Page 61 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - September 2016

Fine tuning

when you add in the developments occurring in the
controls category, it’s no longer a simple sale.

“Nowadays when you buy a light for a project, it’s
a long-term decision,” adds Je Gatow, Vice Presi-

dent of Optec Lighting. “The lighting is going to last,
so if you don’t like the result, you’re going to have to

live with it for a long time. You are buying a product

for more than just energy savings. Now [the criteria]
is about which product does the best job of lighting

that space since they’re all going to save energy.”
Without professional guidance, it’s possible for

a project manager to unwi ingly waste a one-time

energy incentive or credit on a product that doesn’t
truly bene t the application. “The optics are of the

utmost importance,” Gatow cautions. Fortunately,
that word is ge ing out. He referenced a recent

McDonald’s project where speci ers made their se-

lection based not on price or energy savings, but on
photometric performance. “We in the industry have
Top:
to educate people to research what they are get- At the recent Lightovation
ting,” he stated. “It’s about the quality of the lighting.”
show in Dallas (shown) and at
Lightfair, the big news at LED
So far, the industry has done a good job with Inspirations (LEDI) was the com-

spreading the word about energy savings. “The pany’s revolutionary NANOSKN V4
consumer gets it, but there are other aspects of tape light that is uniquely coated,
eld-cu able, and easily reconnect-
di erentiation besides price,” Gatow remarked. “It’s able. It is covered by three patents.
not all about lumen output either. [What counts is]

how well it illuminates.”
mIddLe: The original Pollock nish,
so-named a er the renowned

American painter. It is one of many
customizable nishes o ered by
“For all of the development domestic manufacturer Barn Light.

in lighting over the past few boTTom: The Truline series, by
Pure Lighting, can be set into the
walls/ceiling or can go “out of the
years, I am surprised that
wall” as well.
we still have bad lighting out

there.”
—Je Dross, Kichler

Josie Anthony, President of Leucos USA (the

American division of the renowned Italian lighting

xture and portables manufacturer) noted, “The
way of selling lighting has changed. It is still about

relationships, but now it is more about learning the
technology. It’s not like selling decorative lamps with

an E12 (candelabra) bulb. It’s more involved, more

technical, and more sophisticated. There’s a learning
curve and it takes longer to make a sale versus sell-

ing a table lamp years ago.”
There was something else on the minds of

SepteMber 2016 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 59