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Technology often promises great advances for mankind. In many cases it fulfills these promises and sometimes it falls short. Then there are those rare technologies that surpass the initial expectations, because the technology can do far more than what was initially imagined. LED lighting was developed with the promise to cost- effectively reduce global electricity consumption by more than 10 per cent and is well on the way to fulfilling this promise as the accepted choice for new lighting installations. It is now recognized that other lighting technologies waste energy and money. However, we have only scratched the surface of the technology’s potential. Intelligent LED lighting has the ability to go beyond energy savings to make buildings and the people in them more efficient, healthy and productive. Tapping into this potential means understanding that LED lighting technology is bigger than the light itself. We are rapidly moving past the stage of simply replacing existing light sources with more efficient alternatives and are entering a new era, creating intelligent systems that will enable the full promise of connected communities. Connected intelligent LED lighting systems are driven by the integration of intelligent lighting products, integrated sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to collect and analyze data about buildings and spaces. Through the use of predictive artificial intelligence, the systems can generate insights to continuously improve operations. By leveraging the IoT ecosystem, intelligent lighting improves the buildings where we live, work and play. Building operators can better manage their energy usage, improve space utilization and reduce CHARLES M. SWOBODA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CREE, INC.BEYOND ENERGY SAVINGS:INTELLIGENT LED LIGHTING STIMULATING GLOBAL MARKETS AND BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES“THE HUMAN AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF INTELLIGENT LED LIGHTING IS FAR-REACHING AND TOUCHES MANY SECTORS OF SOCIETY”044 INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY