NFPA 70 is one of the most widely used standards for electrotechnology in the world. The University of Michigan began assertive advocacy on behalf of the US education industry in the NFPA suite in 1996 and that advocacy has expanded globally under two different private organizations: See About
Phase I is now completed. The Phase I Final Report (with public comments) is available in the links below:
In October, the project Principal Researcher, Tammy Gammon, provided an update to the NFPA Research Foundation. Her slides are available in the link below:
We wish to thank our colleagues at Notre Dame who helped “get the ball rolling”, our colleagues in the Big Ten & Friends consortia, and forward-thinking manufacturers for their pledges:
Eaton Corporation
MIAPPA | Michigan Association of Physical Plant Administrators
Michigan State University
Ohio State University
University of Iowa
University of Minnesota
University of Nebraska
University of Texas Austin
Issue [13-33]
Contact: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Richard Robben (True North, LLC); Tom Harman (University of Houston Clearwater), Kane Howard (Michigan State University), Paul Kempf (Notre Dame)
Colleagues: Robert G. Arno (Harris Corp), Joe Weber (Emerson), Casey Grant (NFPA), Larry Ayers (Independent Electrical Contractors Association)
Artificial lighting was first introduced to theater dramatic performance stages in the 17th century. The use of candles and oil lamps initially provided a means to illuminate the stage, allowing performances to take place in the evening and enhancing the visibility for both actors and the audience. Before this development, theatrical performances were typically held during daylight hours due to the reliance on natural light.
In the early 17th century, theaters in England began experimenting with various lighting techniques. Thomas Killigrew’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, is often credited as one of the first theaters to use artificial lighting. The use of candles and later oil lamps evolved over time, leading to more sophisticated lighting setups as technology advanced.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw further innovations in stage lighting, including the use of gas lamps. Eventually, the introduction of electric lighting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries revolutionized stage lighting, providing theaters with a more reliable and controllable source of illumination. This allowed for greater creativity in the design and execution of lighting effects, contributing significantly to the overall theatrical experience.
Standards Michigan, spun-off in 2016 from the original University of Michigan Business & Finance Operation, has peppered NFPA 70 technical committees writing the 2016-2026 National Electric Code with proposals to reduce the size of building premise feeder infrastructure; accommodating the improvements made in illumination and rotating machinery energy conservation since the 1980’s (variable frequency drives, LED lighting, controls, etc.)
These proposals are routinely voted down in 12-20 member committees representing manufacturers (primarily) though local inspection authorities are complicit in overbuilding electric services because they “bill by the service panel ampere rating”. In other words, when a municipality can charge a higher inspection fee for a 1200 ampere panel, what incentive is there to support changes to the NEC that takes that inspection fee down to 400 amperes?
The energy conservation that would result from the acceptance of our proposals into the NEC are related to the following: reduced step down transformer sizes, reduced wire and conduit sizes, reduced panelboard sizes, reduced electric room cooling systems — including the HVAC cooling systems and the ceiling plenum sheet metal carrying the waste heat away. Up to 20 percent energy savings is in play here and all the experts around the table know it. So much for the economic footprint of the largest non-residential building construction market in the United States — about $120 billion annually.
The market incumbents are complicit in ignoring energy conservation opportunity. To paraphrase one of Mike Anthony’s colleagues representing electrical equipment manufacturers:
“You’re right Mike, but I am getting paid to vote against you.”
For decades, application of National Electrical Code (NEC) rules for sizing services, feeders and branch circuits has resulted in unused capacity in almost all occupancy classes. US Department of Energy data compiled in 1999 indicates average load on building transformers between 10 and 25 percent. More recent data gathered by the educational facilities industry has verified this claim. Recognizing that aggressive energy codes are driving energy consumption lower, and that larger than necessary transformers create larger than necessary flash hazard, the 2014 NEC will provide an exception in Section 220.12 that will permit designers to reduce transformer kVA ratings and all related components of the power delivery system. This is a conservative, incremental step in the direction of reduced load density that is limited to lighting systems. More study of feeder and branch circuit loading is necessary to inform discussion about circuit design methods in future revisions of the NEC.
“Starry Night Over the Rhône” 1888 Vincent van Gogh
Today we refresh our understanding of the moment in illumination technologies for outdoor lighting systems— related but different from our exploration of building interior illumination systems in Illumination 200. Later in 2023 we will roll out Illumination 500 which explores litigation related to public illumination technology. As cities-within-cities the shared perimeter of a campus with the host municipality has proven rich in legal controversy and action.
Illumination technology was the original inspiration for the electric utility industry; providing night-time security and transforming every sector of every economy on earth. Lighting load remains the largest component of any building’s electric load — about 35 percent– making it a large target for energy regulations.
Our inquiry begins with selections from the following documents…
2023 National Electrical Code: Article 410 (While the bulk of the NEC concerns indoor wiring fire hazards, there are passages that inform outdoor lighting wiring safety)
…and about 20 other accredited, consortia or ad hoc standards developers and publishers aligned principally with vertical incumbents. Illumination was the original inspiration (i.e. the first “killer app”) for the electrical power industry in every nation. Its best practice literature reflects a fast-moving, shape-changing domain.
Click in today with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
Upper Wharfedale Primary Federation School District Yorkshire Dales
Outdoor lighting systems can be owned and maintained by different entities depending on the context and location. Here are some examples of ownership regimes for outdoor lighting systems:
Public ownership: In this case, outdoor lighting systems are owned and maintained by the local government or municipal authority. The lighting may be installed in public spaces such as parks, streets, and other outdoor areas for the safety and convenience of the public.
Private ownership: Outdoor lighting systems may be owned by private individuals or organizations. For example, a business owner may install outdoor lighting for security or aesthetic reasons, or a homeowner may install outdoor lighting in their garden or yard.
Co-owned: Outdoor lighting systems may be owned jointly by multiple entities. For example, a residential community may jointly own and maintain outdoor lighting in their shared spaces such as parking areas, community parks, or recreational facilities.
Utility ownership: Outdoor lighting systems may be owned and maintained by utility companies such as electric or energy companies. These companies may install and maintain street lights or other lighting systems for the public good.
Third-party ownership: In some cases, a third-party entity may own and maintain outdoor lighting systems on behalf of a public or private entity. For example, a lighting contractor may install and maintain lighting in a public park on behalf of a local government.
The ownership regime of an outdoor lighting system can have implications for issues such as installation, maintenance, and cost-sharing. It is important to consider ownership when designing and implementing outdoor lighting systems to ensure their long-term effectiveness and sustainability.
“The Schoolgirl Reading by Lamplight” 1917 | Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky
Replacing oil and natural gas lighting, the first practical electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Joseph W. Swan filed a similar Electric Lamp Patent in 1880. One of the first large-scale installations of electric lighting was at the Savoy Theatre in London in 1881, which was followed by the installation of electric lights in the Palace of Westminster in 1882. By the 1890s, electric lighting had become more widespread and affordable.
The widespread transition to LED lighting in buildings began in the early 2010s. While LED technology had been available since the 1960s, it wasn’t until the 2000s that the technology improved to the point where LED lighting was cost-effective and efficient enough to replace traditional lighting technologies like incandescent and fluorescent lighting. In addition to their energy efficiency, LED lights also have a longer lifespan than traditional lighting technologies, which makes them more cost-effective over the long term.
Today we refresh our understanding of the moment in illumination technologies. Illumination technology was the original inspiration for the electric utility industry; providing night-time security and transforming every sector of every economy on earth. Lighting load remains the largest component of any building’s electric load — about 35 percent– making it a large target for energy regulations. We are organizing our approach to this topic during 2023:
Illumination 100. Survey of illumination standards catalogs
Illumination 200. Interior illumination including industrial and laboratory occupancies
Illumination 300. Exterior illumination with emphasis on pathways
Illumination 400. Sport lighting, interior and exterior
Illumination 500. Advanced topics including relevant legislation and noteworthy litigation.
Except jankiness well into 2025. We have been doing this work since 1993 — starting with the National Electrical Code — and getting the topic organized into manageable segments will be a challenge.
