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NEMA Launches New Digital Storefront

William Attardi on April 3, 2026

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced the launch of the NEMA Standards & Publications Store, a new NEMA-owned and operated digital storefront that serves as the authoritative source for NEMA technical standards and related publications. The launch represents a significant step forward in NEMA’s commitment to making its industry-leading standards more accessible to the product designers and engineers, manufacturers, electricians, procurement officers, and other end users who depend on them. The new store offers a more seamless experience for discovering, accessing, and purchasing NEMA’s full retail catalog – encompassing more than 800 standards, technical documents, and guidance materials – while also connecting users to other NEMA programs such as the Make It American™ program and NEMA Academy. NEMA Launches New Digital Storefront – tEDmag

Seeking Standardization: Open Systems Are Becoming More Relevant by Craig DiLouie

William Attardi on March 13, 2026

As lighting systems evolve from simple illumination devices into connected infrastructure, the industry is placing more emphasis on open, interoperable standards. While many control platforms still rely on proprietary hardware and software, open standards are becoming increasingly relevant. A significant player in standards is Zhaga-D4i (zD4i). It combines a standardized plug-in interface for sensors and communication modules with a common digital language for data exchange. For electrical contractors, this framework can simplify installation, improve upgradability and create new opportunities for offering connected lighting solutions. To address this, Zhaga introduced Book 18 in 2018. Now in its fourth edition (released in 2025), Book 18 defines how a smart node physically attaches to an outdoor LED luminaire, receives power and exchanges digital information with the driver. In effect, Book 18 serves as the socket standard for modern connected outdoor lighting. Around the same time, the DALI Alliance expanded its DALI-2 standard to better support internet of things (IoT) and luminaire-level control. With Zhaga’s Book 18 managing the physical and electrical interface and the DALI Alliance’s D4i managing the digital handshake, the two organizations partnered to create the zD4i product certification. Seeking Standardization: Open systems are becoming more relevant | Craig DiLouie – Electrical Contractor Magazine

Decoding California’s Title 24, Part 6

William Attardi on August 26, 2025

Commercial building energy codes regulate the design of nonresidential buildings to minimize energy consumption. While the majority of U.S. states adopt model codes and standards, the State of California developed its own code: Title 24, Part 6 of the state’s Building Standards Code. The latest version was released in 2025 and will take effect January 1, 2026. Title 24, Part 6 covers residential, nonresidential, high-rise residential, and hotel/motel buildings. Title 24, Part 6 contains robust, detailed lighting and control requirements. It requires a broad range of controls to ensure general lighting is turned Off or reduced when not needed.  .  For lighting, a number of changes have been made, mostly adjustments and clarifications. Decoding California’s Title 24, Part 6

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”