By standardizing interfaces for interoperable components of LED luminaires, Zhaga is facilitating luminaire design and in-the-field serviceability

26 Nov - Following its established policies on book publication, the Zhaga Consortium has made Book 18 Ed. 2.0 “Smart interface between outdoor luminaires and sensing / communication modules” available to Community members. 

12 Oct, Zhaga, the global lighting-industry organization that is standardizing interfaces for components of LED luminaires, says hello to Mark Duffy as new Chair of Zhaga’s General Assembly.

8 Oct, Zhaga is planning a 3rd edition of the popular Book 18 specification for outdoor luminaires, that will allow for architectures combining an ANSI C136.41 dimming receptacle with a Zhaga receptacle.  

The China Association of Lighting Industry (CALI) and the Zhaga Consortium (Zhaga) have signed a liaison agreement which entered into force by 1 May 2020.   Read more

22 April, Zhaga member companies can now access the specification and certify luminaires according to the Zhaga-D4i certification program. Dekra and Intertek are the accredited test centres.

15 April, Several outdoor LED luminaries have received Zhaga-D4i certification, as result of the joint program from Zhaga and DiiA.

11 March, Check out this video showing the exciting new look and feel of Zhaga     Watch Now 

8 November, Zhaga member companies can now access the specification and certify luminaires according to the Zhaga-D4i certification program.

Download the press release (ENG)   Press Release on GlobeNewswire Zhaga confirms plan to transfer Book 18 to IEC 26 February 2019 The Zhaga Consortium has confirmed its plan to transfer Book 18 Ed. 2.0 to IEC, after the completion of the specification expected by mid-2019 and approval by the General Assembly. This Book describes a smart interface for outdoor luminaires and specifies power, communication, and mechanical aspects. The decision is following the already ongoing transfers of Books 1,7,10,12 and 14. During its most recent members’ meeting, the Zhaga Consortium confirmed its plan to transfer Zhaga Book 18 Ed. 2.0 to IEC. This transfer follows the existing practice in Zhaga to bring successful and well-adopted specifications to the IEC. This way, Zhaga achieves a wider consensus, a larger audience and full harmonization with existing and accepted IEC standards and practices. The transfer of Book 18 Ed 2.0 follows the ongoing transfers by Zhaga to IEC of its LED module Books 1, 7, 10, 12, and 14, which all have been successfully adopted by the market. Zhaga Book 18 2.0 describes a smart interface for outdoor luminaires and specifies power and communication aspects in addition to the mechanical aspects already covered in Book 18 Ed. 1.0. The book simplifies the addition of application modules such as sensors and communication nodes to LED luminaires with plug-and-play interoperability. This interoperability will be of great benefit to the entire value chain. It reduces complexity and adds value for the luminaire maker, installer and possibly, more importantly, the specifier. Zhaga Book 18 Ed 2.0 will allow any certified module to operate with any certified luminaire.  “The Zhaga mission is all about interoperability”, Zhaga SG Dee Denteneer comments, “and what we are aiming for with Book 18 is a “USB-like industry standard for lighting”. A transfer to IEC of only the mechanical interface specified in Zhaga Book 18 Ed. 1.0 would fall short of our goals. Therefore, we will initiate the transfer only when Ed. 2.0 has been completed because this edition safeguards full interoperability.” As described in the Press Release from 31 January 2019, Zhaga Book 18 Ed 2.0 is a collaboration with the Digital Illumination Industry Alliance (DiiA) and references DiiA specifications.  These DiiA specifications will be transferred to the IEC in a separate process, also following standing practice with the DALI protocols. Zhaga will initiate the transfer with the highest priority after the completion of the specification and its approval by the General Assembly, expected by mid-2019. References:Press Release, 31 January 2019: Zhaga and DiiA agree joint certification program for a smart luminaire interface About Zhaga Zhaga is a global association of lighting companies that is standardizing interfaces of components of LED luminaires, including LED light engines, LED modules, LED arrays, holders, electronic control gear (LED drivers) and connectivity fit systems. This helps to streamline the LED lighting supply chain, and to simplify LED luminaire design and manufacturing. Zhaga continues to develop specifications based on the inter-related themes of interoperable components, smart and connected lighting, and serviceable luminaires. For more information, visit www.zhagastandard.org.

