Craig DiLouie

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that it will delay ballot on LEED 2012 until June 1, 2013 (or potentially earlier in 2013 if USGBC members and the market indicate readiness for ballot). Because of this date change, LEED 2012 is being renamed LEED v4. In addition to the ballot date change, other [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions slipped to 54.2 in May from 59.1 the previous month and has retreated by a cumulative 18.3 points since reaching a post-recession high in February. Despite its recent slide, the index continues to point to an economic environment conducive to industry growth, as it [...]

After five months of positive readings, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), produced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), has fallen into negative terrain. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The AIA reported the April ABI score [...]

Universal Lighting Technologies’ new electronic HID ballasts, designed to operate both open- and enclosed-rated 150W metal halide lamps, can reduce energy costs by 10% compared to traditional magnetic HID ballasts, and they feature universal input voltage so 120V and 277V units can be replaced by a single product. Click here to learn more about ULT’s [...]

The Illuminating Engineering Society of North American (IES) has issued a new document: IES Approved Method for the Characterization of LED Light Engines and LED Lamps for Electrical and Photometric Properties as a Function of Temperature, LM-82-12. The purpose of the document is to establish consistent methods of testing and data presentation for ease of [...]

The LIGHTFAIR 2012 Innovation Awards submissions spanned 14 categories, with each submission judged by an independent panel of lighting professionals. The winners were awarded for product entries that exemplify the best in innovative design and thinking. The 2012 key award winners are: • CAST LIGHTING (LED Perimeter Light): Most Innovative Product of the Year—the program’s [...]

Eaton Corporation and Cooper Industries recently announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Eaton will acquire Cooper in an $11.8 billion deal. At the close of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2012, Eaton and Cooper will be combined under a new company incorporated in Ireland, where Cooper [...]

by Jim Brodrick, U.S. Department of Energy Results of the latest round of CALiPER testing were released recently, and as usual they’re worth noting because they help provide an indication of the current state of the solid-state lighting market – its strengths, weaknesses, and nuances. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) CALiPER program supports testing [...]

Leviton’s Zipline is a linear fluorescent lighting fixture retrofit solution that reduces installation time and eliminates wiring errors. The Leviton-exclusive system utilizes an integrated ballast and lampholder in a self-contained assembly unit that greatly decreases components and wiring points necessary to retrofit existing lighting fixtures for use with energy efficient lamps. This effectively removes the [...]