As lighting technology improves and sources shift to solid-state lighting (SSL) with LEDs, savings opportunities dramatically increase duetheir inherent digital control functionality. Implementing multiple control strategies within centralized, networked control systems is typically onlyrecognized by energy efficiency programs through HVAC applications. With the advent of lighting control technologies capable of multiple, tieredcontrol strategies, which have verified energy savings in excess of 75 percent, we now have facilities that represent distributed energy resourcesmanaged by an integrated network control system with real-time reporting capabilities.

Real-time reporting lets managers see their detailed, lighting energy usage patterns and provides them the data they need to optimize systemuse. With lighting systems' energy usage averaging nearly 40 percent of a building's total electricity consumption, integrated lighting control becomesa critical yet often underutilized avenue for significant energy savings.

Both networked lighting control solutions (wired and wireless) and intelligent fixture technologies are improving at a rapid pace. The energyefficiencyindustry's slow response to accept emerging technology leaves it prone to an era of continuous commissioning. This paper's purpose is toformulate a new lighting and networked controls system evaluation approach that utilizes the same system evaluation methodology used forHVAC.

A change to the lighting evaluation process can increase the energy savings attributed to lighting controls by nearly 200 percent. Byrecognizing the full value of today's advances in lighting and networked control technology, and providing appropriate evaluation and incentivesupport, we can provide networked systems with the edge they need to go from best practice to standard practice in more new buildings and retrofitdesigns.