For decades, IFMA has recognized and championed the business case for energy efficiency — highlighting its role in enhancing U.S. economic competitiveness, reducing environmental waste and strengthening national security.

Consumers and businesses alike rely on Energy Star ratings when making informed decisions about appliances and equipment. Eliminating this publicly funded resource without consulting the industries and individuals who depend on it is shortsighted and irresponsible. Dean Stanberry, immediate past chair of IFMA

Facility managers face the realities of energy management every day. Commercial buildings are among the largest consumers of electricity in the United States, making them key targets for energy-saving opportunities. Facility managers not only reduce operational costs through energy-efficient strategies but also educate building occupants on best practices and emerging technologies.

Energy Star is not just for U.S. households — it’s a global benchmark with far-reaching influence across commercial facilities of every type. From HVAC systems to lighting, life safety equipment and manufacturing tools, Energy Star provides independent, trusted confirmation of quality and efficiency. Facility managers, building owners and employers depend on this program to maintain healthy, sustainable workplaces that support core business functions. Michael V. Geary, CAE, President & CEO of IFMA

IFMA says it remains committed to collaborating with policymakers and industry stakeholders worldwide to promote efficiency, innovation and sustainability in the built environment.

The post IFMA urges Congress to preserve Energy Star and other critical building sector programs appeared first on FMLink.

Overview

In a small community where resources are finite, Union City, Indiana, faced the challenge of upgrading critical infrastructure while balancing financial, sustainability, and community priorities. Through a strategic partnership with ABM, the city implemented a comprehensive energy, lighting, HVAC, and infrastructure upgrade that exceeded financial, operational, and community goals — maximizing outcomes while minimizing waste.

“ABM played a critical role in helping us identify what we could be doing better — how we could be more efficient and sound from an infrastructure perspective,” said Union City, Indiana, Mayor Chad Spence. “Their expertise helped us hit the mark on sustainability, financial responsibility, and community impact.”

Challenges

Union City’s historic infrastructure, including a museum housed in a former railroad hotel, required urgent repairs. Leaky roofs and outdated systems posed risks to both the buildings and their irreplaceable contents. Additionally, high energy consumption — particularly at wastewater treatment facilities — placed a significant financial burden on the city’s budget, limiting opportunities for community growth and development.

Key challenges included:

• Aging infrastructure in need of modernization
• High energy costs straining the city’s budget
• Preserving historic structures while improving efficiency
• Overcoming permitting and regulatory hurdles for renewable energy solutions

An engineering and infrastructure solution

ABM’s industry-leading Engineering & Infrastructure Solutions team, led by Chris Mastrianni, Joe Boetsch, Ann Smith (LEED AP), and Erick Dustin, worked closely with Union City leadership to design a future-focused plan.

Key project components:

• Energy efficiency and sustainability: Integration of solar arrays to reduce dependency on the grid and lower operational costs
• Infrastructure upgrades: Modernization of lighting, HVAC systems, and wastewater treatment facilities to improve efficiency and performance
• Financial innovation: A strategic financial model that leveraged energy savings to fund additional infrastructure improvements
• Community impact: Reinvesting cost savings into critical areas such as parks, streets, and sidewalks

Results and impact

By thinking outside the box and leveraging innovative solutions, ABM helped Union City achieve:

• Significant energy cost savings – Enabling reallocation of funds to community growth initiatives
• Improved infrastructure efficiency – Enhancing operational performance across city facilities
• Preserved historic structures – Protecting the city’s heritage while modernizing key assets
• Sustainability and resiliency – Positioning the city for a more energy-independent future

Union City powers a sustainable future

Union City’s successful partnership with ABM showcases how smart infrastructure investment can drive long-term sustainability, financial efficiency, and community growth. By prioritizing innovation, fiscal responsibility, and sustainability, Union City has set a precedent for how small communities can thrive through strategic energy and infrastructure improvements.

The “ABM Partners with Union City to Upgrade Municipal Infrastructure” video and transcript are available at ABM.

