LED + SSL

Inspired by photosynthesis in plants, Studio Loop.ph Ltd. set out to build architectural structures with energy-harvesting canopies that absorb solar energy during the day and emit light at night. “A modular photovoltaic membrane was prototyped for the installation that can be clad to our geotextile architecture to provide both shelter and shade from the sun [...]

One possible future wireless technology is interesting not because of its potential for lighting control, but its potential to use visible white light as a communication medium for control of computers, phones and appliances. In October 2008, Boston University’s College of Engineering announced that it had received a National Science Foundation grant to develop wireless [...]

Okay, maybe not. But the technology available for LED building illumination has come a long way in a surprisingly short amount of time. According to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, LED technology is moving so quickly that next-generation products are entering the market every six months, feeding a global illumination market that approached $2 billion [...]

A recent article I wrote for Electrical Contractor talks about the push to replace linear fluorescent lamps with linear LED replacement lamps. In a nutshell, linear LED replacement lamps are now being offered as direct drop-in replacements of 4-ft. T8 and T12 lamps. Even with the possibility of delamping due to higher fixture efficiency and [...]

Serbian designer Damjan Stankovic has introduced a practical idea for traffic lights: EKO, an integral visual countdown letting waiting drivers know when the signal will change from red to green. Check it out here.

The Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY), with the support of the New York Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNY), is presenting a special program on LED technology that features more than 70 manufacturers and a unique informational program designed for The Lighting Community. Only three years old, LEDucation already is a leading [...]

Cree, Inc. has announced the volume availability of the LR24, a 24-inch square recessed LED general lighting fixture. The LR24 is intended for suspended-ceiling applications traditionally addressed by linear fluorescents, also known as lay-ins or troffers. The LR24 is the newest addition to the Cree family of recessed LED fixtures and delivers uniform, high light [...]

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released the Phase III report from the solid-state lighting (SSL) demonstration of LED streetlights in Oakland, CA, according to an email I recently received from Jim Brodrick at DOE. The GATEWAY demonstration report, prepared by Pacific Gas & Electric and Energy Solutions, provides an overview of project results [...]

Interested in new lighting technologies? PIER has published three briefs about emerging technologies that are available for free download. Note: All files download as PDF files. Savings Persist with Monitoring-Based Commissioning (TB-39) shows how monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx), a program approach that combines permanent building-energy-system monitoring with standard retrocommissioning practices, can provide substantial, persistent energy savings. [...]