January 2010

In September 2009, the Department of Energy received the first entry in the L Prize competition, an LED replacement for the 60W incandescent bulb from Philips Electronics. Philips’ entry is now undergoing photometric testing at independent laboratories. This performance testing will verify that the product submitted meets the L Prize specifications for the 60W replacement, [...]

The Wall Street Journal paints the International Dark Sky Association as Big Brother in Eric Felten’s opinion piece here. Once again, lighting takes a backseat to politics, but perhaps not in the way Felten thinks. In the lighting industry, we often hope for lighting issues to enter the public consciousness. But once they do, they [...]

Klipsch has introduced the LightSpeaker–LED light bulbs that include integral speakers for playing music via wireless receivers. The product won a 2010 CES Innovations Award. Check it out here. Hat tip to Randy Smith at the Lighting Design Lab for turning me on to this.

The High Line was built in the 1930s as a 22-block stretch of short-haul freight elevated rail cutting through the Lower West Side of Manhattan. In 1980, the High Line carried its last run, was abandoned and virtually disappeared into the city’s urban jungle. Nearly 30 years later, in 2009, the High Line was reborn [...]

Highlights of Int. No. 973: * Lighting systems in buildings larger than 50,000 gross sq.ft. (or buildings that combined with other buildings on same tax lot in total exceed 100,000 sq.ft.) must be upgraded * Deadline for upgrade is 1/1/2025 * Upgrade defined as meeting minimum requirements of New York City Energy Conservation Code * [...]

On December 24, LightNOW reported on a number of vehicle accidents attributed by authorities to the fact that LED traffic lights can’t melt snow, and subsequent media coverage, here. There’s been some very insightful conversation about it in the Comments. Again, check it out here.

Last Friday, we reported on new energy legislation passed in New York City here. Part of the legislation is the creation of a new energy code. NYC’s code is based on the state energy code with amendments making it more stringent. The 2007 state code is in turn based on the 2003 IECC, with amendments, [...]

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Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. has announced the formation of a new Energy Solutions business unit that will operate in both the public and private sectors to help to accelerate and maximize the use of the company’s existing technologies in a broad range of energy saving products. This Energy Solutions unit will develop a strategy to [...]