The post Future-proofing Union City’s critical infrastructure with energy, lighting and HVAC upgrades appeared first on FMLink.

Effective December 1, 2024, subsidiaries Amerlux and Delta Controls will fully integrate with DIBT, with their company names changing to Delta Intelligent Building Technologies (USA), LLC and Delta Intelligent Building Technologies (Canada), Inc. respectively.

The aforementioned integration further enhances the overall offering and ensures a seamless customer experience with Delta’s comprehensive smart building solutions. Importantly, Amerlux, known for its high-performance design-focused architectural lighting, and Delta Controls, renowned for its cutting-edge building automation systems, will continue as brands of Delta to represent respective product lines under the DIBT umbrella, ensuring continuity in product quality and innovation.

Products and solutions from building automation provider LOYTEC, as well as AI-based video surveillance solutions providers March Networks and VIVOTEK, will also be integral parts of DIBT’s full solutions offering.

Bill Lo, general manager of Delta’s Building Automation Business Group, stated:

With DIBT, Delta reinforces its leadership in the smart building sector by providing end-to-end solutions that cover every aspect of buildings’ management. Our goal is to deliver tailored solutions that leverage the strengths of Delta’s premier brands, while also enhancing our sales, system integration, and customer service capabilities. This initiative will empower customers to meet the growing demands of smart buildings, city infrastructure and sustainability.

Guided by its mission, “To provide innovative, clean, and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,” Delta is aligning its state-of-the-art smart building solutions through DIBT to help customers across North America drive operational excellence and future-ready building management.

For more information regarding Delta Intelligent Building Technologies, visit DIBT.

Delta Electronics (Americas) serves the IT, communications, industrial automation, renewable energy, lighting, power tool, automotive electric vehicle, and other major industries through multiple locations in the United States, Mexico and South America. Products include power electronics, DC brushless fans, liquid cooling, EV charging, visual displays, industrial automation, networking products, electronic components, consumer products and energy efficient and renewable energy products.

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Thank you to all of you who attended. Sorry some of you had to sit on the floor.

Because we only had an hour, we shared a few of the most significant design innovations that were short-term fads and lasting trends in these four categories: Patient & Staff Safety, Efficiency, Patient Experience, and Staff Experience/Satisfaction. We also spoke about emerging design responses that may become trends.

The criteria we presented for evaluating trends is (in no particular order):

1. Evidence based and/or researched informed
2. Operationally efficient
3. Improves clinical outcomes
4. Cost and schedule positive
5. Long term ROI
6. Flexible/adaptable

And for a design innovation to become a trend, it doesn’t have to meet all six criteria. Here are a some of the fads and trends from the past 20 years we discussed.

“Safe by Design” Patient Rooms

Remember these? Designers were trying to show that physical design of patient rooms could directly influence adverse events by adding design features such as:

• Nursing cockpits between rooms that directly faced the patient (not noting that staffing ratios on acute care units are not 1:1).
• Moving toilet room doors closer to patient bed to reduce falls, but not understanding furniture elements in the way or how IV poles are tethered.
• Designing same handed rooms, which are great for modularity and sound attenuation, but not proven to reduce medical errors.

Standard practice now is to design for fall prevention in patient rooms by including night lights, visibility from central core, additional grab bars, and sliding doors for toilets

Highly Designed Patient Room Sinks

The theory here was that if you emphasized the the design and location of patient room sinks by using special lighting, and wall and/or flooring patterns, it would encourage handwashing. It didn’t really work, so most hospitals now have alcohol solution and glove dispensers near sinks or at the entrance to rooms.

Recent studies have shown the potential for bacteria growth in water locations, so many now are even questioning the need for patient room sinks at all.

Private Offices

Private offices are nice, right? Physicians and managers like to have ’em.

But they take up a lot of valuable real estate. And the pandemic showed us that we don’t have to be an office all the time to do our work.

The current trend, which will likely become standard, is to “right-size” hospitals, including removing or reducing private offices, providing hoteling spaces, and offering telecommuting options for administrative staff.

