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Networked lighting controls

Networked Lighting Controls That Actually Get Commissioned.

Design and commissioning of networked lighting controls for NYC buildings. The layer that turns an LED retrofit into savings you can verify, document, and stand behind when a program or an inspector asks.

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~47%
Avg. added lighting savings with NLCs (DLC, 2017)
70%
Of projects save 30% or more (DLC, 2017)

What Networked Lighting Controls Are

Networked lighting controls (NLC) add a control layer over a lighting system: luminaire- and zone-level occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, scheduling, high-end trim, and energy monitoring, all on a networked backbone instead of standalone switches and sensors.

That backbone is what separates NLC from a basic LED swap. A retrofit changes the fixtures; controls change how and when they run, and give you a system you can monitor, re-tune, and report on.

Beyond energy, it gives you operational visibility: fixture-level fault detection, runtime tracking, and standardized (ANSI/NEMA C137.9) reporting that supports utility verification and future LL97 measurement and verification.

Why It Matters

Compliance

Controls are central to Local Law 88 compliance, and the kilowatt-hours they cut feed directly into Local Law 97 emissions. See how the laws connect.

Operating Savings

~47%avg. added savings (DLC, 2017)

Average added savings when networked controls go on an LED system; where you land depends on the building and the commissioning.

Incentives

New York retired statewide lighting rebates at the end of 2025. What's left centers on controls — DLC-qualified, properly commissioned systems. See what's still funded in 2026.

Making the case to a board or a partner? Take the one-page summary with you.

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How the Service Works

Design specifies what the system should do; commissioning proves it does. It draws on the same field data as a Project+ survey.

Start hereStep 01

Feasibility Memo

A free, short memo on whether the building is worth doing. Most projects start here.
  • What's installed today: fixtures & controls
  • Candidate scope and platform fit
  • Expected savings range
  • Programs that could pay for part of it
Step 02

Design & Spec

A controls design a contractor can build from and a program can fund.
  • Platform selection + bill of materials
  • Zonal sensor & node layout on your drawings
  • Control sequence of operations
  • C137.9 configuration-reporting plan
  • Bid-ready specification package
Step 03

Commissioning

Installed, configured, and verified, in two tiers.
Basic

Node and sensor setup, schedule configuration, sequence verification, and the final C137.9 report.

EnhancedRecommended

Everything in Basic, plus occupancy-pattern tuning, high-end trim, daylight-harvesting calibration, and post-install savings verification.

LEDs in, savings missing?

If your retrofit went in four or more years ago and the controls were never commissioned, or never installed, the operational savings are still on the table. A feasibility memo tells you what's recoverable — the usual symptoms and causes.

The system

What gets installed

A wireless controller on every fixture, sensors and wall stations in each space, one gateway per building.

What gets installedThe parts of a networked lighting system in three groups: a wireless controller on every fixture, sensors and wall stations in each space, and one gateway per building, feeding a live dashboard.ON EVERY FIXTUREIN EACH SPACEONE PER BUILDINGFixture + controllerSensorWall stationGatewayLive dashboardNo new wiring — every device joins the wireless mesh.

What networked lighting does

The four control mechanismsOccupancy sensing shown in plan, daylight harvesting and high-end trim shown in section, and scheduling shown as output across a day.Seen from aboveOccupancy sensingWhen nobody is there the lights drop low instead ofrunning full. They never go all the way dark.Seen from the sideWindowFloor levelDaylight harvestingWhen sun comes through the windows, the lights nearestthem turn down to match.Across one dayMidnightNoonMidnightSchedulingLighting follows how the building is actually used, andshifts with the seasons. No timers to reset.Seen from the sideThe light level the space actually needsOut of the boxSet correctlyHigh-end trimNew lights usually put out more than the space needs.The system caps them at what the space needs.Running together these typically cut lighting energy by about another half on top of an LED upgrade — theDesignLights Consortium measures a 47% average across space types.

Three ways to light the same corridor

Basic sensors hold full output long after you leave; a networked zone settles back to standby in about a minute.

Three control strategies comparedThe same corridor lit three ways as a person walks its length: always on, basic sensors that detect ahead and then hold every fixture on, and networked controls that keep a soft low level and brighten around the person. An energy chart compares the three on one scale.Always onBasic sensorsNetworked controlsFull brightness around the clock,whether anyone is there or not.Comes on as you approach, thenstays on long after you have gone.Stays soft, brightens around you,and settles back a minute later.Energy for the same walkAlways on — baseline100%Basic sensorssaves 39%61%Networked controlssaves 60%40%All three give you the same light to walk by. And the basic-sensor bar keeps filling long after you have left.
Functional test

What commissioning catches

Installed and inspected is not the same as working as designed.

SettingSpecifiedAs found
Corridor dim level20%100% — never enabled
Occupancy timeout10 min30 min — factory default
Daylight setpoint30 fcDisabled
ScheduleAstronomic on/offAlways on
High-end trimCapped at design levelUncapped — 100%
Sensor coverageFull zoneDead spot past mid-aisle
Garage sensor aimDrive aisleBlocked by a column
Zone mappingGrouped by spaceFixtures mixed across zones

See it in a building: Stairwells that never go dark · Dusk to dawn, on its own · Six suites, one daylit work floor · Six aisles, one picker · Corridors and garage on one control network · Eleven exam rooms, used part of the day

We also work on systems we didn't install.

Controls another team specified, installed, or walked away from: we verify, re-tune, or redesign them. LEDs that went in years ago with controls that never quite worked are a normal starting point.

NLC is the delivery end of the path our lighting surveys start, and the commissioned system becomes part of the building's record in portfolio intelligence.

How is this different from a standard LED retrofit?
An LED retrofit changes the hardware. Networked controls change how and when it runs: occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, scheduling, high-end trim, and energy monitoring on a networked backbone. The retrofit gives you efficient fixtures; the controls capture the operational savings on top, and they're what compliance and incentive programs increasingly look for.
Do networked controls qualify for rebates in New York?
It depends. New York retired its statewide commercial lighting rebates at the end of 2025, and what's left increasingly centers on controls. Where a controls incentive exists, programs generally pay only for DLC-qualified systems that are properly installed and commissioned. We design and commission to those requirements and produce the documentation a program needs. Confirm the specific program, amount, and eligibility with your utility before counting on it.
Do you commission controls another team designed?
Yes. We commission both our own designs and systems someone else specified. Independent commissioning is often where the gap between "installed" and "working as designed" gets caught.
Is this for new construction or existing buildings?
Both. Retrofits of occupied buildings are the core of the work, but the same design discipline applies to new construction and major renovations.
What controls platforms do you work with?
We work across DLC-qualified control platforms and specify to the building rather than locking you to one manufacturer. The right platform depends on the building, the existing wiring, and what the controls need to do.
Designed to be commissioned

Specify It Right. Commission It for Real.

Tell us what's installed and what's not working — we'll come back with a feasibility path and a scoped proposal. No obligation; we respond within one business day.

$10M+ incentives processed · 2.5M+ fixtures documented

We typically respond within one business day.

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Penalty figures and compliance details reflect DOB's published rules and can change. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice; confirm specifics with DOB, your utility, and your own professionals.

Last updated: June 2026. NYC building compliance rules, deadlines, and DOB procedures may change.

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