Commercial connected lighting systems are becoming the central nervous system for buildings, providing building managers with advanced control while helping to drive additional savings and efficiencies. These systems also establish a platform that enables advanced building services, such as indoor navigation and asset tracking.
According to the 2021 Bluetooth® Market Update, commercial connected lighting is gaining mainstream traction as the proliferation of LEDs, a desire for greater energy efficiency, faster deployment capabilities, and a higher quality occupant experience are driving the demand for new commercial connected lighting solutions, and many facilities are eager to reap the cost benefits provided by these systems.
Driven in large part by commercial connected lighting, device networks is the fastest-growing Bluetooth® solution area. Analysts who contributed to the 2021 Bluetooth Market Update predict a 4.4x growth in annual shipments of Bluetooth Device Network devices from 2021 to 2025.
Once seen only within the context of the ideal, the vision of a fully scalable and reliable wireless network capable of supporting a commercial connected lighting platform is now a reality. From the real-world deployment of nearly 4,000 nodes in a 22-story office building in North America to its adoption by a global, long-established lighting control standards organization, Bluetooth mesh networking has proven itself as an unparalleled connected lighting solution for demanding commercial environments.
Benefits of Bluetooth® Connected Lighting Go Beyond Illumination
Building managers are demanding greater insight into buildings. In addition to providing valuable energy efficiencies and a more comfortable and productive experience for occupants, connected lighting systems provide the infrastructure needed for sensors to feed building management solutions and provide data to increase the efficiency and extend the life of core systems like HVAC. Forecasts in the 2021 Bluetooth® Market Update reflect this trend towards the increased integration of sensors into lighting control networks. Analysts predict that 57 percent of annual connected lighting hardware shipments will be sensors by 2029.
“As lighting suppliers move towards integration of value-added connected lighting services, this has the potential to open up significant new revenue streams. As much of the value in the IoT shifts away from hardware towards platform services, lighting vendors who can offer the most compelling connected lighting experience will better be able to retain customers and build long-term partnerships, ensuring a sustainable longer-term business mode.”
– ABI Research
Another reason for optimism in the expanded role of networked lighting control in commercial settings came by way of a recent announcement from the DALI Alliance. In May 2020, the DALI Alliance and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced a joint effort to specify a standardized gateway for D4i certified intelligent luminaires to be provisioned, managed, and controlled on a Bluetooth® mesh lighting control network. On 15 April 2021, the DALI Alliance released that specification.
The Bluetooth® Mesh to DALI Gateway Specification establishes a bridge between the lighting controls and the sensor-rich luminaires that enables the movement and analysis of building operations data, removing one of the biggest barriers to realizing the true potential of IoT lighting. These sensor-rich lighting systems will allow data to flow freely to other building management systems, enabling more efficient operation of those systems and additional building services that can bring even more value to the building and its occupants.
“Connected lighting is definitely going mainstream. We see major lighting industry players betting on Bluetooth technology, manufacturing Bluetooth enabled devices, and evangelizing about how Bluetooth mesh redefines lighting.”
– Rafał Han, Silvair
The Bluetooth Mesh to DALI Gateway Specification represents a key step in enabling lighting control systems to shift from a single-function solution to a platform that feeds building management systems and helps position intelligent lighting infrastructures as central to satisfying the growing demand for increased energy efficiency and improved occupant experience in sustainable, human-centric buildings.
FEATURED REPORT
Bluetooth® Market Update
See the most important trends and forecasts for Bluetooth® technology, and learn how the Bluetooth community continues to solve new connectivity challenges and address new market opportunities.
