Category: Lighting Commentary

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Lighting Commentary

How Investor-Owned Homes Will Change Lighting Demand

While the number of homes purchased by investors has shrunk in the most recent quarters, the percentage of homes owned by investors remain high, at a national average of 18.4% (2022 – Redfin.) The percentage of homes also varies widely based on location, with highs of over 30% in Miami, FL and lows of 9% in Warren, MI. These are higher numbers than the real estate industry has seen in the past and this new type of ownership is going to change the way America spend money on durable aspects of the home, such as lighting.

I live in a historic part of suburban Cleveland, an “inner-ring” or very old suburb. Moneyed and “white-collar” Clevelanders in the early part of the1900s wanted to escape the industrial dirt and grim that made the city home of vast amounts of wealth. The solution was to “head for the Heights” literally located at a higher elevation than the steel mills, factories and foundries centered on the river lowlands. Homes in my portion of the city (a slightly newer area) are all architect designed and built between 1929 and the post-war late 1940s and 50s. They are graced with excellent quality materials including roofs primarily of slate, with some tile and shake.

Because of its proximity to the highly regarded cultural and healthcare industries in Cleveland, investors have started to buy homes in the area. Cleveland also enjoys some of the lowest home prices in the nation, primarily due to the outmigration of young people. Investors have determined they can easily buy low, sell (reasonably) high here with minimal amounts of money.

Slate roofs last a lifetime, but they do require regular “tune-ups” to avoid water ingression. Rather than replacing my roof every twenty or thirty years, I need to spend a few buck every other year. Investors view this differently. Rather than spend, say $6000 to bring a neglected slate or tile roof back to par, they are electing to tear off a lifetime roof and replacing it with a $4000, 10-year warranted asphalt shingle. From an investor’s perspective, he has saved $2000. From the point of view of the neighborhood, the investor has markedly altered the timbre of the community.

Now, take that logic and multiply it to all other aspects of the interior and exterior rehab. Good recessed lighting is not used. The cheap “10-pack” found at the big box stores are instead employed. A builder-grade chandelier is hung and ferrous exterior lanterns are slapped on the porches, sure to last long enough to see just one winter. The initial reaction to the completed home is a buyer who doesn’t have to change anything. They falsely believe, no money will be spent beyond the celebratory bottle of champagne.

When a downtrodden house is purchase by people who hope to live in the home “forever” they will be more inclined to choose products of higher quality. They may opt for the more impressive island pendants, a show stopping chandelier for the dining room and even a ceiling fan that is correctly sized to the room. They will enjoy the benefits of “better” rather than rolling it over to a new buyer in a few months.

This is a problem with no easy solution. Folks in my neighborhood were successful in getting the permit application for roof replacement changed to include a viability assessment of the existing historic roofs after dozens were removed for investors, by unreputable contractors working weekend hours. The illegal removals are now being forwarded to the city’s Law Department for prosecution. Lighting doesn’t have that quick fix. Mr. & Mrs. Buyer won’t know they have substandard recessed cans until they die an early death. At that point, it’s too late. No one will go to jail because they bought a cheap chandelier.

From the opinion of a lighting guy, perhaps the prospect of incarceration might get people to think more carefully about this very important aspect of a home interior. I do however live in the real world (at least some of the time!) People have been using bad lighting since Thomas Edison suggested an alternative to natural gas. Perhaps the emerging push for a more sustainable world will magically instill some sense of duty in investors. The more likely scenario is investor’s failure to find customers for poorly conceived rehabs. When money is the driver, only a lack of return will change their direction. As customers we should reject homes when historic roofs have been removed, cheap appliances have been installed and bad lighting has been used.

We can always dream, can’t we?

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Lighting Commentary

Luciano Pavarotti and Kendrick Lamar and Lighting

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com

I love the artwork of Thomas Hart Benton. My favorite artist is Edward Hopper. I remember when the Cleveland Museum of Art bought the Grant Wood’s painting, “Haystacks.” I rushed to the museum unveiling and immediately fell in love. George Bellows’, “Stag at Sharkey’s” is the best piece of art at the second best art museum in the country.

I really enjoy opera and can’t get enough Broadway musical show tunes. Peggy Lee can do no wrong and “Kind of Blue” is unlikely to be bettered in my lifetime. Thank you, Miles.

With this cadre of preferences, people might expect me to be a bit more conservative, but to the contrary, I am always looking for the “next big thing.”

My favorite movie is “Chinatown” but I recently saw “Beau is Afraid” and it completely blew me away. This director is performing a high wire act while most others are barely juggling two bowling pins. I almost never listen to “oldies” instead I spend most of my radio time tuned to the local college stations, where they play a mix of rap, jazz, Latin and progressive contemporary rock. There is a reason Kendrick Lamar is the first rap artist to receive a Pulitzer Prize. Got a few hours? Listen to Kamasi Washington’s “The Epic” and you will understand the emergence of jazz genius. (Perhaps it might entail a second listen, too!) I am constantly looking at new art, checking out what maturing artists are doing at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland and excited to see what is presented at the Cleveland Institute of Art graduate show each year. When I’m out of town and have an hour, I look for a gallery, museum or art show.

