As demand for lighting solutions continues to grow within custom integration, low-voltage lighting has emerged as a fast-growing subcategory within the channel.
In a recent conversation as part of CE Pro’s 2026 Lighting & Shading Deep Dive, Nick Boever, Senior Editor at CE Pro, spoke with Jordan Brooks, President of Environmental Lights, about the factors driving adoption, the benefits of low-voltage systems and how Environmental Lights was preparing for future growth.
Low-voltage lighting growth seen expanding across multiple markets
Brooks said Environmental Lights had seen growth in three primary categories: linear accent lighting, commercial projects and residential lighting fixtures.
According to Brooks, linear accent lighting continued to serve as a common entry point for integrators looking to expand their lighting offerings. Applications such as undercabinet lighting, cove lighting and toe-kick lighting allowed dealers to deliver more comprehensive lighting systems while differentiating their businesses through turnkey solutions that combined fixtures, controls, channels and diffusion.
Market conditions continue to favor low-voltage lighting solutions
Rising labor and material costs remained major contributors to the accelerated adoption of low-voltage lighting, particularly as copper prices continued to increase. Brooks said low-voltage systems required less copper and generally involved lower installation costs than traditional line-voltage alternatives.
He also noted growing interest in backup power systems, generators and energy-management platforms. Because low-voltage systems consumed less power and centralized distribution, they aligned well with modern smart-power strategies. Brooks cited REVI’s ability to operate up to 200 fixtures on a single 20-amp circuit as an example of those efficiencies.
Expanded fixture offerings improved design flexibility
During the discussion, Brooks also highlighted Environmental Lights’ partnership with Lightheaded, explaining that the expanded lineup should give integrators access to fixtures capable of addressing virtually every application within a project, helping create more comprehensive low-voltage lighting designs.
As interest in lighting continues to grow throughout the custom integration channel, Brooks suggested that expanded fixture options, centralized control architecture and ongoing advancements in power management would help position low-voltage lighting as an increasingly attractive solution for future projects.
This article is part of a series for CE Pro’s Lighting & Shading Deep Dive exploring different aspects of the lighting and shading categories for custom integration.Â