Download the press release (ENG)   Press Release on Globenewswire NEW Zhaga has gone live! 17 December 2018 The Zhaga Consortium has widened its scope of work to address new growth areas in IoT and the service economy. To implement this move, a new Consortium Agreement has been written and members have renewed their membership. Next to component and luminaire manufacturers, the NEW Zhaga aims to expand its outreach to a larger group of companies and offers a new Community Membership. As pre-announced in spring of this year, the Zhaga Consortium, following the most recent trends in the lighting industry had investigated how to best address new business opportunities in digital lighting and service models. This triggered the renovation process of the Zhagascope, to comprehensively address new growth areas in IoT and service economy requiring interoperability and interfaces to smart components, such as sensors and connectivity modules. Now the NEW Zhaga has gone live by means of a new Consortium Agreement, it is based on a new Vision and Mission and expressed by the new Slogan “Smart standards. Smarter lighting.” “Benchmarking against the “current Zhaga”, there is a lot of continuity”, states Dee Denteneer, Secretary General of the Zhaga Consortium. “The NEW Zhaga remains true to its original mission to “specify interfaces of components in LED luminaires”. Also, it will keep the specifications as thin as possible to maintain design freedom and scope for differentiation also in the next emerging space of interfaces to smart components.” In fact, the new vision extends the current scope with interfaces enabling the connectivity of luminaires to the IoT network, and the upgrade and service of LED luminaires depending on the design choices by the luminaire manufacturer. This new scope aims for true interoperability and now includes the interfaces to sensors and connectivity modules, but also the interface between module and driver. This positions Zhaga as a key enabler of crucial developments in the lighting industry. The NEW Zhaga is also reaching out to a new group of companies comprising installers, specifiers, architects, and end users. The ability to upgrade or service luminaires and the availability of a wide supply of interoperable components will become appealing to these usercategories, as well as the testing and certification program that warrants interoperability. To serve these new groups, the NEW Zhaga offers a “community” membership. Community members receive membership benefits like the access to selected information on themembers’ area of the website, the access to the Zhaga bookstore and the dedicated Community Membership logo. Community membership is free of charge. Regular and Associate Members continue to receive specific benefits, such as early access to specifications. However, Zhaga has changed its publication strategy, and will no longer publish its specifications to non-member companies. About Zhaga Zhaga is a global association of lighting companies that is standardizing interfaces of components ofLED luminaires, including LED light engines, LED modules, LED arrays, holders, electronic control gear (LED drivers) and connectivity fit systems. This helps to streamline the LED lighting supply chain, and to simplify LED luminaire design and manufacturing. Zhaga continues to develop specifications based on the inter-related themes of interoperable components, smart and connected lighting, and serviceable luminaires. For more information, visit www.zhagastandard.org.  

Download this press release (ENG)   Press Release on Globenewswire DIIA AND ZHAGA START COOPERATION ON IOT SOLUTIONS FOR LIGHTING March 14, 2018 The trend in lighting towards digitalisation and the need for defining interfaces for sensors and connectivity modules is well recognized. Both the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA) and the Zhaga Consortium (Zhaga) are developing important technology in this area. DiiA recently announced that it is “developing specifications for an optimised DALI interface inside luminaires, which will simplify the connection of luminaires to IoT networks.” Simultaneously, the Zhaga Consortium reported that it “has finalized a new specification (Book 18) that helps to bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to outdoor LED lighting fixtures.” The organizations have now signed a liaison agreement with the aim to share technical information about available and upcoming specifications and certification programs, and the timelines of these. The first step will be to align the DALI-based communication protocol with the Zhaga Book 18 specification. “Both organizations understand the market needs and have decided to sign a liaison agreement,” comments Ruud van Bokhorst, General Manager of DiiA, adding, “this liaison allows us to make the correct decisions on the best way forward in addressing this important market need.” As Giovanni Scilla, Chair of the Zhaga Steering Committee, points out, “By means of this liaison we aim to explore possibilities to define truly comprehensive specifications and certification programs, which will be the base for broad adoption of digitalization in lighting and increased speed to market.”