Customized Interiors

Twenty years ago, interior design was very customized, sometimes with totally different looks and materials per department. A healthcare designer’s dream, right?

While often beautiful and patient focused, these designs forced hospitals to stock many types and colors of finishes and learn how to maintain them correctly.

As the number of healthcare systems grow, a continuing trend to standardize the look of sister facilities to solidify their brand for customers. The standardization of furniture, fixtures, and equipment reduces maintenance and repair costs, allowing for more economic and efficient operations.

Standards also create an economy of scale that increases purchasing power and deep quantity discounts. Interior design standards are an HR benefit, as they ensure that workspaces are consistent for all employees, regardless of title.

Indoor Gardens, Water Features, Aquariums

Access to nature through indoor gardens, water features, and live aquariums were also fads. Maintenance was difficult for both and we realized that water features were a health hazard because they can spread waterborne organisms that cause Legionnaire’s disease and other infections.

Standard practice is to have large windows in exam and patient rooms, nature themed art, and outdoor spaces to provide patients and staff with access to nature and fresh air.

Biophilic design principles that integrate nature-inspired elements are also standard in many healthcare interiors today. This includes using fractal patterns in textiles, flooring, decorative elements; as well as the use of wood and curved shapes.

Family Kitchens

And who can forget about the impact Planetree had on the design of healthcare environments? Many of their ideas about patient units, such as lower counters at nurse stations and incorporating artwork, have become standard practice.

But things like family kitchens on units — touted for their benefits to support family members and provide calming smells like chocolate chip cookies baking, have not. They proved to be problematic because clinicians couldn’t control the nutritional needs of patients due to the fact that family members were bringing in food.

Emerging solutions for family amenities include privacy booths for family members to make phone calls or work while waiting; as well as and sensory rooms to help reduce stress for patients and families.

Decentralized Nurse Stations

While decentralized nurse stations were developed to bring nursing care closer to patients, practical challenges related to communication, collaboration, efficiency, safety, and staff well-being have led to a shift back to more centralized or hybrid models.

For example, when nurses are spread out in smaller, separate stations, it becomes more difficult to share critical information, provide support, and coordinate care effectively. Decentralized stations can also lead to feelings of isolation and reduce opportunities for immediate peer support and mentorship, which can affect morale and job satisfaction.

Interior Staff Break Rooms

Staff break rooms have traditionally been interior spaces with a few tables and chairs and no windows. Standard practice is heading toward exterior break areas with windows and comfortable seating that encourages social interaction.

Also called respite rooms, Tranquility Rooms are an emerging trend in hospitals because they provide a practical and meaningful way to support the mental health of staff, reduce burnout, and promote overall well-being. In many cases these are repurposed spaces, like the chapel that was converted to a staff respite room at AdventHealth in Winter Garden Fla.

And while these types of rooms are trending, for them to be used, staff will only use them if the culture supports it. Because nurses often don’t want to leave their patients for fear that something will happen while they’re gone or they’ll get behind in the work.

Another staff amenity that’s emerging are the Apple store-inspired “genius bars” where staff can get help with technology and equipment, as well as Amazon lockers in offstage areas for staff to receive packages safely. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s new inpatient tower, expected to open in 2026, is going to have one.

On Stage/Off Stage Design

This concept came from Disney, where you never see any of the offstage production while you’re in its theme parks (Mickey just appears out of nowhere!).

While this concept has its merits in creating more patient-centered environments, the complexities and dynamic nature of healthcare delivery made it less effective in hospital settings. For example, it often resulted in longer travel distances for staff, making it harder to provide timely care or transport equipment.

More physical space was also needed to create separate pathways and entrances for patients, families, and staff – which increased construction costs. Also, healthcare managers realized that the presence of staff is important to patients and families. They want to see them doing their job.

Emerging Design Responses to Current Healthcare Topics

We wrapped up our presentation with some ideas about emerging design responses to some current healthcare topics, such as technology, access to care, and being a better corporate citizen. I’ll write about them in a future blog post.

