylor, project manager on the Advanced Lighting Team at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, offers an inside look at the latest trends in lighting controls as well as how electrical contractors can benefit from the increased functionality of these devices. Learn how designers/installers are closing the gap between the technology’s promise and practice upon installation in this piece.
- For buildings under 50,000 square feet, which comprise 90% of U.S. commercial buildings according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than half (about three million buildings) have no lighting control strategies beyond a simple on-off switch. In this article, Jason Jeunnette, technical manager for building integration and controls at the DesignLights Consortium, takes a specific look at how to make networked lighting controls more affordable and useful in these smaller spaces.
- Next, Michael Jouaneh of Lutron Electronics offers expert insight on what changes are likely in store for lighting and controls this year as they relate to energy code requirements. Don’t miss this energy codes state on the union.
- Our coverage wouldn’t be complete without EC&M’s new product showcase, focusing on the latest lighting and controls introduced to market.
- Finally, don’t miss this online exclusive: a new e-book on “Everything You Need to Know About Luminaire Level Lighting Controls.” You can download this PDF for free on the members-only section of our website at https://bit.ly/3nXFAw6.
That’s a lot of lighting content to consume, but it’s definitely worth your time and effort. Happy reading, and don’t forget to stop by EC&M’s booth (#1565) at LightFair in May. Our editorial team would love to chat with you about all things lighting.
