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Lighting Revolution in Two Graphs: LED Distribution In Residential And Commercial Applications by Craig DiLouie

As the LED revolution achieves increasing adoption, a recent report by the Department of Energy illuminates the growth. Published in April 2024, the “2020 U.S. Lighting Market Characterization” https://tinyurl.com/3fczwe9s estimates technology distribution among the U.S. installed base of units (lamps/luminaires), along with energy consumption. Residential sector: Let’s start with the residential lighting sector, where an estimated 6.5 billion units are installed, accounting for 80% of lighting installations. LED was the most popular light source in 2020 with 3.1 billion units installed or 48% of the total, nearly 50% less energy than in 2015.  Commercial buildings: In the commercial building sector, with its estimated 1.6 billion installed units, we see a similarly striking snapshot of LED earning virtual parity with other light sources. In 2020, LED reached an overall share of 48% of the installed base and a rough parity with fluorescent, nearly 30% less energy than 2015 and 57% less than 2001. Again, LED adoption is today the majority light source in commercial buildings.  Lighting Revolution in Two Graphs: LED distribution in residential and commercial applications – Electrical Contractor Magazine

TRAINING: How to Design a Lighting Control System by C. Webster Marsh and Craig DiLouie

Based on EE105: Lighting Control System Design, a new course in the Lighting Controls Association’s Education Express program provides detailed information about designing an effective lighting control solution. In Part 1 of this Lighting Controls System Design series, we learned about key documentation including the Content Intent Narrative (CIN), Sequence of Operations (SOO), and Owner Project Requirements (OPR). The next step in design development in Part 2, is to turn these requirements and conceptual design into a realized design. In Part 3 of this series on how to design a lighting control system, we will discuss installation and post-occupancy. You will learn about bidding, responding to questions from installers, reviewing submittals and defending your design, following-through with the installation of the equipment, functional testing, training essential staff, and ultimately ensuring the owner is satisfied. How to Design a Lighting Control System

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Hire – While most of us have heard the term artificial intelligence, few could predict the explosion of GenAI technologies in the public sphere over the last two years. In the work setting alone, Microsoft and LinkedIn reported that “75% of knowledge workers use AI at work” and “66% of leaders say they wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills”.                 

So how did this all happen:

1956, August: At the Dartmouth Conference, researchers discuss creating machines capable of intelligent behavior and the term “Artificial Intelligence” is introduced.

2017, June: Google researchers introduce the Transformer architecture, the foundation for generative AI (GenAI) models. (GPT = Generative Pre-trained Transformer)

2022, November: OpenAI unveils ChatGPT, a conversational GenAI model, marking a tipping point in public access and accelerated adoption.

2024 NOW: Commercialization is accelerating. Globally, the GenAI solutions market is expected to exceed $50 billion by 2028 with over 60,000 GenAI companies already doing business (Horban, 2024).  The biggest tech/communications companies are all involved in a very big way to drive and influence our lives now and in the future with their GenAI models:

  • OpenAI’s ChatGPT
  • xAI’s Grok
  • Google’s Gemini
  • Microsoft’s Copilot
  • Anthropic’s Claude
  • Apple’s Apple Intelligence
  • Meta’s Llama
  • Coming: Orion by OpenAI 

Plan for your future, because that is where you are going to spend the rest of your life. Mark Twain