New test and certification specifications for the Bluetooth® NLC to DALI Gateway
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The DALI Alliance, the global authority on lighting technology standardization, has announced a major milestone in the evolution of smart lighting systems: the launch of its test and certification specifications for the wireless to DALI Gateway that dramatically accelerates the deployment of Bluetooth® Networked Lighting Control (NLC). This release marks a transformative step toward seamless integration between wired DALI lighting systems and leading wireless protocols such as Bluetooth® Mesh Networking.
These new specifications are designed to ensure robust interoperability between wired and wireless lighting components, enabling building managers, developers, and manufacturers to deploy flexible, scalable, and intelligent lighting solutions. By bridging the gap between precision-controlled wired systems and the agility of wireless networks, the DALI Alliance is helping to pave the way for a new era of smart building automation.
Bridging DALI and the Bluetooth NLC ecosystem
The Bluetooth NLC to DALI Gateway serves as a standardized translator between DALI systems (specifically DALI-2 and D4i devices) and the Bluetooth NLC ecosystem. The gateway allows Bluetooth NLC solutions to control wired DALI devices and access their rich data sets, including luminaire diagnostics, energy usage, and performance metrics. This interoperability empowers lighting systems to operate as unified platforms, regardless of the underlying communication protocol.
The specification ensures that the gateway can reliably translate commands and data between DALI and Bluetooth NLC devices, enhancing compatibility and promoting a consistent user experience. This standardization is critical for accelerating the adoption of networked lighting solutions in commercial and industrial environments where flexibility, reliability, and scalability are paramount.
“It is not often that you see independent architectures that match and extend each other so well,” said Szymon Slupik, CTO and co-founder of Silvair. “This technology match, together with the close collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and DALI Alliance, means that the market will benefit from a wider selection of interoperable intelligent lighting components.”
The newly released specifications allow wired DALI products (DALI-2 and D4i) to be controlled within wireless ecosystems, offering greater flexibility and adaptability. Additionally, the gateway can translate seamlessly between DALI and Bluetooth® NLC, providing robust interoperability.
Bluetooth NLC as the smart building backbone
The integration of wireless protocols with DALI lighting systems is more than a technical achievement; it’s a strategic enabler for smart building innovation. Lighting infrastructures, due to their ubiquity, are uniquely positioned to serve as the backbone of intelligent buildings.
Enabling sensor-rich lighting systems to communicate with building management systems (BMS), such as HVAC and security, allows the gateway to unlock new capabilities in energy efficiency and occupant comfort. By standardizing a multitude of data points — from device asset information and energy consumption to predictive maintenance — device-level data becomes foundational, enabling the deployment of efficient, reliable AI-based building systems.
As such, Bluetooth NLC systems can now act as the central nervous system of a building, facilitating advanced services like indoor navigation, asset tracking, and automated environmental adjustments. This convergence of lighting and IoT technologies supports the development of sustainable, human-centric buildings that respond dynamically to occupant needs and operational demands.
“The introduction of these test and certification specifications for wireless to DALI Gateways is a significant milestone,” said Paul Drosihn, general manager of the DALI Alliance. “It opens up new possibilities for integrating DALI with wireless systems, creating a broader range of solutions for the industry. By standardizing these gateways, we’re promoting interoperability and providing a path forward for developers, manufacturers, and professionals in building automation.”
This technology match, together with the close collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and DALI Alliance, means that the market will benefit from a wider selection of interoperable intelligent lighting components.
Szymon Slupik, Silvair
The importance of standardization
Standardization is the cornerstone of interoperability and mass adoption. The collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and the DALI Alliance exemplifies how industry-defined standards can remove barriers to innovation. By aligning the Bluetooth distributed control architecture with the DALI application controller concept, the two organizations have created a unified framework that supports a wide range of intelligent lighting components.
“The standardized gateway enables seamless integration between DALI’s trusted wired systems and Bluetooth NLC, the leading wireless lighting standard,” said Neville Meijers, CEO of the Bluetooth SIG. “The collaboration highlights the power of open, industry-defined standards in driving innovation, building market confidence, and untapping the full potential of intelligent lighting systems.”
Wireless lighting market momentum
Bluetooth® NLC is gaining significant traction in commercial lighting. Vendors like Inventronics, Delta Electronics, Fulham, OSRAM, Sylvania, and Zumbtobel are driving adoption through large-scale deployments in offices, warehouses, retail spaces, and horticulture environments.
The decentralized architecture of Bluetooth NLC distributes intelligence across the network, eliminating single points of failure and enhancing system resilience. Combined with DALI’s precision and scalability, this architecture supports the development of lighting systems that are not only reliable but also deeply integrated into broader building operations.
The launch of test and certification specifications for wireless to the DALI Gateway marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of smart lighting. By enabling seamless integration between wired and wireless systems, the DALI Alliance and its partners are laying the foundation for intelligent, interoperable, and energy-efficient buildings. As the industry embraces these standards, the future of commercial connected lighting looks brighter than ever.
