DERKA has announced that is has issued its first Zhaga Book 18 certification for a connectivity plug developed by TE Connectivity (TE), a specialist in connectivity and sensor solutions. Solutions according to Zhaga Book 18 bring connectivity functionalities to outdoor LED lighting fixtures, creating exciting opportunities for IoT applications in smart city environments.

In order to standardize LED technology and make it more replaceable and interchangeable, there’s a growing need for connectivity solutions which also provide added value by enabling new applications for smart city services. TE’s LUMAWISE Endurance S connector delivers connectivity between an outdoor LED luminaire and a sensor or communication module that sits on the outside, making it easy to upgrade existing or new outdoor LED lighting systems.

(Image: DEKRA/TE Connectivity)

Jacob Nuesink, global account manager/business development manager at DEKRA, said, “As a member of the Zhaga consortium, we are pleased to have realized this first certification of a solution envisioned in Book 18. It fits seamlessly into DEKRA’s strategy to offer services that keep smart cities and smart homes safe, secure and reliable. The rules of certification are very strict and certifications can even be withdrawn. DEKRA is currently the only organization that is allowed to issue Zhaga certifications for Book 18.”

The increasing use of LED in outdoor applications reduces the energy consumption of local authorities, councils and utility companies. It also demands further control of the LEDs in order to improve efficiency, maintenance and especially to enable smart services like traffic counting, incident detection or pollution monitoring.