News-Spot | Business News | Jan 09, 2013

Acuity Brands Strengthens Wireless Controls Skills with Acquisition of Adura Technologies

Acuity Brands, Inc., a market leader in innovative energy-efficient lighting and control solutions, today announced it has acquired the assets of Adura Technologies, Inc. (“Adura”), a leading developer of wireless controls and energy management solutions. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Founded in 2005, San Francisco-based Adura has led the development of radio frequency (RF) mesh networking technology that allows individual light fixtures to communicate in a wireless mesh network with switches, sensors and system management software. The ZigBee® wireless standard-based technology enables energy-saving control solutions while eliminating the cost of using wires to network all of the devices in the system. Wireless controls technology improves the economics and feasibility of installing lighting controls in a wide variety of new construction and renovation projects.

“The addition of these Adura Technologies solutions continues the expansion of the breadth and depth of our wireless lighting controls portfolio, which includes nWifi™ technology, the ROAM® streetlight monitoring system and the FIDO™ emergency monitoring system, and it further enhances our strategy of integrated and intelligent lighting and controls solutions,” said Vernon J. Nagel, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Brands. “Adura’s simple to use wireless technology coupled with our broad luminaire portfolio, Sensor Switch® occupancy sensors and Lighting Control & Design™ (LC&D) system management software will allow for the creation of intelligent lighting systems that are simple to use while generating greater energy savings for our customers. We see wireless technology extending to almost all applications, including parking garages, industrial locations, retail settings, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and commercial office space.”

Adura systems are currently installed in 7 million square feet of commercial space, including 4 million square feet of covered parking facilities, contributing to a documented lighting energy reduction in lighting system renovations as high as 80%. According to U.S. Department of Energy figures, there are estimated to be 36 million covered parking lighting fixtures in the United States. New state and local energy codes being adopted based on updated standards will require covered parking lighting to use occupancy-based, multi-level lighting controls. Conversion of the installed base for covered parking using a solution combining lighting fixtures and wireless controls equates to a potential market opportunity valued between $15 and $20 billion.

The acquisition is not expected to materially impact Acuity Brands’ fiscal 2013 consolidated financial performance.

For more information on Adura Technologies please visit www.aduratech.com or www.acuitybrands.com.

About Acuity Brands:
Acuity Brands, Inc. is a North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. With fiscal year 2012 net sales of over $1.9 billion, Acuity Brands employs approximately 6,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The company's lighting solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting®, Holophane®, Peerless®, Gotham®, Mark Architectural Lighting(TM), Winona® Lighting, Healthcare Lighting®, Hydrel®, American Electric Lighting®, Carandini®, Antique Street Lamps(TM), Tersen®, Sunoptics®, Sensor Switch®, Lighting Control & Design(TM), Synergy® Lighting Controls, Pathway Connectivity(TM), Dark to Light®, ROAM®, RELOC® Wiring Solutions, and Acculamp®. ZigBee is a trademark of the ZigBee® Alliance.

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