A Q&A with Jason Howe, Lighting Designer and Project Manager, about how luminaire level lighting controls (LLLC) upgrades impact the community for the better.
Can you introduce yourself and share a little about your background in the lighting industry?
My name is Jason Howe, and I’m a Project Manager and Lighting Designer with ecomodus LLC. I’ve worked in the lighting industry for more than 23 years. I started my career doing takeoffs for large-scale lighting projects and eventually transitioned into working with utility lighting incentive programs about 18 years ago. That experience gave me a much deeper understanding of energy efficiency and how to design projects that truly benefit customers long term.
Congratulations on your recent Community Partnership Award! What did that recognition mean to you?
Out of all the awards we’ve received, this one probably means the most to me because it reflects the work we’ve done to help people locally. We’re not just installing lighting systems, we’re helping improve businesses, neighborhoods, and community spaces.
When you can go into a neglected building or area and completely transform it with better lighting and energy savings, it often creates momentum for even more improvements. There have been customers who became emotional after a project was completed because the improvements made such a difference for their business. That’s what makes this work meaningful and something we’re very proud to be a part of.
How do utility partnerships and rebate programs factor into your projects?
Utility partnerships are a huge part of what makes these upgrades possible. We work closely with providers to help customers understand available rebates and incentives, especially for advanced systems like LLLC. The incentives can significantly reduce upfront costs, which helps customers move forward with projects they may have otherwise delayed. Utilities are also a great resource for contractors and installers because they provide guidance, education, and support around the technology.
Why do you recommend LLLC for most projects?
Whenever possible, we recommend LLLC because the benefits are significant. The biggest advantages are energy savings, flexibility, and system longevity. Customers love being able to adjust lighting levels and create custom settings through app-based controls.
Schools are a great example because classrooms, hallways, gyms, and offices all have different lighting needs throughout the day. We recently completed a lighting upgrade for a local school district where the addition of LLLC technology has completely transformed the lighting environment across classrooms, offices, hallways, and gyms. Teachers now benefit from programmable scene settings, and the maintenance team has experienced a significant reduction in lighting-related issues.
Another big advantage is maintenance reduction. LEDs gradually dim over time instead of suddenly failing, and controls like high-end trim can extend fixture life even further. When customers understand the long-term savings and reduced maintenance, they really see the value like less wiring, conduit, and mounting hardware compared to a similar setup using a wall-mounted drive.
What kind of feedback are you hearing after these upgrades are completed?
The response has been overwhelmingly positive for LLLC. The two biggest concerns upfront are usually cost and complexity. Some customers assume the systems will be difficult to use or that they’ll always need outside support to manage them. What we’ve found is that once customers receive proper
training and start using the controls themselves, they realize how user-friendly the systems really are. We also make a point to use products with intuitive app-based interfaces so customers feel comfortable making updates on their own.
As more facilities in our area adopt the technology, word-of-mouth has also helped reduce hesitation. Customers hear positive feedback from other
businesses, schools, and organizations that are already using the systems successfully.
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What advice would you give to other installers or lighting designers interested in LLLC?
My biggest advice is don’t be intimidated by the technology. There are a lot of resources available through utilities, manufacturers, and local suppliers that can help contractors better understand the systems. I’d also encourage installers to focus on long-term value instead of just the lowest upfront cost. When we present customers with “good, better, best” options, we usually recommend the best solution because we know it will provide greater savings, flexibility, and performance over time. In many cases, customers choose it once they understand the benefits.
Installation has also become much easier than people expect. LLLCs are fast to install, often taking less than five minutes per fixture, and the controls make them very simple for customers to manage. At the end of the day, every project should be designed not just for today’s needs, but for the future of the customer’s space and business as well.