LS-I

NAILD Member Pricing: $299 with code NAILDLS1
IMARK Member Pricing: $399 with code IMARKLS1
NEMRA Member Pricing: $399 with code NEMRALS1
Non-Member Pricing: $499


NAILD Lighting Specialist-I Training

The online LS-I training and certificate provides NAILD distributor and vendor manufacturing members with a measurable and systematic way to help educate your staff, recognize their achievement and strengthen their knowledge of lighting fundamentals. In 2021, NAILD combines the LS-I course with the LS-C course to both raise awareness of the growing importance of lighting controls as well as increase the value of the course as a whole. Courses were updated to include information on LEDs as well as to incorporate Lighting Specialist Control Training modules.

The LS-I program helps build staff confidence and competence in talking with customers about lighting products and guiding their buying decisions:

LS-I Benefits

-Increase new or mid-level employees’ knowledge and expertise in lighting basics, lighting products and lighting controls by:

  • Developing lighting professionals who can knowledgeably pair controls with LED upgrades to increase sales and be more competitive.

-Increased knowledge on selecting the right control strategy, developing a controls narrative, and applying products to applications and commissioning.

  • Lighting professionals can showcase their expertise and tell your customers what to do and which products to select.
  • Lighting professionals can match popular lighting control strategies to application strategies.
  • Lighting professionals can match lighting loads to controls through control zoning and with an understanding of light source behavior while being controlled.
  • Lighting professionals can match lighting control equipment to control strategies and application characteristics while ensuring compatibility and proper integration.
  • Lighting professionals can develop an effective lighting control solution through a design process that starts with owner requirements and ends with commissioning.

-Build the bench strength of your lighting department and sales employees so they sell lighting products more effectively

-Strengthen customer relationships and grow sales

-Enhance employee retention by demonstrating the company values the employee candidates receive by investing in their professional development

Who Should Enroll for LS-I Training?

LS-I training on lighting fundamentals cuts the learning curve for employees that strive to become lighting experts:

  • New and mid-level employees who work in lighting, or want to learn more about the lighting category
  • Counter and customer service staff
  • Inside and outside sales people
  • Administrative staff

NAILD Lighting Specialist-I

NAILD’s LS-I program uses a self-paced yet challenging “blended learning” approach which combines the best of technical instruction with user-friendly opportunities for hands-on experience to provide a highly powerful and effective training tool. Being that the course is completely on demand, the suggested time frame for completion can be as short as 2-3 weeks to the maximum time of 6 months.

The newly revised LS-I course helps candidates understand how and when to transition their customers from traditional technologies to solid state lighting (LEDs) and consists of the following ‘Building Block’ approach to lighting proficiency.

The NAILD LS-I course is made up of 12 learning modules with quizzes and a final exam. 8 of the learning modules are the original LS-I course, with 4 more modules from LS-C making up the rest of the new combined LS-I course.

The primary objective of this course is for the student to become competent and confident in their knowledge of lighting concepts, so working at their own pace is key for the student to be successful and learn as much as possible.

Upon successful completion, the student graduates can download and print their certificate of completion and use of the LS-I appellation.

*As of 2021, the entire course has been migrated from the previous platform to the newly developed NAILD website and learning program.

NAILD Member Pricing: $299 with code NAILDLS1
IMARK Member Pricing: $399 with code IMARKLS1
NEMRA Member Pricing: $399 with code NEMRALS1
Non-Member Pricing: $499

For a highlight of the Modules, see below.

NAILD LS-I Modules – Transition from Legacy Sources to LED + Controls Training

LS 101 Course Overview

An overview of the LS-I course, how the course will help you transition from traditional sources to LED, and the key role played by electrical distributors and other lighting professionals in today’s dynamic lighting upgrade market.

Chapter 1: How to navigate this course
Chapter 2: How to take this course
Chapter 3: Why study light and lighting?
Chapter 4: Where are you in the “Light Delivery System”?

LS 102 Introduction to Sources

An overview of the major light sources, an introduction to key lighting terms, and an opportunity to identify the light sources in a variety of lit spaces

Chapter 1: Light Sources – How They Operate & How They Fail
Chapter 2: Lamp Terminology – 20 Terms You Need to Know
Chapter 3: Treasure Hunt – Finding Sources in the Field

LS 103 Light and Color

A discussion of the nature of light, how humans see light and color, and how lighting influences our experience of color, with a special section on LEDs and color.

Chapter 1: What is Light?
Chapter 2: How Do We See Light?
Chapter 3: Where Does Color Come From?
Chapter 4: Color Temperature and Color Rendering

LS 104 The Eye and How We See

A review of the parts of the human eye and the role they play in helping us to see, as well as a discussion of the limitations of the eye and circumstances that restrict our ability to perform visual tasks. Includes a discussion of how LEDs might affect brightness perception.

