Focus: Forecast 2026
Submitted by J&M Brown Company
Smart lighting control systems designed for commercial buildings are more advanced than ever, providing users intelligent, wireless lighting control as well as enhanced energy efficiency. The installation of these sophisticated systems requires in-depth training and experience.
In 2025, J&M Brown (JMB) reached meaningful milestones in the lighting controls space. Working in tandem with industry-leading lighting control system manufacturing partners, including Lutron, nLight, and Cooper, our team has continued to refine our approach, developing a repeatable, reliable, and well-coordinated process, resulting in the installation of optimal lighting control for each project.
JMB’s project teams of estimators, project managers, foremen, and skilled electricians undergo extensive manufacturer-specific training and have the experience required to ensure expert design, installation and testing of today’s smart, networked lighting controls systems. In large-scale corporate, commercial and institutional build-outs, these systems include the integration of thousands of lights, and hundreds of lighting system components — including occupancy sensors, dimmers, daylight harvesting sensors, and lighting control panels. The systems are designed and built to optimize lighting while saving energy and improving comfort for building occupants. Cloud-based systems are now becoming the norm, providing clients wireless control to achieve optimal lighting levels and concurrent energy-efficiency management.
Recent and current JMB projects for Fidelity, Bain & Company, Amazon, Google, Eversource, Harvard, MIT and Northeastern University, as well as other leading organizations require the installation of extensive lighting packages and their integration into state-of-the-art lighting control systems.
In 2026 and beyond, building owners, developers, facility managers, and companies across all industry sectors will have a continuing focus on outfitting their facilities with intelligent, networked lighting control systems, both in new construction and retrofit projects. These systems enhance the productivity and “user” experience of building occupants, while delivering significant energy savings. They also allow for facility managers to effectively manage the building environment on an automated schedule, as well as in real time.
As with all electrical systems, the technical expertise, skill, coordination, and experience of the electrical contracting team planning and installing the system is critically important to the project and the system’s operation and performance.