When I look at home furnishings, I also want to see the next new thing. When LED emerged, I was all-in. When home automation popped up, I immediately clung to its every possibility. I have spent a fair amount of time trying to understanding germicidal UV light and remain fascinated with the possibilities of circadian-effected light. Each and every day I wait for an inkling of proof that LED will be replaced with [fill-in the blank.] Somebody has to be working on something, right? Two lectures at the recently completed, LightFair talked about Laser Lighting and my mind has begun to resemble a top. Where could laser lighting head? What will it mean? Does it have any residential applications?

I do not want change, just for the sake of change. I do however know that as a society, we are constantly moving forward. As humans, we like to see alternatives. Technology cannot and should not be stopped, despite the Luddite tendencies we occasionally display. (Why do they keep changing my iPhone power cord, for example? I know, I know, there are very valid reasons.) Progress has lessened the drudgery of laundry cleaning and reduced the reams of paper required for long division. Movement forward means kids born in this decade will likely fail to understand what “changing a light bulb” means. They will not relate to a stack of light bulbs in a closet. Lighting that does not illuminate will mean a call to a professional, or replacement. It will be an anomaly rather than typical.

I read recently that young people are being educated in a slightly different way than I and perhaps most readers of this blog. Rather than repetition and memorization (When was the Magna Carta signed?) they are being taught critical thinking and more application of thought. To me, this makes much more sense, when combined with the tools you and I never had. Multiplication tables were crucial information in an era before calculators, but have become redundant when math solutions can now be resolved with a dollar store accessory purchase. Students can now spend less time on the mechanics of math and more on the reason and application of the calculations. That will be a far better use of a mind.

As I wrote this post, I could not recall the actual name of the George Bellows painting in the Cleveland Art Museum. I knew it included “Sharkey’s” and thought vaguely it might include the word, “Stag” but was uncertain how they were combined. “Stag Night at Sharkey’s?” “Sharkey’s Stag?” “Sharkey’s Night?” “Fight at Sharkey’s” Rather than fret over it, I simply did a quick internet search and immediately had the correct name, correct spelling and another look at this powerful piece of brutal, realistic art. My recollection of the name of a particular painting was substantially less important than the point I was/am attempting to make. Young people, guided under these alternate parameters of knowledge application will be far more valuable than a student who can recite from memory all the capitals of Europe. Knowing unaided and immediately that Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein is of value only when playing Trivial Pursuit. Understanding that Liechtenstein is a country and Vaduz is a city, located on the European continent does however constitute a baseline of knowledge that some students have overlooked. This realignment is important and valuable.

I like the combination of my life’s concentrations. I can be passionate about older art and new art ideas. I can find antiques as interesting as the new furnishings created by Zaha Hadid’s company. I can sing along with a show tune and remember my time in the theater seeing the performance while at the same time, marvel at the newness of “Chaise Lounge” by the (really young) women who headline Wet Legs. I’m an old lighting guy that can revel in the replacement of LED lighting. I think that’s a good thing. What about you?

PS: If you don’t understand some of the cultural references made here, you could ask your grandmother or daughter and they might be able to explain, but Google will most assuredly know and even provide some background.

PSS: June, 15, 1215. Thanks Google.

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Lighting Commentary

LED – The Only Light Source Left in the Game

Photo by Medhat Ayad on Pexels.com

Much of the regular media has reported on the “death” of the incandescent light bulb over the last few weeks. As I poured over the information, the fact that 30% of light bulbs sold were STILL incandescent came as a pretty astounding fact. Digging deeper into the numbers, I found that high-efficacy adoption was substantially slower, the more economically challenged the consumer/geographic area. Higher “first-costs” continue to be a barrier, despite the long-term financial benefits. Hopefully, as we move farther into efficiency regulations, we will remember that a large percentage of the population will be equally challenged. We must find a way to balance that inequity.

Another aspect of America’s incandescent use has been cleared up as well. 40% of the light bulbs in use were initially excluded from the original Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. Reflector lamps, candle, or flame-shaped lamps and spherical-shaped lamps did not need to comply with the same higher efficacy requirements as General Service Lamps (GSL.) I always found that a peculiar omission, but the overlook was remedied during the subsequent Obama administration. Unfortunately, those requirements were overturned during the Trump reign. With professionals back in charge of the Department on Energy, this large pool of inefficient lamping joins the GSL and must again comply with higher efficacy standards.