Today our inquiry begins with selections from the following documents:
…and about 20 other accredited, consortia or ad hoc standards developers and publishers aligned principally with vertical incumbents. Illumination was the original inspiration (i.e. the first “killer app”) for the electrical power industry in every nation. Its best practice literature reflects a fast-moving, shape-changing domain.
Click in today with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
Upper Wharfedale Primary Federation School District Yorkshire Dales
Abstract: Increase in the number of electric vehicles (EV) is closely related to the availability of a charging station network. Users of electric vehicles require high-quality distribution and well-covered charging network. The obstacles in electric mobility are small mobility of electric cars due to the lack of charging stations. The main objective of the paper is to encourage the growth of electric mobility through the development of electric vehicle charging stations. Integration of EV charging stations in public lighting infrastructure with proper demand side management (DSM) is a step forward to microgrid system deployment. It can contribute to microgrid stability and decrease distribution network dependence. Electric vehicles have a significant role in peak load shaving in microgrid due to its threefold role. They can be observed as demand side, supply side or storage. As a consumer or storage, they can take over energy surplus from a distributed generation or provide stored energy in key moments as flexible supply. In that way, they actively participate in the microgrid. Technical possibilities of EV charging stations integration in public lighting infrastructure are explored through this paper. Special attention is devoted to conditions and limitations of charging stations integration regarding power system grid, public lighting system and legislative framework. Paper provides fundamentals of EV charging stations and public lighting system where possibilities and limitations of integration are presented. Furthermore, the paper deals with limitations from the perspective of transformer capacity and cable cross sections which are obtained through analysis of calculated results.
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Université de Toulouse, Laplace, UMR 5213 (CNRS, INPT, UPS), 118 rte de Narbonne, Toulouse, France
Abstract: With the advent of Solid State Lighting came a renewed interest in the study of flicker. Potential effects include brightness enhancement, but also discomfort, ocular fatigue, phantom and stroboscopic effects. Both IEEE and IEC developed new metrics, but at the time of writing no firm consensus has been reached. Yet previous lamp studies in the Laplace laboratory showed that various flicker phenomenon are present on different lamps, but this feature is not documented. This paper focus on flicker changes w.r.t. applied voltage. The Indonesian power grid network is indeed characterized by large voltage variations; our purpose is to detect which lamps may exhibit too elevated flicker levels during out of nominal excursion and map such behavior with other electrical characteristics.
Replacing oil and natural gas lighting, the first practical electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Joseph W. Swan filed a similar Electric Lamp Patent in 1880. One of the first large-scale installations of electric lighting was at the Savoy Theatre in London in 1881, which was followed by the installation of electric lights in the Palace of Westminster in 1882. By the 1890s, electric lighting had become more widespread and affordable.
The widespread transition to LED lighting in buildings began in the early 2010s. While LED technology had been available since the 1960s, it wasn’t until the 2000s that the technology improved to the point where LED lighting was cost-effective and efficient enough to replace traditional lighting technologies like incandescent and fluorescent lighting. In addition to their energy efficiency, LED lights also have a longer lifespan than traditional lighting technologies, which makes them more cost-effective over the long term.
Today we refresh our understanding of the moment in illumination technologies. Illumination technology was the original inspiration for the electric utility industry; providing night-time security and transforming every sector of every economy on earth. Lighting load remains the largest component of any building’s electric load — about 35 percent– making it a large target for energy regulations. We are organizing our approach to this topic during 2023:
Illumination 100. Survey of illumination standards catalogs
Illumination 200. Interior illumination including industrial and laboratory occupancies
Illumination 300. Exterior illumination with emphasis on pathways
Illumination 400. Sport lighting, interior and exterior
Illumination 500. Advanced topics including relevant legislation and litigation.
Except jankiness for most of 2023. We have been doing this work since 1993 — starting with the National Electrical Code — and getting the topic organized into manageable segments will be a challenge.
Today our inquiry begins with selections from the following documents:
…and about 20 other accredited, consortia or ad hoc standards developers and publishers aligned principally with vertical incumbents. Illumination was the original inspiration (i.e. the first “killer app”) for the electrical power industry in every nation. Its best practice literature reflects a fast-moving, shape-changing domain.
Click in today with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
Upper Wharfedale Primary Federation School District Yorkshire Dales
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
