The Instructions Behind a Street Light
In short: How passive infrared motion sensors, standardised photocontrol sockets and networked control systems can manage outdoor lights, and why their measured benefits depend on the setting.
A 2:06 short film in the series “How Things Work”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium (MSSLC), “Model Specification for Networked Outdoor Lighting Control Systems”; American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Webstore; standard published by NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association), “ANSI C136.10-2023 - Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment - Locking-Type Photocontrol Devices and Mating Receptacles - Physical and Electrical Interchangeability and Testing”; ANSI Webstore (American National Standards Institute); standard content provider NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association, “ANSI C136.41-2025 - Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment–Dimming Control Between an External Locking Type Photocontrol and Ballast or Driver”; UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute / California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC), University of California, Davis, “Project 2: Occupancy Sensing for Lighting Controls in Outdoor Applications”; U.S. Department of Energy (Solid-State Lighting program; research by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PNNL), “Connected Lighting Systems”; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy, “Lighting Science and Technology Laboratory”; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy, “Advanced Lighting”.
Sources used in this film
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium (MSSLC) — Model Specification for Networked Outdoor Lighting Control Systems · View →
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Webstore; standard published by NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) — ANSI C136.10-2023 - Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment - Locking-Type Photocontrol Devices and Mating Receptacles - Physical and Electrical Interchangeability and Testing · View →
- ANSI Webstore (American National Standards Institute); standard content provider NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association — ANSI C136.41-2025 - Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment–Dimming Control Between an External Locking Type Photocontrol and Ballast or Driver · View →
- UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute / California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC), University of California, Davis — Project 2: Occupancy Sensing for Lighting Controls in Outdoor Applications · View →
- U.S. Department of Energy (Solid-State Lighting program; research by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PNNL) — Connected Lighting Systems · View →
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy — Lighting Science and Technology Laboratory · View →
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy — Advanced Lighting · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium (MSSLC): Model Specification for Networked Outdoor Lighting Control Systems
- Also: American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Webstore; standard published by NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Ass: ANSI C136.10-2023 - Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment - Locking-Type Photocontrol Devices and Mating Receptacles - Physical and Electrical Interchangeability and Testing
- Also: ANSI Webstore (American National Standards Institute); standard content provider NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers: ANSI C136.41-2025 - Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment–Dimming Control Between an External Locking Type Photocontrol and Ballast or Driver
- Also: UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute / California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC), University of California, Davis: Project 2: Occupancy Sensing for Lighting Controls in Outdoor Applications
- Also: U.S. Department of Energy (Solid-State Lighting program; research by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PNNL): Connected Lighting Systems
- Also: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy: Lighting Science and Technology Laboratory
- Also: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), U.S. Department of Energy: Advanced Lighting
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