The Fabric of our Society

The Fabric of Our Society column invites industry leaders to provide experience-based opinions and discussions on various topics. Diverse perspectives are respected and most welcome, but do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IESNYC or the Board of Managers. Want to contribute? Email [email protected]

April 2025

Track Lighting Controls: Pushing Beyond Legacy Limitations 

Nicholas Downham
Director of Technical Services, Lighting Services Inc.

Lighting designers are masters of ingenuity: experts at pushing existing technologies to their limits to create immersive environments and striking effects. The ability to fine-tune intensity, color, and adjust beam control once involved workarounds or compromises. Today LEDs combined with digital control protocols render these workarounds unnecessary in most situations, as lighting controls allow unprecedented flexibility, efficiency, and interactivity. Because track lighting remains a staple in so many architectural spaces, its integration with advanced lighting controls presents both challenges and exciting opportunities.

Expanding the role of controls on track

Legacy control protocols struggle to keep up with the demands of today’s track lighting systems. Track is valued for its adaptability in focal and general lighting, while also meeting conservation and energy management objectives. Integrating daylight sensing, adjusting color temperature, or collecting data… lighting controls on track are more than just a convenience, they are a necessity.

The tension between open protocols versus proprietary systems continues to shape the industry. Open protocols like DALI and DMX allow for interoperability across control manufacturers, ensuring flexibility and future-proofing installations. Many proprietary systems, on the other hand, offer tightly integrated solutions, but vendor lock-in may make future expansions and upgrades more restrictive, expensive, or downright impossible should the manufacturer shutter their doors.

The nature of a space, the need for individual fixture control, budgets, codes, and the ability to future-proof an installation all play their roles in selecting the most appropriate lighting controls system. From simple phase dimming to the latest proprietary digital solutions, we can broadly assess their strengths, weaknesses, and future potential for track.

Phase Dimming: The legacy workhorse

Phase (or phase-cut) dimming has been a staple in lighting control since the 1960s. It’s been widely adopted due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness for incandescent loads. Budget-friendly phase dimming is inherently a zone control system, and legacy systems can often be reused or updated rather than replaced. However, individual fixture adjustments are nearly impossible without installing multiple circuits or adding optical media or electronics to each trackhead.

Furthermore, forward phase and reverse phase dimming compatibility issues often lead to performance inconsistencies with LED drivers. Flicker, or worse, damaged electronics, are the main concerns:  poor-quality dimmers or mismatched driver compatibility can introduce visible fluctuations in light output. This can pose a health risk for photosensitive individuals and is a distracting aesthetic concern in any setting.

Where individual control is not needed and light color remains static, simple phase dimming with properly matched drivers is a great option. This is particularly true on projects where reusing existing infrastructure helps manage costs.

0–10V Control: The analog middle

0–10V dimming emerged as a solution offering smoother and more refined dimming at a relatively low cost, particularly for fluorescent loads. This method utilizes separate runs of low-voltage control wiring that signals the driver to dim, allowing for group dimming at a finer resolution. However, 0–10V still lacks individual fixture control, making it suited only for zone control.

0-10V control, while simple, does require additional wiring, and advanced controllers require programming. There are two basic types of 0-10V control, sink and source: sink means the controller draws dc current from the driver, while source means the controller provides signal current to the driver. Ensuring controllers and drivers are compatible is a must for a successful installation. Additionally, control response can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and mismatched devices can result in inconsistent performance.

Nevertheless, 0–10V remains a strong choice for spaces requiring smooth deep dimming without the complexity of digital control systems. It continues to be used in offices, retail spaces, and back-of-house areas where simplicity and affordability outweigh the need for fixture-level control.

On-Board/Integral Controls: Simple and granular

Now, let’s embed the control mechanism directly into each trackhead. This allows fixture-level adjustments without an external control infrastructure. The biggest advantage of on-board dimming is budget-friendliness. Track systems need only supply power, no dimmers, controllers, or control wiring required.

There’s no programmable dynamics, so on-board dimming suits only static environments needing on-off or occasional adjustments. Because adjustments are made manually at the fixture, large or frequently changing installations may find this method impractical. Small galleries, boutique retail, and temporary exhibitions are perfect applications, as control flexibility is secondary to easy installation.

DALI: Digital addressability and two-way communication

DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) represents a major leap forward in track lighting control. Where the end-user can exploit bi-directional communication, individual fixture addressing, and programmability, DALI blows analog methods away. Precise control over dimming, color tuning, and zoning makes DALI one of the most flexible solutions available.

Another key advantage of DALI is its open protocol, allowing interoperability across manufacturers. Future-proof installations allow fixtures to be swapped or upgraded without locking into a single vendor’s ecosystem. However, DALI requires dedicated control wiring and commissioning, which increases upfront costs. While DALI has recently introduced a wireless standard, adoption remains limited in the US.

Despite the need for specialized setup and commissioning, DALI works well in demanding commercial and institutional applications requiring addressable controls or tunable-white fixtures. Applications with the opportunity to integrate sensors and real-time fixture feedback make DALI even more economically viable. DALI is a great choice for permanent exhibitions, lobbies, and large-scale retail applications where fixtures do not move often.

Long-throw fixtures on wireless-DMX track set the scene at Uprooted! An American Story at the California Museum in Sacramento.

DMX: Advanced control for dynamic environments

DMX, long associated with the live entertainment industry, is becoming a preferred control system for track-mounted architectural lighting that requires high-speed, real-time adjustments. Unlike DALI or 0–10V, DMX enables dynamic lighting effects, full-spectrum color control, and programmable dimming curves. It’s the go-to open protocol for immersive lighting experiences.

An exciting advancement is wireless DMX, which eliminates the need for control wiring while preserving the protocol’s high-speed digital communication. Yes, it’s more expensive than traditional control protocols, but DMX’s unparalleled granularity and flexible reprogramming make it ideal for experiential retail, galleries of all sizes, and hospitality venues where lighting must continuously react and adapt.

Proprietary Digital and Wireless Controls: The future of track lighting?

Proprietary control systems offer cutting-edge features tailored to specific manufacturers’ ecosystems.  Some bring AI-driven automation, cloud connectivity, and advanced wireless control. A few of these systems now allow intelligent track heads to operate wirelessly on legacy control systems, bridging the gap between old infrastructure and modern technology.

However, proprietary controls do risk vendor lock-in: relying on a single manufacturer for future upgrades. While these systems offer powerful features, they should be carefully evaluated in terms of long-term flexibility and system expansion. Work with a qualified lighting design team to assess a project’s needs and budget.  Know when to engage a lighting system integrator (or manufacturer’s commissioning agents) to achieve the best results.

Intelligent control without compromise

We will continue to rely on track lighting systems to smooth visual transitions, create focal lighting, prevent light damage, save energy, and meet energy codes. Now with wireless DMX, AI-driven automation, and open-protocol advancements, track is entering an era of unprecedented customization and efficiency. These advances may even communicate beyond lighting, integrating with building controls to actuate HVAC or security systems.

Our challenge is to balance cost, performance, and adaptability to ensure that track lighting continues to be as flexible and innovative as the spaces it illuminates.

Note: This article springs from a presentation at the New England Museum Association’s 2024 Annual Conference. Nick thanks co-presenter Adrienne Bixler, Director of Design & Partner at Luna Lux LLC, for her invaluable contributions.