It is important to remember, EISA was written and signed into law as a bipartisan solution to an inability of utilities to provide long-term, adequate amounts of energy. As demand continued to rise, the cost of new energy creation grew prohibitively high. There was a real possibility that “brown-outs” would be as common as currently found in third-world areas of the planet. California actually experienced a summer of just such a reality before increasing their product efficiency standards. It is the reason why crackpot ideas like Michele Bachmann’s “Light Bulb Freedom Act” never went anywhere, even in a more conservative Congress. This was/is a solution that actually works and actually solved a problem. The energy saved here, combined with scores of policies covering appliances and other consumer goods has paved the way to facilitate automobile charging without throwing the country into darkness every time a load of laundry is started.

Concurrent with the higher efficacy demands has been the slow reduction and removal of fluorescent lighting technology. As America becomes more sensitive to leaving a cleaner planet for the next generations, hazardous chemicals are being reassessed. Mercury, a key component in the functionality of fluorescent lamping remains a dangerous element that has never been successfully recycled in large quantities. California and Vermont have already joined the European Union (EU) in outlawing their continued use. Canada is considering the same thing. Rhode Island, Colorado and Maine have expiration dates already defined in signed legislation, with Hawaii’s ban date imminent. Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey and Oregon are considering legislative bans. With such a large quantity of geography preventing their use, one must assume that manufacturers will be discontinuing these products, effectively removing them from the remaining states and some countries.

That leaves us with LED as the only remaining light source standing. For those of us who have been on this conversion ride for twenty years, it has been quite the journey. Some of us will say, “I told you so!” Others might ask, “What’s next?” I may have made both statements over the years. There were too many things fighting against the continuation of incandescent. This was an inevitable shift. RIP incandescent. You served us well.

Now, watch out for the explosion of sensors and controls and their integration into smart homes. Obituary for the single-pole, wall-mounted light switch coming soon!

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Lighting Commentary

Can Fashion be Sustainable?

Since my “retirement” I have had the opportunity to continue interfacing with thousands of interior designers. Through these points of connection, I have noticed a trend of questions and commentary that are driving designer’s conversations.  The topic that is top-of-mind today is “sustainability.” Specifically, how long-lived LED can possibly coexist with short-lived fashion. It is brought up in virtually every Q&A session I conduct.

Supreme is a brand of clothing that was birthed by way of the skateboard culture of the 90s to poke a finger in the eye of staid fashion nameplates. Consisting of tees, baggy pants and sneakers, it became a huge success to a point where the company is now valued at over $2 billion. What started as a “fashion-less” alternative to seasonal runway offerings is now riding atop the same tiger. To stay ahead, Supreme must now continue to create new and equally desirable products.

Supreme could have been the answer to sustainability in fashion, the “Mao Suit” of its generation. Alas, humans want, perhaps need change. Hemline rise and fall, lapels narrow and widen. Hair lengthens and shortens. This constant desire for change forces us all back into the retail market, continues to circulate dollars and keeps the world employed.

Magic Wand

So let’s say, tomorrow, by nature of a magic wand, trends die, fashion becomes frozen and the human desire for something new stops. What then?

First, there will be a lot of unemployment. Designers, engineers, marketers, retail associates, home remodelers, construction workers, dock worker, virtually every facet of the supply chain will be impacted. We will have a substantially more sustainable world, but we won’t have much of a world to enjoy.

I think it is safe to say, this is an unlikely scenario. Fashions have shifted almost since cavemen sought out a new pelt covering. Some variant is much more likely.

The Alternative

More realistically, we might stop buying so many variations of things in our lifetime. This would allow us to buy better quality with the idea that it will last for a longer period of time. Liken this to the difference in American vs. European roadways. America installs cheap roads with minimal foundation and limited attention to drainage that in turn, need frequent repairs and quicker replacement. European countries install much more expensive pavements based on multiple layers of substructure and ample drainage that last substantially longer and show less wear and tear during their long life.

That idea fits nicely into the use-pattern of LED. Well-built LED product can last as long as twenty to thirty years with limited need for maintenance. Better built LED product simply lasts longer.

Rethinking Lighting Use

New, more sustainable lighting still requires a bit more forethought in the development of the overall lighting design. This is a point I have been making for a number of years. The future of lighting means more functional light (that transcends fashion) and less decorative lighting (which will require replacement when the style ages,) despite the continued viability of the light source.

If we are going to blend sustainability with fashion, we will need to reassess the financial parameters used to make buying decisions. Rather than first-cost, (the initial cost of the luminaire, only) we will need to consider life-cost (cost of luminaire, repair cost, operational costs, etc.) Purchasing lifetime functional lighting that dies after ten years does not support the cause of sustainability. We will need to pay more attention to quality components, conscientious construction and whether the company building the product will be around in fifteen years, should there be a warranty issue. Our initial cost will be higher, but decades of trouble-free operations make that dollar amount easy to swallow.

