Organisations like Enlighted, Tridonic and DesignLights Consortium are working to produce a standard for ‘IoT-Ready’ light fixtures that can be upgraded with sensors and other types of connectivity additions after they’re installed.

Lighting and LED driver manufacturers, IoT technology companies and industry groups have started the ‘IoT-Ready Alliance’ so that IoT technology will be easy to install now and in the future. The Alliance will make it so LED light fixtures will be IoT-Ready which will mean it’ll be as easy as changing a lightbulb.

It will also allow building operators to upgrade sensors easily which will actually ‘future-proof’ their buildings as IoT technology is progressing at a much faster rate compared to LED fixtures.

LED fixtures often have a lifetime of about 15 years and because of the rate IoT technology is advancing, major upgrades will occur through the life of an LED fixture. As the frequency of the upgrades will be apparent, a cost-effective and low-impact method of changing these sensors will need to be put into place.

Enlighted chief executive Joe Costello has stressed the need to come up with a solution for what will be a massive challenge.

“There is tremendous urgency to enable today’s shipping LED luminaires to be easily upgraded with IoT technology. Otherwise, these luminaires condemn buildings to be unintelligent for the entire lifecycle of those fixtures. Fifteen or more years is a long time before building owners have another chance to install smart sensors. With IoT-Ready fixtures, customers can install future-proof LED luminaires in their buildings,” Joe says.

The Alliance initiative is doing well to meet the challenges and chief executive of Tridonic Guido van Tartwijk says that the key players contributing to a solution is a positive sign.

“We are very pleased key players from the lighting industry have come together to meet the needs of our customers, and Tridonic is a driving part of it. IoT-Ready future-proofs lighting fixtures so that customers do not have to worry about forward compatibility to upcoming technology upgrades that are expected in the fast-developing world of IoT,” says Guido.

The IoT-Ready standards will include guidelines for electrical interfaces, connectors and mechanical form-factors – standardisation of key interface characteristics will be the focal point of the Alliance.

DesignLights Consortium technical director Gabe Arnold says that IoT-based systems have the blueprints to be energy efficient but the required standardisation needs to be put into effect.

“IoT-based lighting systems have tremendous potential to optimize energy efficiency and bring new kinds of value to the lighting and building industries and beyond,” says Gabe.

“By standardising the interface between these IoT systems and the luminaires they are attached to, the IoT-Ready™ Alliance is addressing an essential aspect needed to unlock the full technology potential and enable widespread adoption.”

The Alliance is opening its arms to any organisation interested in directing the future of IoT and smart buildings. Visit www.IoT-Ready.org to learn more about the cause.