Page 34 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - December 2015

2015
A CONFERENCE
lessons from ala
HUNTINGTON BEACH

“For lighting to do ‘smart’ things, it

price of LEDs making it a commodity. He also touched
needs to communicate with other
on the developments occurring with OLED and how

its primary bene t is its exibility/bendability versus
devices. Imagine if every item in your
its e ciency.

Laser diodes is an area of untapped growth.
home needed a separate app in
“Think of a laser pointer,” Shiller said. “Laser diodes
order to work.”
are extremely small emi ers that have no droop, so

it’s ideal for ber optic transport.” He noted that
the Space Player from Panasonic (which combines
—David Shiller
lighting and image projection) resembles a track

head and how laser headlights are already installed
features in a house, then the reps, designers, and in Mercedes, Audi, and BMW cars in Europe. “There

lighting showrooms will need to know this, too. In the are even laser diode TVs, like the Hecto from LG,” he
context of lighting systems, there’s going to be a lot commented. “I follow the automotive and TV indus-

to learn in the next few years.”
tries because that’s where the technology is going.”

Retro ts and conversion kits are another area of Another area the panelists tackled was evaluat-
concern. “There is a lot of confusion over retro ts,” ing a product — such as a desk lamp that also can

O’Brien remarked. “Sometimes consumers don’t charge a smart phone. “If the light is o , it still pro-
want to rip a building apart; they just want to vides power to the USB,” O’Brien pointed out. “How

upgrade. Some kits require rewiring a luminaire,” he do we measure it so that all players are playing by

said. There are performance standards to evaluate the rules,” added Bloom eld, “so that the light is
as well as the challenge in changing from a ballast working perfectly and the standby power is working

to a driver. “There is still a level of concern when it perfectly when it’s all really ‘one’ product.” Shiller
comes to retro ts,” O’Brien noted.
concurred, mentioning that ENERGY STAR is wres-

David Shiller, President of Lighting Solution tling with [evaluating] this type of convergence.

Development, agreed that standardization and com- McGowan’s top concerns is that government
munication among devices is key. “For lighting to do regulations will continue to set the bar unreason-

‘smart’ things, it needs to communicate with other ably high for lighting. “We’re going to be squeezing
devices,” he said, adding, “Imagine if every item in the lemon tightly,” he joked of the expectation that

your home needed a separate app in order to work.” there could be even more e ciencies to be realized.

There are groups (Connected Alliance, enOcean, “When it comes to ceiling fans, must we determine
Google Nest, Wink, Bluetooth, Insteon, etc.) that are how much energy each fan speed uses?”

focused on a creating a solution. “The problem isn’t When it comes to screw-based xtures, Mc-
just competing protocols,” Shiller stated. “There are Gowan questioned whether there will be a move

di erences – positive and negative – to each. It’s not toward having integrated bulbs or a light engine. “I’ve

like deciding between VHS and Betamax. Right now seen such innovative work done by manufacturers,”
there’s not one protocol that can do everything.”
he stated. “We love choice in this industry, so I hope

Shiller suggested that manufacturers should des- we can continue to have both options.”
ignate someone in their organization who can follow One aspect that the retailer – and therefore the

these developments. “Think about the products that consumer – is not aware of is how many more choic-

you want to be compatible with,” he said.
es they might have if certain procedures weren’t so
Another area that is increasing in prominence is daunting. “Many manufacturers have told me that

what Shiller called “human-centric lighting.” This testing costs can limit whether or not they bring out
involves aspects such as how di erent color spec- a certain xture design,” McGowan commented.

trums a ect our circadian rhythms throughout the For the ALA’s part, the organization will continue

day and the interest that the wellness and health- to be actively involved in legislation, regulation, and
care industries have in this research.
all areas impacting the residential lighting industry

Shiller pointed to lighting becoming more of a and plans to keep its membership apprised of any
“higher-value product” in contrast to the dropping
changes as they arise.
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32 enLIGHTenment magazine | December 2015
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