February 2013

This product has been around a while, but I thought it worth revisiting … Cooper Lighting offers four contractor-friendly Metalux fluorescent retrofit kits designed to meet and exceed today’s energy needs and guidelines while improving light quality. The Metalux Commercial, OpticaHP, ArcDuo and Cruze retrofit kits consist of architecturally inspired designs that update a building’s [...]

Lighting for Tomorrow launched its 11th consecutive annual competition at the Dallas Market, January 17-20, 2013. Lighting for Tomorrow, launched in 2002, is organized by the American Lighting Association (ALA), the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and UL. About two dozen energy efficiency organizations in the US and Canada have pledged approximately $100,000 to sponsor [...]

The 2013 New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC) Student Competition is currently under way, with online applications accepted through March 1, 2013 at 12:00 PM and submissions accepted between 7:30 AM and 12:30 PM on March 19, 2013. The awards ceremony, keynote address by architectural historian Joseph Clarke, exhibition and reception [...]

According to BriteSwitch, LLC, a majority of utilities and energy efficiency organizations have released their rebate programs for 2013, with incentives for energy-efficient commercial lighting covering about 70% of the United States. A common thread is T12 rebates have been removed or the amounts reduced, while LED rebates are expanding. The number of LED rebate [...]

The INSTEON LED Bulb 8W (60W) is a networked remote control dimmable LED lamp operable with any INSTEON controller, such as a handheld remote. When paired with the free INSTEON app, the SmartLinc Hub turns an iOS/Android smartphone or tablet into a fully functioning remote control of the bulb or an entire INSTEON network. The [...]

MIT’s Media Lab has created the LuminAR, a computerized projector that screws into standard incandescent lamp sockets and can project images onto nearby surfaces, then uses onboard camera technology to make the projected image interactive with human touch. Get the story here.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 regulated 40-100W incandescent general-service lamps, requiring the lamp to either operate at a higher efficacy or cease being able to be manufactured or imported. In 2012, 100W lamps became affected; in 2013, 75W lamps are now under regulation. For those wishing to retain incandescent lamps, there are [...]

Business conditions at architecture firms continue to improve. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), produced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The AIA reported the December ABI score was 52.0, down from the [...]

University of Georgia researchers have fabricated an LED that emits warm white light using a single light emitting material (phosphor) with a single emitting center for illumination. “Right now, white LEDs are mainly used in flashlights and in automotive lamps, but they give off a bluish, cool light that people tend to dislike, especially in [...]