Bottom line? A fad is sometimes an overreaction to the healthcare issue “du jour.” Applying the criteria listed about helps qualify trends vs. fads.

And there will always be unknown factors. The ultimate test is the test of time.

See the original article as well as more insights on Sara Marberry’s Blog.

This column originally ran on Sara Marberry’s Blog on November 1, 2024. Marberry is a healthcare design expert with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare and senior living design industry, who has written/edited five books and is a regular contributor to Healthcare Design magazine. Marberry also is a former Executive Vice President of the nonprofit Center for Health Design.

The post Marberry: Trends and fads that have impacted healthcare facility design and construction appeared first on FMLink.

According to the Appliance Standards Awareness Project’s (ASAP) Clean Lighting site, “In 2022, Vermont and California became the first states to phase out the sale of most fluorescent bulbs. In 2023, Hawaii, Oregon, Colorado, Maine, and Rhode Island adopted similar policies. In 2024, Washington, Minnesota, and Illinois became the eighth, ninth, and tenth states to adopt clean lighting legislation.”

Of note, January 1, 2025, is the phase-out date for pin-base CFL and linear fluorescent lamps in California, Colorado, Oregon and Rhode Island, and is also the phase-out date for screw-base CFL lamps in Colorado, Hawaii and Minnesota (see ASAP chart below).

As Sean Cash of emergency lighting provider Bodine related to FMLink:

Anecdotally, we are hearing it’s a pain point for facilities as they are forced to move to LED.  From the emergency lighting perspective, facilities that were running old fluorescent emergency ballasts are now forced to find something new.  This isn’t always easy, especially if the person involved isn’t up to date on TLED lamp technologies AND emergency ballasts / EM inverters / EM LED drivers.

Fluorescent lighting regulation and transition resources

FMLink editors have compiled a few resources below to help you determine the regulations in the state or states in which your organization operates, navigate the switch to LED lighting, and obtain any available rebates and incentives before they expire.

“Farewell to Fluorescent Lighting: How a Phaseout Can Cut Mercury Pollution, Protect the Climate, and Save Money,” a research report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) (March 2022), advocates for government policies that intend to limit mercury to no longer exempt fluorescent lighting, explaining that drop-in mercury-free LED replacements for linear and compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) are now widely available and provide the same or better lighting, longer product life and much lower total cost than fluorescents.

“Clean Lighting: Shining a Light on Clean Lighting Standards” from the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) explains the benefits of replacing fluorescent lamps with LED bulbs and offers a Clean Lighting Advocacy Toolkit for those working on regulations at the state level, including Information Resources, Advocacy Example Material, and Bill Status 2022 and 2023. It also provides the summary chart below of effective regulation dates by states. ASAP’s “General Service Fluorescent Lamps” page explains this type of lighting and pertinent standards. The site also succinctly covers National and State efficiency standards for appliances and equipment.

“New Light Bulb Standards Will Lower Costs, Cut Climate Pollution” from ASAP explains how light bulb efficiency standards (nearly all aimed at LEDs now) finalized in April 2024 by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will lower energy costs for households and businesses once they take effect in 2028. ASAP notes that federal standards still permit fluorescent lighting for some bulb types, including the four-foot tubes often seen in garages and offices.

“Understand U.S. Laws that Ban Fluorescent Bulbs to Build a Greener Future” from Earth Savers Energy Services offers a state-by-state overview linked to more information on each state, designed to help you get ahead of the legislative changes by understanding how the laws affect your business or organization depending on the state (or states) in which you operate.

“A State by State Look at Light Bulb Bans [Interactive Map]” from Regency Supply (October 2024) offers a thorough overview of general service lamps, compact fluorescent lamps and linear fluorescent tubes along with current regulations, a great State-level Restriction Summary chart, and an interactive U.S. map linking to each state’s regulations and lighting products suitable for that state.