I was talking to someone in the window business about the plethora of replacement window companies and the avalanche of advertisements they’ve placed on television. Knowing I live in a 90+ year old home, he said, “Despite what they say, those ads aren’t for old-old home like yours. Your windows and windows from that era are a bit less energy efficient, but are usually of excellent quality and most probably don’t need to be replaced. (There are always exceptions.) These guys are servicing the bad windows put into new construction over the last twenty-five to forty years. New tract home construction windows are getting cheaper and cheaper and they barely make it out of warranty.” The low initial cost is intriguing, but the life cost is high.

Added Opportunities and Challenges

That allows for another opportunity; the return of manufacturing to North America. The desire for “cheap” forced manufacturing to Asia. The revolving door of style and trends kept manufacturing there. The combination of geopolitical events and sustainability demands might now encourage some companies to recalculate their costs. If consumers are willing to pay more, they might be able to build longer lasting items locally.

The pushbacks are often the same. If a new home is more expensive, or the remodel too costly, fewer people will buy them. Because of that, the banking/lending industry might also need to reset in an era of more sustainability. If the cost of “living” in a house is lower, more money, as a percentage, could be allotted to the mortgage because less will be needed for repairs. Think of the money used to buy “one window” so they can get, “the second window for free!” When windows don’t need replacing and insulation doesn’t need to be added and cheap LED doesn’t need to be upgraded, all that results in a higher value of the home. If sustainability can equate to higher property value, almost everybody wins.

When all of these things happen (insert image of plates balancing on a row of sticks!) fashion can be sustainable. When a single aspect is not adopted, the whole concept fails. For sustainability to succeed, we must embrace ALL of these ideas, all at once. That then becomes the challenge. How good of a juggler can we become?

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Lighting Commentary

ICFF 2023 (Lighting Observations) + LightFair 2023

I had spent a career in lighting working for a popular-priced manufacturer. They never created “cutting edge” product, but rather met trends as they were ascending and brought them to the consumer with fair and reasonable prices. To understand when to introduce a popular-priced product, it is crucial to understand the cutting edge creations. Talented designers, using this information as inspiration are given a pathway to good product that average consumers can afford and perhaps more importantly, ready to accept in their home.

That brings us to the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) where many boutique creators present interesting and thought-provoking lighting, alongside the furniture, wall coverings and plumbing addressed in the previous blog post. Which of the many creative products will inspire the next popular trend? Let’s see if we can figure that out. Here are the lighting solutions I though most interesting.

New Materials

I’m not so sure how well these would age and I don’t know that I felt the overall design was very strong, but I have to applaud the use of a unique material. Coldharbour Lights showed pendants with feather diffusers. My wife, very practically asked, “How do you keep that clean?” I’m less concerned about that (typical for me!) and more concerned about longevity. Love the idea, worry about quickly growing tired of the eclectic look.

https://coldharbourlights.com/en-us

ICFF 2023 – Coldharbour Lights

Olivia Barry was able to achieve a delicacy of shape as she deliberately folded thin sheets of ceramic around a light source. The lamps and sconces provided a soft, indirect light. When not illuminated, it was impossible not to be drawn to the shape and feel of the sculptures. I would hope more manufactures start to explore ceramic options.

https://www.oliviabarrybyhand.com/

ICFF 2023 – Olivia Barry by Hand

Yet another interesting diffuser material was found at Costantini. Starched, stiff fiber was formed into a “cotton-candy-esque” cloud around the light source. We have seen plenty of organza used in lighting over the past decade, why not other fabrics?

https://www.costantinidesign.com/

ICFF 2023 – Costantini

Wood has been a part of lighting, probably since day-one. Used as a diffuser? Probably less so. N J Roseti used thin slices of wood as a diffuser on quirky, “Memphis-esque” floor lamps. The wood delivered a warm glow and a totally different look. So nice to see this material use departure.

https://njroseti.com/

ICFF 2023 – NJ Roseti

Hand and Eye Studios has created a simple, clean design aesthetic in ceramic lighting. I especially liked the palette of colors as we embark on a wider use of bold tones in kitchens and elsewhere in a home.

Home

Using 3-D printing, Atelier Morphology created the Biophilic Fold accent lamp. Interesting, but more so because of the manufacturing process.

https://www.ateliermorphology.com/

ICFF 2023 – Atelier Morphology – Biophilic Fold accent lamp

Interesting Solutions

As we create more and more “open-concept” living environments, interior designers are challenged with ways of subdividing these large areas. I’m seeing an increase in room dividers, so the lighted options provided by Elish Warlop make logical sense. They segregate space, deliver vertical lighting and do it in a way that has heretofore been unseen. This could easily be an emerging trend, so I would watch this space for added development in the future.

https://www.elishwarlop.com/lighting

ICFF 2023 – Elish Warlop

I really liked the Juniper alternative to under-cabinet lighting. Rather than the utilitarian box, this is a rail, offset from the underside of the cabinet by a barrel on each end. The rail rotates to deliver light as directed. This is a great solution for finished-bottom cabinets and shelves with a very purposeful look and design.

