Illuminating Engineering Society Announces Agreement with Telecommunications Industry Association

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) announced recently that it is joining with the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) in signing an Honorary and Friendship Agreement to exchange information and promote harmonious standards development in intelligent building systems, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives.

“The illumination industry has realized that the key to maximizing energy-efficiency lies in the use of technologies that are integrated and work intelligently to control the function and operating time of building lighting systems,” said William Hanley, executive VP of IES. “The key to these technologies is the ability to collect useful information and communicate that information to the lighting control system. Working with TIA to develop, enhance, and promote these technologies will result in reduced energy consumption and lower costs while maintaining a productive, safe environment."

Technological innovation is becoming an integral part of inter- and intra-building communications in the energy arena. Both IES and TIA plan to continue efforts to improve the energy-efficiency of lighting systems, control systems and the communications network that connects them as these become even more important.

"TIA is very excited to establish this friendship agreement with the Illuminating Engineering Society,” said TIA President Grant Seiffert. “While the march towards convergence has been long, there is no question that convergence is here, today, and is extending well beyond the traditional phone and data services into others, like illumination. The Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry is embracing these opportunities to support the connection and control of devices to realize optimized, energy-efficient operation.”

“The partnership with TIA for the development of standards for Intelligent Building Cabling, Data Communications, and Sustainable Technology Environments Program (STEP) will help launch the infrastructure necessary for the progression toward true High Performance Buildings and the resulting opportunities for the lighting industry”, stated Hanley.