Bluetooth Development Training: Works With 2022
The role Bluetooth has played, and will continue to play, in the evolution of IoT…
Silicon Labs Highlights Likely Bluetooth Technology Trends for 2023
A global provider of silicon, software, and solutions for a smarter, more connected world,…
In Case You Missed It: The Top Bluetooth Case Studies of 2022
This year, the Bluetooth® community made major strides in wireless innovation. Around the world,…
McWong Shares Insight Into What to Expect From Bluetooth Technology in 2023
For more than 35 years, McWong International has developed high-quality lighting controls and related…
5 Must-See Bluetooth Sustainability Stories From 2022
While Bluetooth® technology is often most recognized for advancements in audio streaming, recent Bluetooth…
Insight Into Bluetooth Networked Lighting Control Trends in 2023
A full-spectrum provider of professional and architectural lighting solutions, Feilo Sylvania supplies state-of-the-art products…
The Digitalisation of Lighting – Burden or Opportunity? How Qualified Bluetooth® Mesh is Changing the Role of Lighting in the Intelligent Building
The current general perception of intelligent lighting is that it is more a burden…
Beyond Lighting - Why Connecting With Your Data Via APIs Is So Important
Designed specifically for professional lighting applications, Bluetooth mesh is the first communication standard that…
Bringing Wireless Controls To The Epicentre Of Connectivity
This year, the time came for the lighting infrastructure at the Bluetooth SIG headquarters…
Smart Lighting And Controls Halve Energy Consumption At Campus Pitzemburg
Campus Pitzemburg has cut its energy usage by 50% thanks to smart controlled energy…
Sylvania Lets Efficiency And Control Fly High At FLYINGGROUP Antwerp
FLYINGGROUP Antwerp was looking for a solution for their meeting rooms that were more…
Bluetooth Mesh for Commercial Lighting
It is not often in real life that technology (governed by the underlying laws…
Thread vs Bluetooth: Which Is Best For Smart Homes And Buildings?
There are a million reasons why smart home technology is on the rise. Read…
2022 Bluetooth Market Update
Featuring new market insights and industry forecasts from ABI Research and other analyst firms...
The Evolution Of Bluetooth To Becoming A Low-Power Protocol
Bluetooth has evolved through many versions. Version 4.0 and beyond offer reduced power consumption…
Smart Solutions Using Network Lighting Infrastructures
An intelligent network lighting control infrastructure helps business owners and staff know more about…
Bluetooth Range and Reliability: Myth vs Fact
As Bluetooth is becoming more and more ubiquitous in smart homes, buildings, and factories,…
Bluetooth Mesh – Reliable Networking For Lighting And Building Automation With Certainty
Bluetooth is already firmly established in the field of audio streaming and fitness wearables.…
Luminaire Level Lighting Controls and the Future of Healthy Buildings
As we build back from the pandemic, the building industry is rethinking how we…
The Role of Lighting in Smart Buildings
Undoubtedly, everyone is aware of two types of lighting, i.e., wired and wireless. It…
2021 Bluetooth Market Update
Supported by updated forecasts from ABI Research and insights from several other analyst firms, the Bluetooth Market Update highlights the latest Bluetooth trends and forecasts.
How Bluetooth® Technology is Enabling Safe Return Strategies in a COVID-19 Era
This report shares insight into how Bluetooth® technology is being leveraged by organizations of all sizes to…
Designing and Developing Bluetooth® Internet Gateways
Learn about Bluetooth internet gateways, how to make them secure and scalable, and design and implement your own working prototype gateway and web application for use with either Bluetooth LE Peripherals or with Bluetooth mesh networks.
Understanding Reliability in Bluetooth® Technology
Download this detailed discussion of the issues and factors that impact the reliability of…
How to Make Wearables Bluetooth Mesh Provisioners
Learn how to create applications for smartwatches and other platforms that can monitor and control nodes in a Bluetooth mesh network.
Lighting as a Platform
See how connected lighting systems are being used as a platform to enable advanced building services like wayfinding, asset tracking, and space utilization to improve the ROI of smart building investments.
An Introduction to the Bluetooth Mesh Proxy Function
Learn how to create applications for smartphones and other platforms which can monitor and control nodes in a Bluetooth mesh network.
Build a Smarter Building with Blue
See how Bluetooth increases reliability, reduces costs, and enhances your smart building ROI.
Overview – Bluetooth Mesh Networking
A quick overview outlining how Bluetooth mesh uniquely meets the reliability, scalability, and security requirements of commerical and industrial markets.