https://juniper-design.com/

ICFF 2023 – Juniper

I’ve been a fan of Moooi since their life-sized horse floor lamp was introduced. (Do a Google Image search, if you’ve never seen it.) So why not a lighted Bluetooth speaker? Perfect for fun exterior environments.

https://www.moooi.com/us/collection/?c_category=Lighting

ICFF 2023 – Moooi

Really Nice Pieces

Some beautiful indirect light is now available by simply employing LED Tape. The ease of use and even delivery of light has allowed creative people to quickly develop interesting luminaires. Anony, showed Pola, a triple-arch, linear pendant that poured plenty of light in a downward direction, but eliminated the upward glare. The collection includes single arches and arches used vertically as portable lamps, also. By carefully positioning the LED Tape at the correct angle, the most effective use of this technology delivers maximum output. I liked this unit.

https://anony.ca/

ICFF 2023 – Anony – Pola linear chandelier

The Iris pendants shown by A-N-D, a Vancouver based firm were very exciting. The company has molded two large textured resin domes. They can be used together, separate and/or positioned up or down. The beauty here is the way in which the light is diffused. Think of an emerging sunset, or a falling moon trapped in a cloud of etched white. Great size, too! If you have a moment, it would be worth a scroll through this company’s exciting collection of lighting.

https://a-n-d.com/

ICFF 2023 – A-N-D Iris Pendants

Plates of metal, black on one side and gold leaf on the other are arranged as if a stack of paper were tossed in the air and allowed to freefall downward. These Ridgely Studio Works luminaires create angular surfaces that block the light, on the black side and reflect the light, on the gold side. A vertical pendant, chandelier and sconce all display an exciting balance of light and dark.

https://www.ridgelystudioworks.com/

ICFF 2023 – Ridgley Studio Works

The Miles linear pendant and accent lamp by Lasvit was very nice. I can see these pieces being used immediately in a wide variety of interiors. A ribbed and tapered white diffuser is captured inside a smoke cylinder. I really liked this look.

https://www.lasvit.com/

ICFF 2023 – Lasvit – Milo accent lamp
ICFF 2023 – Lasvit – Milo linear pendant

The Totem concept created by Pablo was apparently introduced last year, but I must have missed it. (One demerit for Jeff!) By stacking varying heights of white cylinders, a whole family of sizes is offered. Pendants and lamps can be mixed and matched across a space. I guess I need to pay better attention in the future!

https://www.pablodesigns.com/

ICFF 2023 – Pablo – Totem pendants and accent lamps

There was a nicely thought-out use of glass and wood in the pendants and sconces created by Lightmaker Studio. Employing the same shape, you will find the two materials used at the top, bottom, separate or together on each piece. Nice flexibility and beautiful shapes.

https://www.lightmakerstudio.com/

ICFF 2023 – Lightmaker Studio

Moorish influence pops in and out of lighting trends. Perhaps it is the material, the beautifully pierced hole patterns, the unique color of brass or the smart metal fabrication. Nonetheless, Dounia Home displayed a wide variety of pieces that could allow Moroccan design to reemerge.

https://www.douniahome.com/

LightFair 2023

Only a few things grabbed my attention at the ever-shrinking LightFair.

I was very interested in the approach LED Dynamics Perfektlight has taken with tunable light. This appears to be intelligently selected LED and engineered in a way to deliver an excellent output that more closely replicates the sun’s spectrum than has been accomplished by prior manufacturers. Coupled with astronomical input and their proprietary app program, I thought this was a very wise tunable solution.

PERFEKTLIGHT® – Tunable White Circadian LED System

I have no connection to the area lighting industry, but I thought the snap-on replaceable heads developed by Tekpoles made a lot of sense. Rather than multiple people working multiple hours, repairs can now be handled with a single person. If this “snap together” concept is of interest, consider taking a look at their website.

http://www.tekpoles.com/

The new Glint recessed light looks like a real solid winner. Once the luminaire is installed, it never moves, but the light can easily be adjusted to meet any changing demands. It has won scores of awards, disappears easily into the ceiling and looks good too. I think I’d like to try this one.

https://www.glintlighting.com/

LightFair 2023 – Glint

Based on this show, I would hope ceramics and fabric will find their way into more conventional lighting. I also think illuminated room dividers could grow into a more important category of lighting along with the “pearl necklace” type luminaire strings. These kindred spirits are both different and needed categories. As we move away from HARD Contemporary and pared-down traditional aesthetics, this show helps us understand what the “new” will look like. That’s my takeaway. What’s yours?

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Lighting Commentary

Is Solar Lighting Ready for “Primetime?”

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On a recent webinar I delivered covering exterior lighting, I was asked about the validity of solar. My unfortunate response, on residential-sized products had to be, “Not Ready for Primetime.”

