The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announces the launch of ASC 137 Lighting Systems Committee. This committee has received approval from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Executive Standards Council as an Accredited Standards Committee (ASC). This approval is the culmination of a multi-month process and will allow the committee to write American National Standards within its scope.

According to NEMA President and CEO Kevin Cosgriff, the launch of this committee puts NEMA at the forefront of efforts for development of codes and standards for lighting systems technologies. ASC 137 will develop and approve standards under its defined scope:

To develop standards and specifications for indoor and outdoor lighting systems installed in an application with consideration of human health and comfort, personal security, the physical environment, energy consumption and daylight integration. Such a system includes components (e.g., luminaires, sensors/controllers, and windows or skylights) and associated software designed to minimize energy use while maintaining lighting quality, and that may be interconnected to provide control, monitoring functions, and interface with related systems.

“Standardization for compatibility, interoperability, performance, and system security are crucial to accelerating the adoption of lighting systems,” Cosgriff said.

NEMA Technical Director Megan Hayes added that development of American National Standards, via the consensus-based process approved by ANSI, will allow all stakeholders to have input into the standards being developed. This will lead to faster adoption of these critical specifications.