Craig’s Lighting Articles

My most recent contribution to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR breaks down the major lighting changes in the 2021 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

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.

Offered by many utilities and energy efficiency organizations, commercial lighting rebates are a longstanding driver in demand for energy-efficient lighting and controls in existing buildings. The rebate outlook for 2021 looks very positive for distributors who rely on them to sweeten upgrade proposals.

In the past decade, change has become nearly constant in the traditionally staid lighting industry. In this roundup interview published in ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, seven industry experts talk about major trends.

My most recent contribution to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR talks about the smart building and lighting market and the commensurate increasing opportunity for electrical contractors to provide integration services or work with integrators.

In my lighting column published in the February issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, I tackle the topic of DC building microgrids.

The National Lighting Bureau’s (NLB) new Trusted Warranty Evaluation Program will offer electrical distributors assurance that lighting products they select are supported by warranties independently verified as worthy of trust.

As lumen depreciation is a significant failure mode with LED lighting, it raises the question whether some older exit signs are still producing sufficient brightness to be visible in smoky conditions. This is the subject of a new study being undertaken by NALMCO in partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and the topic of an article I wrote about the study for the January issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR.

To get a picture of how the lighting industry is now being affected by the pandemic, I talked to five industry leaders.