Reciprocal Agreement lays foundation for information sharing and teamwork to advance building intelligence and connected home issues  

MEDFORD, MA – June 20, 2019 – The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) and the  Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) today announced a new agreement designed to enhance and promote development and adoption of smart building technology.

CABA is a global non-profit industry association dedicated to advancing home and intelligent building technologies that foster better utilization of building space, occupant comfort, and energy savings. The DLC is devoted to driving efficient lighting by defining quality, facilitating thought leadership and providing tools and resources to the lighting market. The DLC’s just-released Networked Lighting Control System Technical Requirements V4.0 policy addresses roadblocks to wider adoption of technology capable of serving as a smart building gateway while significantly boosting the energy efficiency of light emitting diode (LED) fixtures.

“The DLC has become increasingly interested in networked lighting’s ability to increase energy savings, while unlocking the Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities of commercial and industrial lighting,” DLC Executive Director Christina Halfpenny said. “We were thrilled to include CABA’s expertise in this arena at our recent Annual Stakeholder Meeting. This agreement cements our relationship and formalizes our intention to work together to advance smart building technology.” 

“DLC is a force-multiplier for the innovation that is happening right now in the efficient lighting sector, by providing outstanding industry resources, thought leadership, and policy tools to establish quality,” said Ron Zimmer, President and CEO of CABA. “Our organizations share similar perspectives on the work of advancing intelligent building technologies, and the creation of this formal partnership between us will advance a common vision of accelerated growth in this core area of intelligent buildings.”

With the goal to “wherever possible, share information and work in a collaborative manner on connected home and intelligent building issues,” the scope of the DLC-CABA Reciprocal Agreement paves the way for mutually beneficial actions such as:

• establishing forums for timely and open exchange of information on current and planned activities; and
• establishing non-exclusive vehicles for engaging a broad array of stakeholders, including hardware and software manufacturers, service providers, the utility industry, regulatory organizations, technology companies, vendors, consumer and non-profit groups, and government entities.

Other ways the two parties may work together as a result of the agreement include collaborating in working groups; developing; reviewing and commenting on policy and technical materials; and commenting on each other’s research relevant to the lighting and home and building automation industries.

At the DLC’s 2019 Annual Stakeholder Meeting in April, conference attendees learned that the number of smart buildings is projected to grow by 30 to 34 percent by 2024, with networked lighting controls (NLC) playing an important role in that increase. During a meeting panel discussion, CABA President & CEO Zimmer noted that IoT device shipments in North America are increasing by about 11 percent annually, and lighting controls comprise one of the largest segments of that growth. Panelists concluded that better awareness and understanding is needed to increase adoption and expand the smart building-enabling benefits of NLCs. This new collaboration between CABA and the DLC is an important step toward that goal. 

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About DesignLights Consortium: The DesignLights Consortium^® (DLC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the widespread adoption of high-performing commercial lighting solutions. The DLC promotes high-quality, energy-efficient lighting products in collaboration with utilities and energy efficiency program members, manufacturers, lighting designers, and federal, state, and local entities. Through these partnerships, the DLC establishes product quality specifications, facilitates thought leadership, and provides information, education, tools and technical expertise.

About Continental Automated Buildings Association: The Continental Buildings Association (CABA) is a leading international, not-for-profit, industry organization that promotes advanced technologies in homes and buildings worldwide. CABA enables organizations and individuals to make informed decisions about the integration of technology, ecosystems and connected lifestyles in homes and buildings. Its mission is to advance the connected home and intelligent buildings sectors.