Welcome to NEMA Academy!

In this webinar, presenters will discuss the challenges with configuration, commissioning, and maintaining control settings over time have slowed progress towards integrated lighting and building system controls. Overcoming such challenges can enable energy savings, adaptive lighting for occupant alertness and wellbeing, and better space management in buildings. This webinar will explore some practical solutions to address controls complexity, including development of a clear and concise sequence of operations, the use of controls narratives, and online tools and templates to make these solutions more accessible. Read more

EE101: Introduction to Lighting Control provides an overview of the basic functionality of today’s lighting controls, benefits and the basic questions to ask when identifying an appropriate lighting control strategy. Read more

Occupancy (aka, occupant) sensors monitor spaces to determine whether they are occupied or vacant, producing a control signal that can be used to automatically switch or dim lighting. By ensuring lighting operates only when it is needed, occupancy sensors produce energy cost savings in addition to benefits such as convenience and enhanced security. According to the Open Access journal Sensors, occupancy-based lighting controls can reduce lighting energy consumption in commercial buildings by up to 45% (Chaudhari et al., 2024). Because these devices are relatively simple to install, cost-effective, and widely required by energy codes, occupancy sensing is a staple in new construction projects, renovations, and many lighting upgrades. Read more

This learning module describes common panel-based lighting control systems. Read more

This learning module describes popular dimming strategies and how different light sources behave when dimmed. Read more

This learning module describes dimming controls and systems, starting with simple wallbox dimmers and working up to more complex systems. Read more