Download this press release (ENG)   Press release Globenewswire The NEW Zhaga – Smart standards. Smarter lighting. Zhaga opens new business opportunities in digital lighting and service models by extending the scope of interface specifications. The NEW Zhaga will include interfaces for smart components such as sensors and connectivity modules and will focus on interoperability. This move is reflected in the new slogan “Smart standards. Smarter lighting” and the new vision-mission statement. 13 March 2018 The Zhaga task force “Strategy”, led by Giovanni Scilla, Chair of the Steering Committee, has investigated opportunities for Zhaga offered by recent trends in the lighting industry. Particularly relevant are here the combination of LED lighting and lighting digitalization, the need of light designers and architects for components that can be assembled easily, also at a late stage, by meansof standardized interfaces, as well as requirements put on lighting systems from a circular economy perspective. Besides creating specifications for electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal interfaces for components to be used in LED luminaires, the NEW Zhaga will include interfaces for smart components such as sensors and connectivity modules in its scope. It will focus on interoperability and will open new business opportunities in digital lighting and service models. The latest Zhaga specification, Book 18, is already an indication of the new direction. It defines a standardized interface between outdoor LED luminaires and modules for sensing and communication, bringing the Internet of Things to the outdoor lighting market via smart, upgradeable, future-proof fixtures. The NEW Zhaga will start the development of a connectivity interface specification for indoorluminaires in Q2/2018. The NEW Zhaga scope enables manufacturers to make LED luminaires with Zhaga-compliant components, which are upgradeable and serviceable, depending on the design choices taken by the luminaire manufacturer and the serviceability level of the luminaire. This will be a key contributing factor to accelerate the adoption for smart luminaires in the market place. Legislation also develops policiesin that direction, with the EU driving circular economy and requesting removability, reparability and serviceability in luminaires. By providing interface specifications for interoperable components, Zhaga paves the way for luminaire manufacturers to comply with the upcoming legislation. The NEW Zhaga will also introduce a new member category, called “community” with a free membership and a dedicated set of benefits. It is aimed at installers, specifiers, architects, and end-users, and other interested parties, enabling closer interactions. The preregistration at Light + Building at our booth or online will be possible. To capture these opportunities the Consortium Agreement is currently reworked. It will be submitted to the General Assembly in April, members will then be asked to sign up for the new agreement. Get in touch with us to receive more details at Light + Building, Frankfurt (Hall 4.1, B15). Press release: Announcing the NEW Zhaga About Zhaga Zhaga is a global association of lighting companies that is standardizing interfaces of components of LED luminaires, including LED light engines, LED modules, LED arrays, holders, electronic control gear (LED drivers) and connectivity fit systems. This helps to streamline the LED lighting supply chain and to simplify LED luminaire design and manufacturing. Zhaga continues to develop specifications based on the inter-related themes of interoperable components, smart and connected lighting, and serviceable luminaires. For more information, visit www.zhagastandard.org. Contact Axel Baschnagel, The Zhaga Consortium, Marketing + Communications, marcom@zhagastandard.org

