The concept of smart buildings has been around for fifty or sixty years. In the last decade the lighting industry has been pulled into the discourse, largely because lighting systems are convenient (and powered) locations for key technologies like sensors, cameras, and other data gathering gear. Also, as lighting controls become more sophisticated and complicated, we’re beginning to realize the possibilities of connecting them with other building controls and with energy management systems. But for the most part we have not been able to define what makes buildings “smart.” Much of the buzz has been technology focused, aspirational marketing hype with relatively little practical application. In the lighting industry, we’ve been thinking only inside the building for too long. As the need for unified climate action and grid stability continues to drive our thinking, we’re beginning to see that data and energy both need to flow in both directions- from the grid to buildings, and back. We’re beginning to understand that a smart building is a true “grid citizen,” that not only uses energy but produces, stores and sends it back to the grid. It’s also safe, resilient and healthy for occupants. For many reasons not often understood by lighting people, lighting systems and the lighting industry are central to the evolution of smart buildings. We have all the technologies we need now to make smart buildings a reality, what’s missing are design models, regulatory direction, and workforce training. This panel will explore how controls integration, energy services interface, and data gathering and analytics are driving the evolution of smart buildings, smart grid, and resilience in the energy infrastructure and built environment.

Moderated by: 
Clifton Stanley Lemon, Co-Chair, Strategies in Light; CEO, Clifton Lemon Associates


Panelists: