Lighting Controls Podcast
The Lighting Controls Podcast, presented by the Lighting Controls Association and financially supported by the National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD), features lighting controls specialists Ron Kuszmar and Webster Marsh. In this podcast, they delve into the complexities and unique challenges of lighting controls in commercial settings.
Webster and Ron, both with theater backgrounds, have taken markedly different paths in the architectural lighting industry. Webster is involved in the pre-bid realm, focusing on designs, specifications, and coordination. Conversely, Ron operates in the post-bid world, handling construction, integration, programming, and ensuring end-user satisfaction. Their combined perspectives provide a comprehensive viewpoint for exploring the topic of lighting controls.
EPISODE LIST
Oct 10, 2024
Everything you ever wanted to know about standardized lighting controls, but were afraid to ask. Paul is back to give us a preview of the DALI North America Summit, taking place October 30th at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York. You can expec…
Sep 26, 2024
Anthony has done a lot of installs in houses of worship. With their limited budgets, you want to get all your wiring right while the conduit is open and the drywall has yet to be done. And sometimes that means pressing your customer a little hard…
Sep 12, 2024
Bill Ellis is back with his wealth of knowledge. Bill gives us his perspective on what’s trending and shifting in the Lighting Controls industry. Digital controls, 0-10V Analog, POE, ethernet, the advantages of DC power, DMX, DALI, 2023 NEC class…
Sep 5, 2024
Want to be a part of ESTA’s Control Protocols Working Group, at least temporarily? Then get you, your ideas, and your lighting controls down to the Dallas Fort Worth Marriott Solana from October 24-27 and “plug in.” While there, you can meet our …
Aug 29, 2024
“Faster than a speeding bullet! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound…!” Yes the people at Control Force are like Supermen or Wonder Women. After the sales rep has sold the equipment, and the installers have finished, and all those people…
Aug 15, 2024
When Jose is not filming documentaries, he’s a “Solutions Engineer.” If you’re in the northeast, Jose can go into a space and audit ASHRAE levels 1, 2 and 3. He can help you comply with local energy saving ordinances by identifying fluorescents o…
Jul 30, 2024
Get ready for an exciting deep dive with Ron and Webster as they tackle the confusing world of lighting controls definitions! In this episode, our hosts break down the inconsistencies in industry jargon, share their own takes, and explore how com…
Jul 11, 2024
Bruce “The Lighting Sherpa” Clark talks with Webster and Ron about CEDIA (Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association), dealers, buying groups, reps, and lighting designers. Bruce likes his analogies. He talks about “trunk slammers,” “…
Jun 27, 2024
In this LCP Short, Webster and Ron talk about handling simple DMX512 and sACN presets that you don’t need to actively control and don’t want to buy a whole architectural processor for. They discuss the recent advent of small, inexpensive preset s…
Jun 13, 2024
Getting connected is what mwConnect (formerly McWong) specializes in with their award winning Bluetooth Mesh. They’ve been around for 40 years, so you know they know what they’re doing. Margaret and Stephen give us a retrospective of the company …
May 23, 2024
Just one away from his 5 times guest jacket, Steve Mesh joins us to discuss… education, semantics, UL924, emergency controls, security, and in-rush. You already know Steve knows his stuff and he’ll always open your eyes to something. Listen to hi…
May 16, 2024
The listeners give feedback to hosts Ron and Webster to clarify some things that were unclear or confusing in episode 53 "It's Not a Protocol." In this short episode, past guests Mitch Hefter and Javid Butler discuss the definition of a protocol …
May 9, 2024
The LED revolution has done its part in the energy saving space. Now it’s going to fall on the Controls industry to take it to the next level. You can tell people to just turn off their lights when no one is in the room, but we all know humans an…
Apr 25, 2024
This one covers a lot of ground. Avi Mor, Founder and CEO of Morlights, a design firm in Chicago, speaks his mind on interoperability, protocols, dimming, CAT5, Dali, specifications, and… elevators. Using elevators as an analogy, Avi would like t…
Apr 18, 2024
Daniel works for one of the big guys. As Global Hardware Product Manager at Philips Dynalite, he has the resources to really make a difference. Daniel tells us about the evolution from contact closures to devices in a network having mini computer…
Apr 11, 2024
How do we maintain our lighting control systems? We’ve said it before and Kelly says it again. Education! - and interoperability, but we’re not there yet - so, education! The facilities manager who leaves that job 5 years down the road is then re…
Apr 4, 2024
Lightovation. Lightapalooza. LEDucation. These conferences have different perspectives and roles within the lighting industry, but they all contribute to shaping the future of lighting and controls. These are only three of MANY lighting conventio…
Mar 28, 2024
A market transformation for lighting controls is coming whether we are ready or not. Carol contends we've seen market transformation before, several times, but there are growing expectations for interoperability in the construction industry and l…
Mar 21, 2024
Thomas works at Color Kinetics. With a name like that, they obviously deal with color changing lighting, which also means they have to deal with lighting controls, and that has led to the cloud. Thomas explains that many people ask for the cloud …
Mar 14, 2024
Jason joins us from the DLC. What is the DLC? In Jason’s words, the Design Lights Consortium is “a bridge between the lighting world and the energy efficiency world.” The LED revolution for energy savings is pretty much over, so what’s the next s…
Mar 7, 2024
Want to learn about lighting controls technology and applications? The Lighting Controls Association is offering that FOR FREE! Go to https://aboutlightingcontrols.org/EducationExpress. But, before you do, check out this episode with Craig DiLoui…
Feb 26, 2024
Peter explains that Casambi chooses to partner with hardware companies (like McWong who happens to be sponsoring this episode), so that they can focus on software. That has resulted in sophisticated controls that can handle DMX, DALI, 0-10V, PWM,…
Feb 15, 2024
Do you own a bowling alley? Bill will integrate strikes with lights! Hit the jackpot at a casino? Bill can make sure everyone in the building knows. Bill’s definition of an integrator is “the glue that puts the pieces together.” This kind of inte…
Feb 8, 2024
Javid was with us way back when we started on the Conversation Series on Get A Grip On Lighting. Javid is back with some DMX512 standard updates (For all you geeks out there, here’s the link to all published ESTA standards mentioned on the podcas…
Feb 1, 2024
Our hosts have asked many guests their take on the state of the lighting controls industry, but have they ever asked each other? In this special Short Edition, Webster and Ron do just that. They discuss how and when they are brought into a projec…
Jan 26, 2024
As a manufacturer, the need to maintain quality products is a no-brainer. But a quality “experience?” It’s Steve’s job, as “Director of Quality” at Touché to ensure that BOTH of those things are maintained. Steve and Touché support and like to ge…
Jan 11, 2024
Are Lighting Controls in their adolescent period? Can we be blindsided by the shortcomings of lighting controls systems? These are a couple of questions that come up while chatting with Shoshanna Segal. Clearly written intent is how Shoshanna thi…
Dec 22, 2023
In this episode Ron and Webster hit the big 5-0! In this milestone episode they're turning the spotlight on their producer, Scott Griffin, the 'Expert Layman.' Yes, you read that right! Take a listen to the questions Scott has after listening to …
Dec 7, 2023
It’s hard to get to the end-user. When you’re designing a lighting system for a space, wouldn’t it make sense to talk to the people who will be using that space, like a teacher in a classroom? Mark Olerud, a sales agent for Kore Controls, is alwa…
Nov 23, 2023
Listen up Project Managers: Casey has no skin in the game. If DMX or DALI or even 0-10V is the right choice, he’ll put it in the specifications. That’s what you hire these people for, to make sure it’s done right. Casey is a proponent of the DALI…
Nov 10, 2023
Advanced and interoperable. That’s McWong’s thing when it comes to controls. So when the L-Prize came along, looking for those exact values, McWong was a shoe-in! Not so fast. It’s not easy to win an L-Prize. It requires a serious commitment, har…
Nov 2, 2023
Renovations aren’t just for kitchens! We’ve talked a lot about system integrations in new projects, but don’t discount retrofits. Daniel tells us that much of the work that comes his way lately is from existing projects. As he says, if you want t…
Oct 26, 2023
First of all, Lyn won the Benner award from The Building Commissioning Association. That’s a big deal! So she is someone worth listening to. Lyn talks with Webster and Ron about looking at the industry as a team sport. As Lyn likes to say, it’s n…
Oct 19, 2023
Paul has been nicknamed “The DALI Lama” for good reason. He’s a big proponent of the DALI (that's Digital Addressable Lighting Interface if you didn’t know). That’s no surprise as he is the General Manager of the DALI Alliance. Paul talks with We…
Oct 12, 2023
Emergency Lighting Controls primary purpose is to provide sufficient illumination during emergencies for building evacuation and maneuvering. So just transfer the circuitry from utility power to emergency power. But wait, it’s not that simple. As…
Sep 28, 2023
Illuminart and Peter Basso Associates collaborated and integrated very successfully 7 years ago. Robert discusses, with Webster and Ron, the advantages of being part of both a lighting design firm and a larger MEP consulting firm. Are you sensing…
Sep 15, 2023
From a European perspective, breaking into the North American market is daunting unless you’ve got someone like MJ and Global Lighting & Controls on your side. They're helping North American projects take advantage of European systems and the…
Sep 7, 2023
Dan talks about the need to focus on data management within building management systems and lighting controls. He emphasizes the significance of collecting and storing data, the potential for machine learning and predictive models, the need to br…
Aug 31, 2023
“Spec Rep” Anthony Guerriero started out as a sales rep then transitioned into controls which now puts him in the pretty unique position of being able to talk to engineers, architects, interior designers, and lighting designers. In this episode, …
Aug 24, 2023
Mary Beth admittedly is not an expert on lighting controls, but when someone with her experience and knowledge of the lighting industry is in on the conversation, you should listen. Isn’t it interesting that Mary Beth, as someone from outside the…
Aug 17, 2023
Kaleb is a Field Service Coordinator with ETC. What is a Field Project Coordinator you ask? Well, you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out, but suffice to say, it is a unique perspective on the industry. If you’re a designer, you’ll want …
Aug 10, 2023
Can’t we all just get along? Specifiers, integrators, engineers, manufacturers, contractors, end-users… Bryan, with Webster and Ron, decries the lack of communication between entities. And it’s not just people. Where’s the cohesion between the di…
Jul 27, 2023
Who’s responsible for the lighting controls on a project? Who’s qualified? Who’s certified? We can tell you this - Darren is qualified! He brings up some interesting questions and he talks with Webster and Ron about communications between teams, …
Jul 21, 2023
Are you a landscape designer? A Contractor? Do you want to add “landscape lighting” to the services you provide? Then contact Justin and Zach at AMP. They’re shaking up the industry with their free design service. Send them pictures of your next …
Jul 13, 2023
David Robinson from Mecho has learned to harness the sun! Well, sort of. More like Mecho uses the sun for light in buildings by applying just the right degree of window shading along with artificial lighting for the optimal comfort of building oc…
Jul 6, 2023
Ruth tells Webster and Ron how PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratories) has focused for years on solid state lighting research, but has now seen the value of controls and is now focusing on that. They’ve gone into the field to see what happ…
Jun 29, 2023
Check out Michal’s “Cadillac” - his Tron Dance Suits (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVt2OwMKiM8). How long does it take for him to make a custom suit? You'd be surprised! Listen to this week's episode where Michal chats with Webster and Ron abo…
Jun 28, 2023
In case you missed the live stream from Lightfair 2023 in New York, here is an encore presentation of the segment featuring Szymon Slupik. Simon talks with Webster and Ron about the latest in Bluetooth controls.
Jun 22, 2023
The stick is coming. Will HVAC controls become the dominant system, or will Lighting Controls pull ahead? Maury comes to us from the HVAC side of things but he thinks lighting has far more potential as an overall control system. Or perhaps AI wil…
Jun 8, 2023
Nathan tells Webster and Ron about his experiences with a “touring house,” working with “dimmer beach,” and getting off the road to be home in the evenings. He successfully took his “show must go on” attitude from theater to architectural install…
Jun 1, 2023
If you missed Lightfair this year, you can watch this and feel like you're there. Webster and Ron visited the ETC, SGM, and Pharos booths. Also, check out the live broadcast with McWong at the end. Both Webster and Ron presented this year, but so…
May 25, 2023
Caleb joins the controls conversation from the perspective of an Electrical Engineer. Caleb talks about the importance of documentation in a project. Getting everything right - and on paper - in the submittals will save everyone money and headach…
May 18, 2023
Time - something we all wish we had more of. Unfortunately, we only have 24 hours in a day to work with. Zach Mix and Parspec will make you feel like someone added hours to your day. They will take away the tedious work of looking up data sheets …
May 4, 2023
Tom is Sales Director for Pharos Controls, but as you’ll see in the video, he still likes to tinker. (You can’t see it, but he told us he’s surrounded by 23 computers in his attic!) So Tom is the perfect guest to talk about DMX, how its use is gr…
Apr 27, 2023
“You have to get into the weeds,” says Jennifer Bean; lighting controls are so complicated now and there is so much coordination that needs to happen. The lighting designers, the controls specialists and the engineers all need to work together. O…
Apr 20, 2023
Sports stadium lighting used to be, pretty much, on and off, with maybe some dimming and mechanical shuttering. Now sports arenas call on theatrical lighting designers to wow the crowd with fully controlled RGB LED lights. (If you find yourself i…
Apr 14, 2023
Something a little different here. We recap Webster’s and Ron’s visit to LEDucation with a fun yet informative video. Virtually visit some of the booths and “talk” to the reps. You’ll feel like you’re actually there! Almost.
