LonMark International, a non-profit member trade association for the creation and promotion of device networking interoperability standards, announced the formation of an industry advisory committee to guide and accelerate the organization’s activities in lighting markets. Founding members of the committee represent leading users, specifiers, and developers of indoor and outdoor lighting systems, including representatives from BetaLED, the California Energy Commission, the California Lighting Technology Center, Echelon Corporation, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, PG&E Corporation, Philips Lighting, and ROMlight International. The announcement was made at Lightfair International, North America’s premier annual lighting industry event for architectural and commercial lighting products and services.

“As with any network, open standards are a key to success,” said Ron Bernstein, Executive Director of LonMark International. “Standards create a larger market for manufacturers, lower costs for integrators, and enable wider choice and enhanced functionality for end-users. Working under LonMark International’s proven processes and comprehensive set of ISO/IEC 14908 standards, we see the opportunity to bring all the industry stakeholders together in a collaborate environment and accelerate the adoption of smart lighting systems in buildings and cities.”

“Smart lighting systems, both outdoors in public spaces such as roads and parking lots and indoors in office buildings and warehouses, are essential moving forward,” said Robert Grow, Director of Government Relations at the Greater Washington Board of Trade. “They can save significant amounts of electricity, save taxpayers dollars, and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are smart economic policy and smart environmental policy; they create jobs today and improve our future. My research has shown, for example, an annual reduction of 1.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions if the 10 largest metropolitan areas of the U.S. switch to a networked solution and LED streetlights. This is equivalent to taking 212,000 cars off the roads and would save an additional 90 million taxpayer dollars annually.”

With 54 certified lighting products from 14 global manufacturers, LonMark International already has a significant presence in lighting markets. This announcement is expected to expand that presence and increase adoption and awareness amongst end users, specifiers, integrators, and manufacturers alike. LonMark membership is open to any manufacturer, distributor, engineer, system integrator, or end-user interested in the development, specification, and use of open, interoperable products utilizing ISO/IEC 14908-1 and related standards.