LiteTrace Brands Earns
First DLC NLC V5.2 Listing with
an NLC-Integrated Thermostat
October 8, 2026 | PRESS RELEASE
Keilton+autani is among the first systems listed to the DesignLights Consortium’s newest Networked Lighting Controls standard, and the only one listed with its own integrated thermostats, with two models to choose from
COLUMBIA, MD, October 8, 2026: LiteTrace Brands, a USA company headquartered in Maryland, today announced that its Keilton+autani networked lighting controls system is listed on the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) Networked Lighting Controls Qualified Products List under Technical Requirements V5.2 with an NLC-integrated thermostat. Autani, a LiteTrace Brands business, is the first and only NLC-integrated thermostat manufacturer on the V5.2 list, with not one but two listed thermostats: the new AWT1000 and the T-32-P. Keilton+autani is also among the first systems listed to V5.2 overall. Autani has offered its own branded thermostats since 2011. The AWT1000, its newest model, is designed by Autani and manufactured at the LiteTrace Brands facility in Thailand.
DLC NLC V5.2 took effect August 3, 2026. It is the first version of the DLC Networked Lighting Controls requirements to recognize lighting-to-HVAC integration through thermostats. Under V5.2, a networked lighting controls system can share occupancy data from its sensors with a compatible thermostat. When a space is empty, the thermostat can move the HVAC zone into an occupied-standby setting. The DLC cites potential heating and cooling energy savings of 8% to 21% from this integration.
The change targets small and medium commercial buildings that lack a full building automation system. In these buildings, the occupancy sensors already installed for lighting can now drive HVAC savings as well, without a separate controls platform. V5.2 also adds standardized system configuration reporting aligned with ANSI/NEMA C137.9, which helps utilities and energy efficiency programs verify that energy-saving settings are in place.
The DLC Qualified Products List is the reference used by utilities and energy efficiency programs across the USA and Canada to qualify networked lighting controls for rebates and incentives. A V5.2 listing with an NLC-integrated thermostat positions Keilton+autani projects for programs that reward both lighting and HVAC savings.
The Keilton+autani listing, including both thermostat options, is public on the DLC Qualified Products List at qpl.designlights.org/qpl/networked-lighting-controls/NLTRC5KL0TN.
Keilton+autani is a DLC-listed Bluetooth mesh networked lighting controls system. Its V5.2 listing covers Portfolio/Enterprise, Whole Building, Room or Zone, and Structured Parking indoor scopes. LiteTrace Brands offers both the lighting controls and the thermostats under its own brands, so occupancy data moves between them within one system, supported by one company. Buildings can also be managed through the Autani EnergyCenter portal.
“Lighting sensors already know which rooms are occupied and which are empty,” said Chris Primous, EVP of Sales and Marketing at LiteTrace Brands. “With NLC V5.2, the DLC recognizes that this data should drive HVAC savings too. Utilities and energy efficiency programs are paying close attention to thermostat integration because the savings potential is significant.”
“Most networked lighting controls companies do not have a thermostat of their own. We do,” Primous added. “Our thermostats and Keilton+autani lighting controls work together in one system, from one USA company. We see this as the future of NLC, where the lighting network becomes the occupancy layer for the whole building.”
Autani to speak at the 2026 DLC Summit
Amy Stacy, Regional Vice President at Autani, a LiteTrace Brands business, will speak on Day 2 of the 2026 DLC Summit in Los Angeles. She joins the panel “Next Gen Buildings: Integrating Lighting and HVAC for Whole Building Savings” on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 9:50 to 10:45 AM at The California Endowment. The panel will cover how lighting and HVAC integration can deliver whole building savings, the same capability recognized in NLC V5.2.
About LiteTrace Brands
LiteTrace Brands is a USA company headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, that designs and builds lighting controls and intelligent building solutions. Engineering and design are led from the USA, with overseas operations providing manufacturing, testing, and engineering support. Its brands include Keilton Basic, Keilton+autani, Autani, KeiltonEM, and LiteScape. LiteTrace Brands has more than 6 million sensors installed across more than 8,000 customer installations, managing more than 300 million sq ft. Learn more at litetrace.com.
Media Contact
Mary Livesey, Senior Marketing Manager
LiteTrace Brands
mlivesey@litetrace.com | 443-320-2233
