Redwood Systems extends lighting controls platform beyond LEDs

Is this another signal that light-emitting diodes (aka LEDs) won't be the be-all, end-all when it comes to energy efficiency? Lighting management technology developer Redwood Systems, which used to focus exclusively on controlling LED lighting technologies, has extended its platform to support other lighting fixtures.

That support now covers fluorescent, high-intensity discharge, and compact-fluorescent lighting technologies.

The new Redwood Systems product includes the Redwood Universal Gateway and the Redwood Sensor. The first component controls when fixtures are turned off or on, or dimmed. The Sensor component collects information about lighting levels, whether or not a room has occupants, and ambient temperatures. The two work in concert to use lighting more efficiently depending on whether or not a particular area of a building is in use.

Redwood Systems CEO David Leonard indicated that the decision to support other platforms reflects the fact that most facilities will use a mixture of different lighting fixtures for some time to come. Apparently, a number of Redwood Systems customers and customer prospects have been requesting better management capabilities for non-LED lighting platforms.

"The move to LED technology in the commercial space is inevitable, but in the short-term, we see mixed-use facilities that have multiple lighting types," said Michael Siminovitch, director of the California Lighting Technology Center, in the press release detailing the Redwood Systems decision.

Is the Redwood Systems decision another reflection of the slower than expected uptick for LEDs? I'm choosing to consider it a positive sign for commercial and corporate interest interest in energy efficiency, a strategy that shouldn't require massive building updates for an immediate impact.