“CA to End the Sale of Fluorescent Lighting Jan 1, 2025” from AIR CRE (October 3, 2024) provides an in-depth look at California’s CA AB 2208. After January 1, 2025, California will have effectively banned the final sale and distribution of all fluorescent lamps. Aside from specialty lamps primarily used for medical or industrial purposes, the ban applies to screw, bayonet, and pin base compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs), commonly used in both commercial and residential buildings. AIR CRE explores what this means for business owners and property managers.

“Illinois Bill to Swap Fluorescent Lamps for LED Lights Awaits Governor’s Approval” from Facilities Dive gives an in-depth look at the Clean Lighting Act in Illinois that will prohibit screw-base or bayonet-base compact fluorescent lamps from being sold or distributed as new manufactured products on or after January 1, 2026. The bill also bans the sale and distribution of pin-base compact fluorescent lamps or linear fluorescent lamps as new products on or after January 1, 2027.

“Shifting Sands: 10 States Outlaw Fluorescent Lamp Sales” from Electrical Contractor magazine (August 2024) offers a short summary of the issue and the state regulations, and discusses what electrical contractors should know to stay in compliance and direct their customers.

“Fluorescent Lighting Bans: What Commercial Property Owners Need to Know” from FSG (November 2024) provides information specific to property owners, with reasons to upgrade to LED lighting now, and “Fluorescent Light Bulb Bans in California, Colorado, and Washington: What Businesses Need to Know” (November 2024) provides a state-by-state overview and offers services to help businesses remain compliant while enhancing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

“The Strategic Roadmap of the Global Lighting Industry” from the Global Lighting Association shares knowledge on global lighting trends.

Retrofits and rebates

“Will the 2025 Fluorescent Tube Ban Effect Lighting Rebates?” from Incentive Rebate360 explains the bans in relationship to incentives, rebates and bonus programs that are currently available to incentivize businesses to switch from fluorescent to LED lighting, usually providing financial assistance to cover the upfront costs of upgrading. The company notes that the states with bans may modify or discontinue rebates, so businesses might face a narrower window of opportunity to capitalize on these rebates. Incentive Rebate360 recommends that businesses should prioritize completing their lighting upgrades before the bans take effect; their experts can help companies navigate regulatory changes more smoothly and take full advantage of the available incentives.

There are numerous LED manufacturers that sell lighting products suitable to meet the upcoming regulations.

For facilities managers (FMs) who need to replace emergency lighting, Sean Cash of Bodine points out that there are three different types of TLED lamps (Type A, B, and C), and the type of emergency lighting product you need for each varies.  The company offers solutions to replace each type of lamp, and Cash noted that BLK1000 and BLK1000FL EM (the latter featuring the FirstLink connected system) emergency lighting retrofit kits have proven particularly popular in California.

The post FMLink Special Report: Fluorescent bans in six more states go into effect January 1. Are you prepared? appeared first on FMLink.

The industrial sector accounts for 30% of U.S. greenhouse emissions, primarily from energy use in manufacturing plants. ENERGY STAR certified plants have reduced their energy use through a variety of energy efficiency projects and management practices. For example:

• Ardagh’s Houston, TX, container glass facility operated a highly efficient furnace, used recycled glass, and installed energy-efficient lighting fixtures, among other initiatives.

• Bimbo Bakeries USA installed advanced controls and high-efficiency burners in ovens, oxidizers, and boilers and expanded investments in metering systems, enabling real-time monitoring and control of energy usage.
• Ash Grove’s Seattle, WA, cement plant saved energy by increasing the amount of limestone in its Portland Limestone cement, thereby reducing energy needed for clinker production, and improving equipment automation.
• GCC’s Rapid City, SD, cement plant upgraded its preheater and improved kiln combustion efficiency. This plant and GCC’s Pueblo, Colo., cement plant integrated alternative fuels, lowering carbon dioxide emissions while maintaining high levels of energy efficiency.
• J.R. Simplot Company’s Helm, CA, nitrogenous fertilizer plant commissioned an on-site, one-megawatt solar photovoltaic project, reducing source energy consumption and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.
• Koch Fertilizer’s Beatrice, NE, fertilizer plant reduced steam use and the number of continuously running pumps, while the Enid, Okla., plant improved steam utilization and implemented advanced process controls.
• Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s Anacortes, WA, refinery reduced steam trap failures by more than 20% by equipping operators with handheld trap-testing devices to instantly identify leaks. The St. Paul Park, Minn., refinery completed a three-year effort to reinforce insulation across the entire site, cutting carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by close to 16,000 metric tons per year.
• Nissan North America replaced more than 20,000 light fixtures with LEDs across all U.S. manufacturing sites and conducted a combination of energy treasure hunts and third-party assessments targeting energy efficiency.

