Craig DiLouie

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) returned to growth mode in February after a weak showing in January. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the February ABI score was 50.7, up [...]

In a recent column for ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, I provided an update on the 179D energy efficiency tax deduction, ENERGY STAR V.2 Lamps criteria and V.2 Luminaires criteria, and metal halide rules taking effect. Check it out here. A recent blog post on tEDmag.com talks about a more recent Department of Energy ruling on general service [...]

In moving from 72.2 last month to 76.5 in March, the NEMA Electroindustry Business Confidence current conditions index reached its highest level since September 2005. Although some executives remarked on confusion in Washington and flashes of social unrest, signs of a strengthening economy noted by others were apparently widespread among panel members. The share of [...]

The Trump Administration’s recent budget outline proposes a 30+% cut in Environmental Protection Agency funding, which threatens to defund the ENERGY STAR program. In a recent blog post, Steven Nadel, Executive Director the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), disagrees, stating, “ENERGY STAR has been very successful in its current form; why risk this [...]

Designed for residential and commercial applications, Focal Point’s ID+ 3.5″ Adjustable Accent is the latest addition to the company’s LED downlight family. Intended for both grid and drywall ceilings, the low-profile housing with a 3.5″ aperture accommodates round and square die-cast trims and trimless reflectors in six finish options. Installation and maintenance are simplified with [...]

The New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society has selected two winners – Marta Casarin, who will earn her MFA in Lighting Design at Parsons New School of Design, and Evan Wilson, who will receive an MSc in Lighting from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) – for the second annual IESNYC Scholarship. This merit-based [...]

Intertek’s new Horticultural Lighting Certification Program addresses the unique requirements for horticultural luminaires, offering manufacturers an efficient path to launch products into this growing market. Due to the unique environments where these products are installed, they are subject to environmental testing above and beyond general use lighting. In North America there are no safety and [...]

Republication of Postings from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting Program by Jim Brodrick, SSL Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy Last year, DOE devoted two Postings (in June and October) and a webinar to the topic of LED street lighting and its potential effects on human health and the environment, in order [...]

LEDs Magazine hosted its third annual Sapphire Awards at the Strategies in Light conference in Anaheim, co-located with The LED Show and Lightspace California. This was my first pilgrimage to Strategies in Light, and I found the conference fascinating and valuable, though at this stage of industry disruption, there remain more questions than answers. A [...]