2023 Panel Discussion: Interoperable Digital Lighting Systems

The emergence of digital lighting systems in North America drives a recognized need for interoperable components and calls for standardized interfaces. The Zhaga Consortium creates interface specifications for components of LED luminaires that enable interoperable products supporting smart cities and buildings. The DALI Alliance creates standards like D4i for controlling and powering intelligent, IoT-ready luminaires. Combining Zhaga and D4i gives the lighting world plug-and-play options. Digital communication within lighting systems brings improved performance and expanded capabilities, such as connection to external communication systems. This seminar explains how Zhaga-D4i products improve system performance and explores new capabilities supporting designers and specifiers.

Learning Objectives

1. Recognize the value of specifying standardized digital lighting systems for plug-and-play interoperability.
2. Understand the improved performance of D4i digital control versus analogue control in lighting systems.
3. Realize the expanded capabilities of components in digital lighting systems.
4. Learn how specifying Zhaga-D4i certified products future proofs your digital lighting and control installations and opens the market with multiple vendor product availability.

Dr. Mark Duffy
Founder, MD35 Consulting

Mark Duffy serves as the General Assembly Chair for the Zhaga Consortium. Mark has over 37 year of experience in the lighting industry, and most recently serves as Manager of Global Industry Standards for GE Lighting and GE Current, a Daintree company. He is active in both regional and international lighting industry standards communities.

Mark serves as Technical Advisor to US Technical Advisory Group of IEC TC 34 Lighting and SC 34A Light Sources and as Head of the US Delegation—and convenes the advisory group on lighting systems to IEC TC 34. He participates in ANSI ASC C78 Lamps, C81 Bases and Holders, C82 Ballasts and Drivers. He serves as vice-chair of ANSI ASC C137 Lighting Systems. He was involved in the National Electric Manufacturers Association serving as chair of the Lamp Section Technical Committee for 11 years.

In 2019, he started MD35 Consulting, LLC specializing in lighting standards development for clients.

Mark is married to Evelyn and they have three children. Mark enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, hiking and outdoor experiences.

Landon Miles
Technical Marketing Manager for Intelligent Products, Inventronics

At Inventronics, Landon Miles works to train lighting OEMs about lighting control systems and protocols. He leads the effort internally at Inventronics to identify, define, and develop value-add solutions with regards to lighting control systems. With close to ten years’ experience in lighting, Landon offers valuable insight and support into complex lighting systems. He is a NALMCO Certified Lighting Control Professional and is currently pursuing further education at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. Landon is married and has two children.

Michael Davidson
Solutions Architect, Synapse Wireless

At Synapse Wireless, Michael Davidson assists both OEMs and end-users of smart lighting controls solutions with everything from controls integration to system installation and configuration. Michael offers his colleagues and customers a wealth of technical and field-application knowledge about how to design, install, configure, and commission intelligent lighting systems and several other IoT applications.

Recognized for his professional accomplishments and delivering presentations at lighting industry events, Michael has worked for and managed sales teams and IoT engineers for both Forbes Fortune 100 companies, as well as venture capital organizations. His leadership skills and technical knowledge provide a real-world based, practical approach to working with the latest developments within IoT technologies and influencing interoperability standards for IoT solutions of today and for the future.