Download this press release (ENG)   Zhaga enables IoT-upgradeable outdoor LED lighting fixtures The latest Zhaga specification defines a standardized interface between outdoor LED luminaires and modules for sensing and communication, bringing the Internet of Things to the outdoor lighting market via smart, upgradeable, future-proof fixtures. February 2018 The Zhaga Consortium, a global association of lighting companies that is standardizing components of LED luminaires, has finalized a new specification that helps to bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to outdoor LED lighting fixtures. The specification, known as Zhaga Book 18, makes it easy to upgrade LED fixtures by adding or changing 24V modules that provide sensing and communication capabilities. Demonstrating Zhaga’s priority focus to support the merger of IoT and lighting technologies, this specification marks the first step in a new direction for Zhaga that will also enable similar capabilities for future-proofed indoor luminaires. “This new Book 18 specification answers the industry’s call for a standardized interface with a smaller footprint than existing designs,” says Dee Denteneer, Secretary General of Zhaga. “It enables the installation of future-proofed outdoor LED luminaires, which can be easily upgraded with smart communication and sensing capabilities. Moving forward, I expect Zhaga to make more contributions to bring the IoT into the lighting industry.” Smart LED lighting fixtures with sensing and communication capabilities can significantly improve the efficiency, maintenance and running costs of outdoor lighting networks. In this period of rapid IoT evolution, there are many unanswered questions about the correct choice of sensing technologies and communication protocols that future smart-lighting networks will require. However, outdoor LED lighting fixtures are being installed right now, with an expected lifetime of around 20 years or more, and the cost of retrofitting can be prohibitively expensive. Zhaga’s Book 18 specification solves this dilemma by enabling future-proof luminaires that can be upgraded as technologies evolve. Book 18 defines a standardized interface between a receptacle on the exterior of the LED luminaire and a sensing and communication module that fits into the receptacle. The standardized interface means that the module can be easily replaced in the field, allowing the luminaire to be upgraded via the addition of new smart capabilities. Also, the luminaire can be shipped with a blank cap in the receptacle, allowing a module to be field-installed at a later date if required. “The issuing of Zhaga’s Book 18 has been warmly welcomed by Lucy Zodion,” says John Fox, Managing Director of Lucy Zodion, a UK-based leader in the design and manufacture of streetlighting equipment. “With the specification now ratified, it is an essential element to Smart Lighting Controls within Future Cities, which we recognize as a huge opportunity for innovation. We have worked with a number of collaborative partners to create the PrecizionHALO, an intelligent Photocell platform designed to match the potential offered by this new interface, with an ecosystem that enhances future compatibility.” Specification details Book 18 Ed.1.0 defines the mechanical interface between the module or cap and receptacle. However, many non-critical aspects are not restricted by the specification, allowing vendor differentiation and design innovation. The specification has recommendations for the electrical interface, which features a 4-pin connector. The recommended pin assignment enables the required 24V DC power supply, as well as DALI control and a general Logic Signal Input (LSI). Book 18 Ed.1.0 offers a number of advantages compared with the existing ANSI/NEMA standard C136.10-2010. This describes locking-type photo-control devices and mating receptacles and is used mainly in the USA and the UK. Book 18 Ed.1.0 enables modules with a much smaller footprint, which in turn will allow greater design flexibility for the luminaire. Also, the Zhaga specification uses 24V rather than mains voltage.  More information on Book 18 Ed.1.0 can be found on the Zhaga website at Book 18.Zhaga intends to start developing the Ed.2.0 of the Book 18, aiming to add requirements for the electrical and control interface and thus enabling true interoperability of 24V modules that provide sensing and communication capabilities to outdoor LED lighting fixtures About Zhaga Zhaga is a global association of lighting companies that is standardizing interfaces of components of LED luminaires, including LED light engines, LED modules, LED arrays, holders, electronic control gear (LED drivers) and connectivity fit systems. This helps to streamline the LED lighting supply chain, and to simplify LED luminaire design and manufacturing. Zhaga continues to develop specifications based on the inter-related themes of interoperable components, smart and connected lighting, and serviceable luminaires. For more information, visit www.zhagastandard.org. Contact Axel BaschnagelMarketing Communications Director, Zhaga Consortium, marcom@zhagastandard.org