Manufacturing plants use the EPA’s ENERGY STAR energy performance indicators or, in the case of petroleum refineries, the Solomon Associates Energy Intensity Index scoring system, to assess their energy performance. Plants that score at least 75 out of 100 — indicating that they are more energy efficient than 75% of similar facilities nationwide — are eligible to earn ENERGY STAR certification. ENERGY STAR certification is available for 21 manufacturing sectors, from cement and steel to glass and commercial bakeries. More than 270 plants have achieved ENERGY STAR certification since 2006.

See all ENERGY STAR certified manufacturing plants in 2023 here.

The post EPA announces the most energy-efficient manufacturing plants of 2023, and how they got there appeared first on FMLink.

The DLC discussed details of the study entitled “Economic Potential of Networked Lighting Controls in Commercial Buildings: Tapping the Added Value of HVAC Connections,” including methodology and findings, during a September 6 webinar, available now to view on demand.

Despite previous research demonstrating that installing NLCs with LED lighting projects can increase potential lighting savings by an average of about 50 percent (while providing a raft of valuable non-energy benefits), NLCs have been installed in less than one percent of commercial luminaires in the U.S., notes DLC.

DLC Executive Director and CEO Christina Halfpenny stated:

As first-generation LEDs are reaching the end of their useful lives and second-generation LED replacements are planned for offices, industrial buildings, and other commercial facilities nationwide, it’s important for us to understand the savings potential of NLCs in a world where decarbonization is a high priority. In both the Northeast and Southwest scenarios, the study revealed a strong case for energy efficiency investments to support controls with LED retrofits — particularly when integrated with HVAC systems.

The DLC study presents the technical and economic potential for NLCs for interior lighting in existing commercial and industrial buildings through 2030 — a common timeline for the decarbonization goals of states and cities — and demonstrates how utilities and/or state programs should incentivize connected lighting.

Commissioned by the DLC and conducted by NV5 (a provider of technology, conformity assessment, and consulting solutions), the analysis assessed the potential for energy savings in two scenarios. First, when LED luminaires are coupled with network controls at the time of originally planned LED installations, and second, in a “Controls-Ready Replacement” scenario that assumes LED luminaires are designed to accommodate the future addition of NLCs. Significant savings potential was discovered in both scenarios, with most benefits associated with integration of lighting systems with HVAC in larger buildings.

Using Connecticut and Arizona as regional models, the study concluded that the benefits of acquiring all cost-effective savings from NLCs would be significant enough to make a noticeable impact on utility efficiency program budgets. Businesses in Connecticut could receive almost $1.2 billion in net benefits by 2030, while businesses in Arizona could receive net benefits of $217 million.

For more information, watch the September 6 webinar, read the study summary, or email the DLC for the full report: info@designlights.org.

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DOE recognized the following organizations this year:

