Craig DiLouie

NEMA’s March Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American business conditions continues to indicate improvement in the business environment despite slipping from 69.6 in February to 65.9 in March 2013. Meanwhile, confidence in future business conditions continues to build, as the EBCI for North American conditions six months hence climbed by nearly 10 [...]

Peerless’s Staple suite of value suspended and wall-mount luminaires feature subtle contours around the perimeter of their rectangular bodies, creating a contemporary aesthetic, while illuminating spaces via a soft-glowing acrylic baffle or diffused lens extending edge to edge and end to end to provide seamless continuity. Gloss white paint finishes this understated yet modern lighting [...]

The Bay Lights, the new LED lighting system for the Bay Bridge that was developed by Philips Color Kinetics, recently went live. Fulfilling the brainchild of Ben Davis, chairman of Illuminate the Arts (ITA) and the vision of acclaimed artist Leo Villareal, the bridge will glow as a one-of-a-kind lighted sculpture for the next two [...]

FMI reports after the first quarter it is continuing to forecast an increase of 8% in total put-in-place construction in 2013 over 2012 levels, or $919 billion. The biggest improvement is expected in the residential market with a 23% increase in single-family buildings. Click here to download the report.

NEMA’s high intensity discharge (HID) lamp shipment indexes declined for the second consecutive year during 2012. Mercury vapor lamps declined 9.6 percent to an index value of 44 signifying that shipments during 2012 were 44 percent of the 2006 base level. The index for sodium vapor lamp shipments fell 6.2 percent, landing at 75. Metal [...]

With increasing demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) is continuing to strengthen. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the February ABI score was 54.9, up slightly [...]

Flex by 3M is a series of curved and straight low-profile LED modular panels that can be fitted together to form whimsical custom shapes.

LIGHTFAIR International 2013 will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from April 21 through April 25, 2013. PRE-CONFERENCE: LIGHTFAIR Institute (April 21-22, Sunday – Monday) offers: · 6 in-depth 2-day courses (Beginner to Advanced) · 6 one-day courses · 12 three-hour workshops (+ 5 total offered Tuesday – Thursday) TRADE SHOW & [...]

NEMA’s incandescent lamp shipments index showed a precipitous decline of 40.1 percent compared to the same period last year. Moreover, the index reached a value of 49.3, a new record low for the series. On an annual basis, incandescent lamp shipments during 2012 were down 18.3 percent – erasing a 16.4 percent gain for 2011. [...]