Mar 30, 2023
Picture this: It’s your birthday, you sit down at work and your favorite color of light comes on over your desk. Or a VIP walks into the building and everyone is notified via the lighting controls system. These are just a couple of outside-the-bo…
Mar 23, 2023
It’s always nice to hear from the guys that have been around the block. Mitch Hefter has been around it a couple of times (with all due respect, Mitch!). Webster and Ron and you get a lesson in standards like DALI and DMX and a refresher on acron…
Mar 16, 2023
This turned out to be one of our favorite episodes. If you want to hear how to design lighting controls thoroughly and effectively, listen to this one. Ben talks with Webster and Ron about taking ownership of the design and implementation of cont…
Mar 9, 2023
Where are we with Power Over Ethernet? You know it’s coming so you might as well get on board. Akram and Kim from MHT, one of the industry leaders on POE, let you in on where the technology is headed and the hurdles to overcome, both technologica…
Mar 2, 2023
Webster and Ron talk with Dan about UV light. What’s so good about UV light? Well, it kills pathogens. But using UV light in the indoor environment requires engineering for safety and effectiveness. Dan explains the use of UV light along with the…
Feb 9, 2023
This is one episode we soap you like. Lighting design in a car wash? Yep. Adam has found a tidy little niche market. But just like any other project, it requires skill and technology. Adam has created theater-like experiences that draw families t…
Jan 27, 2023
Controls are still new to lighting reps but we have Todd M. Reemtsma, a multi-year multi-industry veteran to help understand better.One issue is that controls remain separated from other parts of the process, commissioning, design and even reps. …
Jan 18, 2023
Opportunity is the word. We are joined by Michael Colligan of Restoring Darkness to discuss why lighting controls and smart city projects are a natural fit for eliminating excess light at night. Integrators, researchers, and city managers have th…
Jan 12, 2023
Kelly is in the weeds when it comes to codes and standards. She spends A LOT of time thinking about controls as she is on the Codes and Standards team at PG&E in California. And you know what that means. If it’s adopted in California, it’ll b…
Dec 22, 2022
Matthew talks with Webster and Ron about “getting grandma to not click on bad things,” how to keep networks secure, and how to avoid a “spear-phishing” attack (as opposed to a just plain “phishing”). Matthew has been in the cybersecurity world fo…
Dec 15, 2022
We’ve had some brainiacs on this podcast before, but the products Pathway Connectivity has engineered around switching, PoE and networking… well, suffice to say, you’ve probably used something they have or his team has built. Robert discusses, wi…
Dec 8, 2022
Sean lives in California, so he is immersed in the code requirements that the rest of the country will eventually see. As Sean says, dimming is a requirement in California code, and isn’t that a fundamental part of lighting controls? Webster and …
Dec 1, 2022
Patrick once worked in laser cutting sheet metal, then building recreational vehicles which eventually led to Syndesis, his company that creates solutions for integration. How? Well, you’ll have to listen to this podcast to find out. Webster and …
Nov 17, 2022
With a guy like Steve Mesh, it’s hard to keep the discussion to an hour. In this episode, Webster taps into Steve’s vast knowledge of lighting controls to find out how he became a lighting controls specialist and what can be done now to formalize…
Nov 10, 2022
IoT. What’s that? Internet Of Things. This is an emerging market. Yeah, it’s not exactly lighting controls, but it’s all becoming interconnected. Lights, HVAC, emergency, WiFi, elevators… even refrigerators are becoming connected. If you’re in co…
Nov 3, 2022
Episode 5 - Ensuring A Good User Experience With Controls Are building owners and engineers still not seeing the benefits of lighting controls? Gary explains the reluctance to embrace the technology when the long term benefits are hard to weigh a…
Oct 27, 2022
We’re really geeking out on this one. Steve Terry from ETC is all about codes and standards. Name a code in emergency lighting and Steve probably had a hand in shaping it. He chats with Webster and Ron about the history of lighting control and th…
Oct 20, 2022
Title 24, 2011…DDC Revolution…LP 16…OPR…Commissioning…LP 8, formerly DG 29… It’s enough to make your head spin. Lyn makes it all clear. She even states the exact measurement of a “crap-ton.” But seriously, you want to listen to this and tap into …
Oct 13, 2022
Webster and Ron talk with Dan about how Toggled came to be, from TLED’s to dimming to entire building lighting controls. But with growth comes challenges. Dan and our hosts talk about retrofitting, ballasts/not-ballasts, bluetooth, data collectio…
Sep 30, 2022
Welcome to The Lighting Controls Podcast, where we discuss all things lighting controls. Webster and Ron will be joined by various guests from the lighting industry. In this, our first episode of the new series, Webster and Ron look back at the C…