Recognized Participants

• Association of General Contractors, Seattle, WA: This office building replaced legacy lighting to LED lighting with virtually all LLLC, allowing for 474,000 kWh annual savings from reduction in fixtures, high-end trim, and more efficient luminaires / use of controls.
• Chicago Smart Lighting Program, Chicago, IL: The city undertook a massive streetlight modernization project, converting more than 280,000 High Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights to high-efficiency LED lights. Beyond improving the quality of nighttime visibility throughout the city, the project is expected to save taxpayers $100 million in electricity costs over the next decade.
• Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY: This higher education facility upgraded to LED lighting with LLLC that allows for automatic dimming, customized light zones, and individual control rather than using a set lumen output throughout the space. The upgrade saves 919,000 kWh and $28,200 per year in maintenance costs.
• Gabus Automotive, Gabus Auto Dealership Campus, Des Moines, IA: This auto dealership employs a motion activated outdoor lighting system for a campus of auto dealerships. The advanced sensors saved energy, improved safety/security, and reduced impact to the neighboring community from the lighting.
• Holt Public Schools, Holt, MI: This K-12 school district installed nearly 10,000 LED luminaires and retrofit kits, almost 8,000 Bluetooth communicating devices and 9,000 lighting control devices. The installation helped deliver on the district’s sustainability goals, saving 64% of the energy used by the previous fluorescent lighting system.
• Home Innovation Research Labs, Inc., Upper Marlboro, MD: This research facility, which includes an administrative building and laboratory, retrofitted the lighting in their spaces with LED luminaires and LLLC with occupancy and daylight harvesting capabilities, saving 564,000 kWh and $4,500 on maintenance costs annually.
• Missouri Slope, New Skilled Nursing Facility, Bismarck, ND: This long-term care provider installed LED lighting with sensors that include multiple technologies: passive infrared with motion detection, photocell for daylight harvesting, and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) receiver that enables location of assets and personnel equipped with Bluetooth tags or badges.
• MRA Group, Spring House Innovation Park, Lower Gwynedd Township, PA: This research campus installed exterior LED lighting, including parking lots, walking paths, and courtyard space, with wireless advanced controls that allows for detailed scheduling over 35 zones and dimming based on occupancy.
• North Bakersfield Toyota, Bakersfield, CA: This auto dealership installed a network lighting control system in their parking lots and maintenance bays utilizing LLLC to control light levels to accommodate night-time working hours use as well as improve after-hours security.
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Portland, OR: NEEA headquarters is an office building with upgraded LED lighting with LLLC that includes color tuning to provide more comfortable lighting environment for occupants and wireless commissioning for easy installation.
• Seed Capital, Phoenix, AZ: This mixed-use facility installed new LEDs and uses the lighting occupancy sensors to trigger an HVAC system reset to standby mode during unoccupied times, allowing the temperature in the room to rise to a pre-determined level, saving an estimated 120,000 kWh per year, in addition to about 85,500 kWh saved from the lighting upgrade.
• the link, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL: This co-working facility employs a power-over-ethernet (PoE) lighting system that delivers lighting power density (LPD) less than 0.15 watts per square foot. The sensors provide temperature and motion data to the building management system which allows thermostat setpoints to be adjusted based on occupancy.
• University of Vermont, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Burlington, VT: This greenhouse installed a control system that automates and monitors the HVAC and lighting, as well as the climate curtains, which provide shading and a thermal layer to reduce heating and cooling loads. The control system records and stores historical trend data, which is used to ensure systems maintain ideal conditions for plant health and energy efficiency.
• Vertical Harvest Farms, Jackson, WY: This vertical farm is served by an integrated control system that manages horticultural lighting, HVAC, and watering processes that optimizes resource use, for example using a light sensor to operate the lights when needed and disable them when sunlight is sufficient to meet crop daily light integral (DLI) targets.
• Yamaha Motor Corporation, Midwestern Distribution Center, Pleasant Prairie, WI: This distribution center implemented a wireless control network and commissioning software tools along with its lighting upgrade, which eases commissioning and retro-commissioning, as well as saving 250,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually.

Recognized Supporters

These organizations are recognized for their exemplary support and advocacy of the use of advanced lighting controls and technologies that facilitate integration of lighting with other building systems to improve efficiency and performance.

• McWong International, Sacramento, CA
• Puget Sound Energy, Bellevue, WA
• Resource Innovation Institute, Portland, OR

The ILC is a collaboration between DesignLights Consortium (DLC), Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO), the Lighting Controls Association (LCA), U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy.

