DALI, Casambi or MasterConnect: which system to choose

DALI (IEC 62386) is the industry’s wired standard: a two-wire bus that addresses each luminaire individually and reports status back. It is the choice for office buildings, hospitals and projects integrated with building management systems (BMS). It requires wiring the bus, but it is the most robust and interoperable across manufacturers.

Casambi is Bluetooth mesh: each luminaire is a node, configured from a phone, with no control cable. Ideal in refurbishment, retail and hospitality where ceilings cannot or should not be opened. Its limit: it depends on the radio network and the app, and large scale requires more planning.

MasterConnect (Philips) is the wireless system designed for professional installations with integrated sensors: presence, daylight and zone grouping, with fast commissioning. It fits retail and mid-size offices that want savings without a wired bus.

The honest decision comes down to three questions: is there building work? (if not, wireless), does it integrate with the building? (if so, DALI) and how many points and what scale? (the larger and more critical, the more DALI). Real savings do not come from the protocol but from the sensors: presence and daylight harvesting produce the 40–70 % reduction.