June 2025

  The Maryland Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) are a set of statewide regulations established to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve energy efficiency in large buildings, as mandated by the Climate Solutions Now Act (CSNA) of 2022. The standards are designed to address one of the state’s largest sources of emissions—buildings—by setting clear [...]

Most people have seen e-paper in devices like Kindle screens. Rapid development is occurring on full color e-paper, to create low energy displays. Some of these color e-paper displays are being integrated into surfaces to create smart surfaces. Could we soon see luminaires that are front lit and incorporate color e-paper to create luminaires with [...]

ArchLIGHT Summit 2025 Dates: September 16-17, 2025 Location: Dallas Market Center, Dallas, TX Attendee registration is open. Register here. LightNOW is a media sponsor of ArchLIGHT Summit. More information on the show is available here.   NYControlled 2025 Dates:  October 14-15, 2025 Location: Metropolitan Pavilion, New York City NEW FOR 2025 NYControlled Hands-On: An Interactive Lighting [...]

By Bill Chan, President, LiteController Inc. Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance (M-EDI) is widely used to assess circadian-effective lighting, but is it truly optimized for human biological responses? What is M-EDI? Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance (M-EDI) is a metric used to evaluate how light impacts our circadian rhythms, based on the sensitivity of Melanopsin, a photopigment [...]

  By Brent Protzman, Ph.D., Director of Product Management for Commercial Shades, Lutron Electronics The commercial real estate market today looks very different than five years ago. As the occupancy rates that dipped during the pandemic rise again, property owners are discovering that tenants want sustainable and efficient spaces, as well as an amenity-rich and [...]

Lighting Controls Association (LCA) Education Director and LightNOW Founder, Craig DiLouie recently published an article, Deep Dive Into the Lighting Control Requirements of the 2024 IECC. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the lighting control requirements introduced in the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), focusing on commercial buildings. The IECC, updated every three [...]

“Agentic” AI in quickly gaining adoption in big box retail, including Walmart’s recent launch of its AI-powered shopping assistant, “Sparky.” Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can act on behalf of customers, such as placing orders, rather than just providing recommendations or information. Walmart’s introduction of Sparky marks a significant step in the [...]

Ombra “room-as-an-appliance,” is a self-powered, and relocatable smart pergola developed by SolarYard (a LetRight Brand), in China. Ombra offers high-tech, off-grid garden structures, to transform the traditional concept of a pergola—a structure with ancient roots in China, Rome, and Egypt—into a modern, multifunctional living space. The Ombra is designed as a store-bought, air-conditioned room that [...]

pureLiFi, a global leader in LiFi technology, has announced the launch of Kitefin XE, its next-generation LiFi system designed to deliver highly secure wireless communications for defense, government, and enterprise sectors. Originally developed for the National Security community, Kitefin XE is now being made available to a broader range of customers in response to escalating [...]