That weekend, I watched a documentary on Mária Telkes, a pioneering biophysicist who made research into solar energy her life’s work, so much so that she was eventually nicknamed “The Sun Queen.” Unfortunately for her, she was a woman in science in the 40s and 50s and oil was becoming the “Big Oil” behemoth we now know. Because of that, her vision was never nurtured and the potential of solar was never allowed to be realized.

When talking with people who are knowledgeable on solar today, the reason continually stated for its stagnation is “energy storage” and the measured distribution of that stored power. I was struck, while watching the documentary to learn that these were the same challenges she faced and she was attempting to address, while also fighting the patriarchy and the small mindedness of male colleagues. If she was concentrating on these problems in the 1950s and had been provided with a modicum of support, my answer to the designer’s question might have been substantially different today.

I have been attending the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) for about twenty years. The reason this blog post is a day early is because I am on my way to New York for the next installment of this show. A great feature of this show if the “Student/Emerging Designer” section. Clever, interesting and relevant new ideas created by new, recently graduated or emerging product designers are given a prominent, underwritten stage. Many of these ideas are fun, exciting and thought-provoking. A decade or so ago (could be longer!) I talked with a young guy who had developed a solar landscape lighting path light. Rather than the solar collection panel being a wart on the top of the luminaire, he had integrated the panel into the contour of the fixture head. He likewise integrated the color and tone of panel with the finish. It was a beautiful product. I talked to the student/inventor about the solar capabilities. I asked about the storage and distribution of power. He, like Telkes was optimistic. This is a problem that will be solved soon.

Exterior lighting and landscape lighting in particular is a natural for solar. It is the reason this particular question comes up almost every time I talk about outdoor lighting.  As we strive for more energy independence and look for more ways to reduce our carbon footprint, it sure would be nice if we would have supported a person who had different ideas, alternate vison and unique viewpoints. Think about that as you witness governmental mandates against people, lifestyles and education that does not conform to the “norm” (whatever that might be.) Supporting those who think differently might in-fact be the most substantial move we make to insure a better future.

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Lighting Commentary

The Shape of Light

Photo by Dhivakaran S on Pexels.com

Artificial light has been around since some caveman figured out how to create, or harness fire. In those early days, the shape of light was roughly equivalent to the pile of combustible material gathered to keep the fire functioning. Those early Neanderthals quickly learned that if the material was tightly packed, the burn was much more controlled and consistent. A heap of wood created a heap of light.

As we moved from caves to constructed dwellings, fire was now allowed inside, the fire transitioning from outdoor pits to fireplaces. Human demand for a more controlled application led us to create lanterns fueled by oils and candles supported by wax and wick. The candle and the lantern were no longer associated with its byproduct of either heat, or food preparation. Its sole reason for existence was illumination. Humans have been stuck with that shape ever since.

Stuck? What?

As interiors transitioned to gaslight, hanging lights, chandeliers and sconces retained the same basic shape and size of candlelight and oil light by forcing the gas to similar delivery shapes. A gas stopcock was added to form a flame that replicated the wick created fire. Barely a change in size is evident in the diffusers. While all of the creators of incandescent light started with a variety of proportions and dimensions, the eventual shape of electric light was finessed into the parameters established by flame and gas. The luminaire industry STILL to this day uses gas pipe thread as a standard across the industry and many of the components of a lighting fixture carry gas or plumbing names along with their odd thread sizes. Some of the most popular incandescent light bulbs are those shaped to replicate a flame. They fit nicely into chandeliers that replicate candle-holding lights of the past.

New York Magazine recently featured a reasonably well-researched article about the writer’s beef with LED. (There’s Something Off About LED Bulbs by Tom Scocca) He does makes some mistakes about CRI. I’ll reserve those for another blog post. The bulk of the content contains some of the typical complaints people have with LED, many of which I have addressed in previous posts relating to our desire for “cheap” and then being unhappy with the results; blaming it on the supplier who gave the consumer what they wanted. If you’ve ever seen the political cartoon “Tammany Ring” by Thomas Nast, you’ll understand this circular argument. Don’t give the customer what they want, because they don’t know what they want. Throughout the article he relates problems with LED because of shape.

Regardless of technology, consumers seem to want light in the package to which they have become accustomed. We want our LED to be shaped like incandescent, which was shaped like gas, which was shaped like a candle flame. Unfortunately, that is where science is having a bit of a problem. That problem is fodder for writers like Scocca.

When LED were new, cost was of secondary importance and the new light could be formed into whatever function was required. Form follows function was a principle attributed to Architect Louis Sullivan that states the item should in some way relate to the purpose. LED are not well suited for the confining shape of an incandescent envelope and screwshell. They must be kept cool and the narrowing screw-thread section of a light bulb provides so little space for cooling, as the article title intimates, they do some odd things. Function can’t (shouldn’t) follow form.

