Energy Savings Imperatives Drive 138 Million Smart Light Component Shipments

Smart Lighting or Network Lighting Control (NLC) is a premium lighting product that has been in the market for more than a decade, offering additional efficiency by automating and dynamically controlling conventional LED systems. Rising operational costs are driving the push for energy efficiency. At the same time, occupant well-being and labor shortages motivate building owners and developers to embrace connected intelligent lighting solutions. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, 138 million smart light components, which include luminaires, sensors, controllers, and switches, will be shipped in 2030 and installed in smart buildings.

Regulators like California's Title-24 or Europe's EN1246 and LEED and WELL Green Building standards are mandating luminaire level control for increased operational and energy efficiency and establishing standards on minimum lux levels for indoor environments. Government grants in North America and Europe to improve indoor environments have increased adoption rates in hospitals and educational buildings (apart from office buildings). "The verified energy savings, dynamic control for multifunctional spaces coupled with regulatory pressures will catapult NLC from a niche market into conventional/mainstream lighting solutions in the years to come," says Rithika Thomas, Sustainable Technologies Industry Analyst at ABI Research. "NLC, particularly wireless installation, will strengthen its use case due to ease of installation, cost, and operational savings. Over the next 5 years, retrofitting opportunities of NLC for old buildings will surpass new buildings install base."

Signify, Acuity Brand, Zumtobel Group, and CREE are major market players that cater to all verticals of commercial space typology and together hold more than 50% of the NLC market. Honeywell and Enlighted provide premium NLC services that connect to the respective Building Management Systems (BMSs) for enhanced energy management and monitoring. System integrators, installers, semiconductor vendors, and software providers such as Casambi, Danlers, Nordic Semiconductor, WirePas, Tuya, INGY, and LEDCity provide invaluable support to the ecosystem.

The newer luminaire models entering the market will have built-in light sensors to optimize occupant behavior and accommodate seasonal shifts. "Lighting OEMs are complying with energy and sustainability regulations by designing for options to upgrade existing luminaires with sensors or replace with smarter energy-efficient LEDs with built-in sensors to extend the operational phase of the lighting components and reduce product and company carbon emissions," Thomas concludes.