There is a discussion now taking place in the Smart Building business that the transition to LED lighting may trigger a change in the way the BEMS industry works. The rationale goes that historically, building controls applications have been HVAC-centric since that was the element of the building where controls could add significant value. In many situations the return on investment rate for HVAC-oriented building automation has not been compelling, so the majority of buildings around the world are still waiting to be converted to “Smart.” As we go forward, the case for retrofitting buildings with LED lighting will become very compelling and with it will come a much broader application of controls. The key difference, though, is that these controls applications and projects will be lighting-centric rather than HVAC-centric and that will make all the difference. These lighting-centric projects will be motivated by LEDs and will naturally incorporate wireless and cloud technology. The result […]