Energy Efficiency

It’s that time of the year! It’s time for our annual prediction list of top commercial lighting trends for the coming year. 

Those that made our top 5 list for 2018 have broad impact across the commercial lighting industry. Each highlights how technology-driven the industry has become and indicates the direction we see lighting systems take as part of the broader smart building and IoT world. It’s going to be an exciting year!

Advances in lighting technologies coupled with building code requirements have resulted in a sharp decline in the amount of electricity used for lighting commercial buildings. Despite that success, there is still room for substantial improvement. The most recent report by the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), says that lighting still accounts for 17% of all electricity consumed in U.S. commercial buildings. 

Winter is coming!  And with it shorter days and an increased need for more artificial light. This in turn is prompting many organizations to consider new lighting control strategies to reduce energy consumption without negatively impacting their tenants or workers.  One smart lighting control strategy that we find often overlooked or perhaps misunderstood is daylight harvesting.  So let’s take a look at what it is and how it can be beneficial.  

Compared to many other industries, commercial real estate has been slow to adopt new technology innovations.  However, the next generation of employees expect a different work environment with mobility, modern tools, and data at their fingertips. Their knowledge of technology is redefining the workplace moving forward.