An embodiment method for communicating data within a lighting sensory network may include configuring a first plurality of lighting nodes to operate as sensor nodes, configuring a second plurality of lighting nodes to operate as listening nodes, generating, by a sensor node using an encryption key, a sensor message associated with sensor data and including at least a timestamp, calculating an interval for transmitting the sensor message, wherein the interval is randomized and exponentially increasing, determining whether to transmit the sensor message based on the calculated interval, transmitting the sensor message in response to determining to transmit the sensor message based on the calculated interval, receiving, by a listening node, the sensor message at a listening node, determining whether the received sensor message is useful based on the timestamp and a predefined age threshold, and performing a lighting action in response to determining the received sensor message is useful.