February 2014

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America slipped below the 50-point level typically associated with expansion in January for the first time since October 2012. The index declined for the third straight month, falling to 40.6 from 52.8 in December. On the plus side, confidence in future business conditions again [...]

Eaton’s Cooper Lighting division is sponsoring the Outdoor Lighting Design Award for the 2014 Illuminating Engineering Society’s (IES) Illumination Awards program. The Outdoor Lighting Design Award recognizes excellence in lighting design and application in all aspects of exterior lighting. The Outdoor Lighting Design Award celebrates achievements in aesthetics, applied technical acumen, creative solutions to demanding [...]

NEMA’s shipment indexes for T5, T8 and T12 lamps retreated during 2013Q3, decreasing by 7.3%, 9.4% and 5.5%, respectively. Year-over-year (y/y) performance showed mixed results for the different lamp types. The T5 lamp index increased by 5.7% compared to 2012Q2. T8 lamp shipments improved as well increasing by 10.7%. Shipments of T12 lamps continued to [...]

GE’s new Lumination IS Series LED Luminaires are designed to deliver high light output coupled with energy efficiency in a sleek, streamlined form factor for low bay, open ceiling environments. The luminaire’s indirect light source produces an even glow that radiates from its aerodynamic “reflector” design, yielding greater illuminance over vertical and horizontal surfaces with [...]

My contribution to the December 2013 issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR describes four interesting lighting technologies that offer a new potential for lighting. Field-induced polymer electroluminescent, quantum-dot LED, visible light spectrum communication, and bioluminescent illumination. Check it out here.

Chris Bailey, Director of Hubbell Lighting’s Lighting Solutions Center, writes an interesting blog post about how to evaluate LED luminaires based on drive current and current density. He writes: “When evaluating the working stresses of a semiconductor device, such as an LED, the output current from the power supply or the current delivered to the [...]

Very cool light installation, consisting of 200 RGB spheres and DMX winches enabling the lights to change color while raising and lowering in height, at the 2013 international consumer electronics fair in Berlin. Kinetic Lights Installation with DMX winch system and motorized RGB led light balls for Vodafone @ IFA 2013 from WHITEvoid on Vimeo.

Following consistently increasing demand for design services throughout most of 2013, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), produced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has posted its first consecutive months of contraction since May and June of 2012. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lead [...]

Lighting for Tomorrow, the annual design competition for energy-efficient residential lighting products, has launched its 12th consecutive annual competition. This year, Lighting for Tomorrow is looking for products that meet market price points as part of the solid-state lighting competition such as light emitting diode (LED) A-lamps under $10 and luminaires under $50, as well [...]