2026 Lighting Resource Guide by Jim Lucy
Electrical Wholesaling’s 2026 picks for where to go when you need to learn more about lighting, from A-Z. With all of the technological changes in lighting over the past few years, getting the latest available information on products and trends is critical. The associations, government resources, publications, websites and universities listed below are EW’s updatedpicks for the best lighting education, information on trends and new products, and networking / educational opportunities at lighting industry events. The 2026 Lighting Resource Guide also offers some insight into one the fastest-growing new resources in the lighting market — NEMRA’s new Lighting Division. In just over a year it has already attracted more than 150 lighting reps and manufacturers. Congratulations to the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) for the foresight to develop this important resource. 2026 Lighting Resource Guide | Electrical Wholesaling
2025’s surge in data center construction will be fueled by the greater demands of AI (artificial intelligence) for electrical power. The explosive growth in data center construction and the related increases in demand for the electrical system installation and supply and logistical services they require is quite unlike anything the electrical business has ever seen. Over the years there’s been booms in speculative office construction, energy-efficient lighting retrofits and the installation of power quality industrial automation products. But the dollars being spent on new data centers – and the electrical construction materials that help power them – may very well be unmatched. This all means big business for electrical contractors, design engineers and other electrical professionals involved with data center construction. 