I have continually promoted and pushed fully integrated LED luminaires in opposition to retrofit LED lightbulbs for this very reason. Our kitchen was remodeled at the very early hours of LED. EVERY light in the room is LED. Almost all of them were “the first” LED products developed by companies like Cree, Philips and Kichler. They were also substantially more expensive than their incandescent counterparts at the time. None of the luminaires were “stuffed” into incandescent lamp enclosures. All of them are still functioning. I have had no problems with any of them and performance has been excellent.

As consumers, we can get what we want, but we should instead take what experts suggest. There is the old line about the first automobile that remains valid today. If asked, customers did not want a car, they just wanted a faster horse. Closer to today, no one ever asked for a mobile phone. Life today without a car or a mobile is almost inconceivable. Possible, but unlikely.

The same should be considered with LED. Eventually, engineers might figure out how to stuff LED into hot tiny confining places and maintain their performance characteristics. In the meantime, look to integrated luminaires as the later-day automobile or mobile phone. You’ll get what you do not yet know you want.

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Lighting Commentary

Different Materials

I read recently that nature artist and designer, Paul Cocksedge created a new piece of art, now on view inside Liverpool Cathedral. As is the case with so much of his work, it is based on natural materials and in this instance, provides a commentary on the world’s fossil fuel dependence. Cocksedge has arranged 2000 pieces of coal, weighing a half-ton, into a sphere. The amount of coal used is apparently equal to the amount needed to keep a 200W light bulb illuminated for a year.

After looking at the images, I realized it created the illusion of a chandelier. He has arranged downlights around the piece to reflect the luminous surface of the type of coal he used, anthracite. This look is every bit as engaging as crystal and gold.

This got me thinking. Why do luminaire manufacturers stay with the same materials? Brass, glass, steel, aluminum and some resins are pretty much the pallet from which they work. Occasionally, we see alabaster being used. Mica has had a place in mission style lanterns. Corten® steel is occasionally employed. Lead crystal and now optical crystal have gone in and out of fashion. The same can be said for wood. Could we think farther outside of the material box?

Anthracite really does deliver a beautiful look. Where could we unearth the next material that provides the same unexpected result? Would formed, thin wall concrete allow for simple shapes to be created? I’ve just read about a new translucent concrete used for lighted park benches. Is there wider application?

A couple of years ago, dichromatic glass became popular with artists and craftspeople. You couldn’t toss a hammer in a summer arts fair without hitting a booth employing this material. I wonder why it did not translate to lighting. Just prior to that, the same could be said of hematite. Its lustrous black finish would probably work today as we enjoy continued use of matte black in so much home fashion.

I remember an early trip to the Philippines where artisans were fabricating fossil stone (Mactan) into lamp parts. It was exciting to see something new being tried. It had a nice run for five or six years. Capiz Shells, made from the windowpane oyster, likewise could be found “everywhere” for almost a decade.

I’m waiting for the next new material. What could it be? When will it arrive? How will it get here? If you’re trying to determine “what’s next” like me, look to artists and artisans, find out what they are creating and how they are making new things. Understand the medium they use. Seek out those that are striking a new path.

Perhaps this is the reason societies have artists. They are trained to look at thing differently. That different outlook can lead to materials that will find their way into every-day products…and perhaps, lighting.

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Lighting Commentary

No More Moore’s

Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

Gordon E. Moore, a giant behind the silicone computer chip, but perhaps better known for his conceptual predictions of growth trends known as “Moore’s Law” died last week. If you’re unfamiliar, he observed that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit double every two years. As this overarching observation turned into reality, he further added two corollaries. Evolving technology would make computers more and more expensive to build, but consumers would pay less and less for them because so many would be sold.

The rise of LED followed a very similar path of better and better output and lower and lower costs.

In his New York Time obituary, they indicated that the end of viability for Moore’s Law was imminent. Recently, similar predictions have been made about LED. With efficacy in the 200 lumens per watt range, only incremental improvements have occurred lately. The plateau we all expected is here. The LED version of Moore’s Law has come to a close.

Both silicone chips and LED diodes are the result of creative engineers pushing the edges of their respective specialties. No doubt, gathering momentum and strength from the successes of the other.

I have recently listened to two extended interviews with music producer, Rick Rubin. He is promoting his recent book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, about the creative process. He is a fascinating voice and yet another book has been added to my growing list. If you don’t know Rubin’s work, listen to the Johnny Cash “American Recordings” They are quintessential examples of a career coda. A summation of a hard scrabbled life by an outlaw musician coming to terms with his mortality and his faith. The reason Cash was able to create these masterpieces was Rubin.

In his book, Rubin postulates that creative people build their work on the shoulders of other creative work. He rejects the idea that creatives should ignore other creatives. Seeing other good work does not mean it will be mimicked or reproduced into yours. Instead, creativity inspires creativity and the unique skill of one only heightens the output of another.

With that in mind, I like to imagine that the creative minds that transformed the lighting industry were looking across the imaginary Silicon Valley and upon seeing their success, were motivated to work harder and better resulting in the lighting we know, today. Creativity begat creativity. Thanks Mr. Moore for better lighting.