Chapter 1: How the Eye Works
Chapter 2: What Affects Our Ability to See?

LS 105 Solid State Lighting (LED) Lamps

A discussion of the strengths, weaknesses, and operating characteristics of LED lamps, including why and how the key differences between traditional technologies and LEDs matter to you and your customer.

Exercise 1: Effect of Temperature at the P.N Junction on Life
Exercise 2: Building Your LED Vocabulary
Exercise 3: Calculating Emitted or Delivered Lumens
Exercise 4: Treasure Hunt
Exercise 5: Comparing Life and Lumen Maintenance

LS 106 Transition: Filament to LED

A review of filament source technology, its continuation through at least 2020, and the rapid transition to LED technology, including a discussion of the differences in driving these sources, measuring lumens, accounting for the fixture effect, dimming them, and why some filament sources will have life beyond LEDs.

Exercise 1: Comparing Sources
Exercise 2a & 2b: Measuring Lamp FCs and Watts
Exercise 3: Measuring Fixture FCs and Watts
Exercise 4: Spacing to Mounting Height
Exercise 5: Payback and ROI

LS 107 Transition: Fluorescent to LED

Should a customer move from fluorescent technology to LED? An understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of Fluorescent lamps as well as the choices available – from remaining with fluorescent technology to opting for a lamp change, retrofit kit, new luminaire, etc. – will help you deliver the best solution to your customer.

Chapter 1 – “Bucket of Lamps”
Chapter 2 – How Fluorescent Sources Work
Chapter 3 – Ballasts: Instant, Rapid and Programmed Start

LS 108 Transition: High Intensity Discharge (HID) to LED

A discussion of the various HID sources, when to use them and how they stack up against LEDs in a variety of indoor and outdoor applications, as well as a review of key issues such as control of light and measurement of lumens.

Exercise 1: Comparing HID Sources
Exercise 2: Why Objects Look Different under Different Light Sources
Exercise 3a: Comparing an Indoor HID to LED Conversion
Exercise 3b: Comparing an Outdoor HID to LED Conversion

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO LIGHTING CONTROL

An overview of the fundamentals and goals of lighting control, popular control strategies defined by different inputs and outputs, control zoning, and the elements of an effective lighting control solution.

MODULE 2: CONTROLLING LIGHT SOURCES

A discussion of common control effects of switching and dimming and their effect of the behavior on incandescent/halogen, compact and linear fluorescent, induction, HID, LED and light-emitting plasma sources.

MODULE 3: LIGHTING CONTROL EQUIPMENT

An extensive discussion of popular types of lighting control equipment including occupancy sensors, control panels, light sensors, dimming controls, intelligent control, and device communication and protocols.

MODULE 4: DESIGN AND APPLICATION

A step-by-step presentation of the process of delivering lighting control strategies to spaces, covering owner requirements, control narrative, design development and commissioning.

Testimonials

I had been in lighting for three years when I took the LS-I course; it provided a thorough overview and is a great way to introduce someone to the industry. It takes a while to get comfortable with lighting, but this course can really help shortcut the process. I had been to several manufacturer-sponsored training programs in the past, but LS-I was by far the best lighting training I have taken. I took the course at my own pace and it gave me a good background for the entire lighting industry, not just from the perspective of any one manufacturer’s offering. It’s the best lighting training option out there for new hires and is also a great refresher for people who have been in the industry for a while.

Greg Ehrich, Vice President, Premier Lighting (St. Paul, MN)

Our company uses LS-I as training for all of our new hires because the program breaks things down into small, manageable bites that you can focus on. It takes incoming sales people with no experience to the point where they can talk to customers technically and accurately about lighting. I’ve been in the lighting industry for six years and it is a great course for people who have been in lighting for a while, like me, because it helps familiarize you with all aspects of the technology and connects a lot of dots.

Alison Hayes, Inside Sales, Pacific Lamp Supply Co. (Seattle, WA)

LS-I covers all of the basics, from ballasts to lamps to LEDs, in an easy-to-use online format that’s great for distributors, contractors, and manufacturers’ reps. We’ve had a number of employees complete it and have found that the LS-I program has taken them from just doing their job to having the confidence to help sell lamps and other components as well, which has been an unanticipated benefit. We’re putting all of our new people through the training because it takes a user’s proficiency from 0-10 quickly and affordably.

Kevin Eagan, Co-Owner, Northwest Lighting Systems (Burnsville, MN)