Acuity Brands Acquires Distech Controls for $252 Million
Acuity Brands has just acquired intelligent building automation and energy management company Distech Controls for $252.8 million. Based in Brossard, PQ, Distech provides products to control HVAC, Access Control and Video Surveillance in Buildings, allowing connectivity and analysis of different systems.
The global LED lighting industry is experiencing massive infrastructure change from the traditional legacy technologies to newer solid-state lighting-based products. Purchasing Distech will allow Acuity Brands to better target the LED retrofit market with controls.
“Distech Controls’ building automation and energy management solutions combined with Acuity Brands’ broad, industry-leading solid-state lighting portfolio, innovative control technologies and integrated digital solutions will create the opportunity to offer solutions that can provide true end-to-end optimization of all aspects of the building for enhanced occupant experience, quality visual environment, seamless operation, energy efficiency, operational cost reductions, and increased digital functionality,” says a Distech press release.
LED Lighting controls are increasingly seen as a catalyst for opening up the Internet of Things in buildings, says U.K. consulting firm Memoori Business Intelligence Ltd. “Each new LED fixture can now be a node on an intelligent network turning off the lights when people aren’t around or dimming them when exterior light can be harvested. But those sensors can also be used to harvest other useful data about temperature, occupancy and their surroundings that have many other applications not associated with lighting but other environmental controls, security and safety; delivering value add services for the business enterprise.”
As for Distech Controls, the firm will continue to employ its 190-member team, led by current executives, including Founder, President and CEO Etienne Veilleux. The company will maintain its head office in Quebec, as well as its European office in Lyon, France.