See the complete list of the 2022 Recognized Participants, along with links to their Partnering ILC Supporters, on the Integrated Lighting Campaign website, and visit the Better Buildings Solution Center website for more best practices.

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Debra Phillips, NEMA president and CEO, explained:

NEMA standards continuously evolve with technological breakthroughs and innovations that improve product performance, efficiency, safety, and sustainability. They are created by teams comprised of business leaders, electrical experts, engineers, scientists, and technicians, which include regulators, NGOs, and building code officials.

From batteries, enclosures, and switchgear to lighting, motors, and medical imaging, the NEMA technical library covers millions of member products. These standards play a key part in the design, production, and distribution of products destined for national and international commerce.

The ESPG is used by buyers, specifiers, contractors and distributors. In addition to listing all NEMA publications, the ESPG provides sales contact information, by product type, for hundreds of NEMA-member electrical manufacturers.

NEMA standards are written for the military, government, and private buyers who work in architecture, construction, lighting, medical imaging, motors, industrial controls, electric power transmission and distribution, transportation, and other industries that specify and use electrical equipment.

NEMA members always receive a 20 percent discount on standards.

View the 2022 Electrical Standards & Products Guide on the NEMA website.

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Building automation has become a major focus for Delta’s long-term growth strategy. The acquisition is expected to benefit customers with a broader portfolio of Delta IoT-enabled smart green solutions for sustainable buildings and cities, which already includes building automation, energy management, commercial and industrial LED lighting, surveillance, and indoor environmental quality systems.

Delta’s Chief Executive Officer Ping Cheng indicated:

As a world-class corporate citizen committed to enabling energy conservation and lower carbon emissions for mankind, Delta continues to broaden its solutions portfolio to improve the energy efficiency, security and comfort of buildings and cities. Lighting is an integral focus for Delta because, in the IoT era, it is an ample source of crucial data for the optimization of smart automation systems. Amerlux has a strong reputation in the field of architectural LED lighting, which we believe will enhance Delta’s profile as a total solutions provider. The combined offering of our companies will deliver substantial advantages to our customers and channel partners.

Frank P. Diassi, founder and chairman of Amerlux, noted:

Since its inception, Amerlux has consistently grown its revenue base to become a world-class provider of high-end architectural lighting luminaries. Our products have been certified in over 58 countries throughout the world. Since the introduction of LEDs approximately ten years ago, the market has grown more and more sophisticated in its technology. The initial phase of LED marketing was simply the replacement of incandescent luminaries and focused primarily on energy savings. The current phase of LED marketing focuses on the quality of the light produced by the LEDs. We are now entering the third phase of LED marketing, which involves controls of the luminaries, a technology in which Delta excels. The combination of Delta and Amerlux will accelerate the development of solutions for smart buildings and sustainable cities.

Chuck Campagna, president and CEO of Amerlux, stated:

We are delighted to become part of Delta as this will help Amerlux become a total lighting systems provider. Delta’s comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions in the areas of smart building automation and energy management can be integrated with Amerlux’s line of LED luminaries. By complementing strengths from both sides, we will be able to provide enhanced value to our customers and further our position in the smart lighting market.

New Jersey-based Amerlux is one of the leading brands of architectural LED lighting solutions. The company offers innovative high-end indoor and outdoor luminaires with a focus on lighting quality, energy efficiency and aesthetics. The company has fostered long-lasting relationships with global customers in a wide range of applications by providing high-quality and differentiated lighting products. Under the deal, Amerlux’s existing facilities in New Jersey will continue to manufacture interior and exterior lighting products, while the current management and employees of Amerlux will remain in place.

In recent years, Delta has been enhancing its broad portfolio of smart green solutions to further the development of smart low-carbon buildings and cities. The acquisition of Canadian-based building automation system providers Delta Controls and Austria-based LOYTEC, as well as the acquisition of a considerable stake in Taiwan-based surveillance systems provider Vivotek, are pillars of that strategy. Amerlux will complement Delta’s total offering in and around the building space by bringing its exceptional product portfolio, industry reputation, and strong customer relationships, says Delta.

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