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Lighting Commentary

What’s Next For Lighting?

Let’s call out the parade! We won. LED is now the official light source of the world. We’ve saved lots of money. Energy use is down. Wo-Hoo! We’re done!

Photo by Vlad Vasnetsov on Pexels.com

Or, perhaps, we are not. If you’ve noticed a lull in new lighting product innovation you’re not mistaken. I believe however, it would be wrong to assume this to be a permanent state. Instead, we need to keep our eyes open for the next innovation that will rock the lighting world.

Advances in Integration

Over a decade ago, the “Lighting For Tomorrow” competition instigated new and exciting energy efficient products into the market. Initially, products were created to prove that fluorescent didn’t need to be ugly, but LED appeared quickly thereafter and the whole landscape changed. Because we are fully enmeshed in the use of LED, that competition has been abandoned in favor of the “Integrated Home Competition.” By seamlessly linking HVAC, controls and lighting, the next level of energy savings might be met. Finding a system that is easy to use and requires minimal education for the consumer can take us to the next level of energy savings.

https://www.integratedhome.org/

Cutting Bait on Existing Technology

Perhaps you noticed the news that Canada and a few states in America are considering a ban on HID, high-pressure sodium and Metal Halide lighting. The US got rid of Mercury Vapor a number of years ago. There is also a growing band of government entities who have already ended, or are in the process of ending, the use of fluorescent. LED is now the only real game in town. I have even seen OLEDs on a list of possible elimination in Europe because of its lack of efficacy. Ultimately, this means that the desire for increased energy efficiency has NOT disappeared.

Most industry experts and utility concerns understand that the next generation of energy savings will come from more effectively applied controls. Occupancy sensors, motion sensors, zoned lighting controls and a more generous collection of dimmers will all result in reduced lighting power demand. This may seem awfully incremental, but a study done by Pacific Gas & Electric in 2013 on an Ace Hardware Warehouse illustrated the impact controls could achieve.

The original fluorescent and HID lighting was swapped for, at the time, “new” LED luminaires. That move reduced energy consumption to 80% of original. By adding, dimming, daylight sensitive switches, occupancy controls, course zoning and fine zoning controls, the end result brought energy consumption to an incredibly low 7% (a 93% reduction of energy) of the baseline! If even a portion of that can be achieved in a residence, it must be considered a win.

You may read the entire PG&E report here: https://www.etcc-ca.com/sites/default/files/reports/ET12PGE3361%20LED%20High-Bay%20Lighting%20and%20Controls%20Assessment.pdf

Sweat Energy

The scientist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst have created a biofilm that sticks to the skin and creates electricity from sweat. They imagine it to be used for all types of electronic wearables and electronic health devices. Combining this invention with the recently discovered need to have light delivered to our bodies in various angles and directions and the whole concept of how we use light and how it is powered might be upended.

The researchers further believe that additional energy could be extracted from the naturally occurring process of evaporation. Apparently, half of the sun’s energy is lost in its transition to the earth. They believe they can capture some of that loss and turn it back into a usable resource. Yes, I know. This is wild. It seems so odd that we could extract energy from sweat and evaporation, but back in 1917 the concept of electroluminescence from solid-state diodes led us to LED today. With that as a baseline, almost anything is possible.

Small…Finally!

I have been saying for years that I didn’t understand why integrated LED recessed cans have maintained their 6” size. There is no reason for such a large hole in the ceiling now that diodes are delivering illumination. At the very least, I assumed the industry would swap to 4” as more of a standard. A number of smaller pieces have shown up on the market, but their output have been closer to recessed MR16 performance than the larger units.

Imagine my delight when I found the new CSL Whisper. This is a trimless ½” diameter recessed downlight. Checking out the specifications, it looks like the 50° optics deliver excellent light amounts. (A center-beam candle power of 1398.) While no recessed light placement is “rule-of-thumb,” numbers like this should work great in 10’-0” ceiling heights. A tighter 30° beam angle will be effective in tall locations or in areas with lower reflectance. Because of the extremely small size, glare should be very low. Checking out the installation instructions, it shows a very simple task. Clearly easier than installing that huge metal box in the plenum. This appears to be exactly what I had hoped would happen once some smart engineers started to think outside the 6” can. I have not yet seen the unit installed, but I sure am encouraged!

https://csllighting.com/SystemDetail.dmx?itemnum=WS-IC-Sys

Change

Perhaps these aren’t the paradigm shift we experienced with LED, but they do continue advanced movement and fresh thinking. It also suggests that lighting will not fall into another 130-year incandescent rut. We will, however need to expand our concept of light and energy savings to include some advances. Controls, sweat and ultra-tiny luminaires will make our exit from existing technologies easier. It also bodes well for a more planet-friendly, sustainable future. We should all feel good about that.