IALD: 3D Printing - an integral part of the luminaire design process
Frederik Friederichs, Group Manager at Light Bureau, explains more about his first steps into 3D printing luminaires.
It all started with a replacement part for a linear fluorescent tube. While browsing through a luminaire storage, checking for functional luminaires to salvage, I discovered a classic T5 luminaire with a missing end cap. It was a merely aesthetic flaw since the luminaire was functioning fine otherwise, and I was sure that this would be an opportunity to start investigating into 3D printing to allow me to reproduce this specific part of the luminaire. The scope was identified with a measurable goal and I tried to reverse the design process to build a duplicate from the existing end cap.
In all beginnings and when entering a new production method with different workflows, roads are bumpy and the first steps are unavoidably subject to multiple trial and error processes. But I felt that 3D printing can become an essential part of our design exploration process to find suitable dimensions, shapes and forms and serve to understand the production and creation process better.
From Idea to Form
Purchasing a sliding caliper immediately became useful when starting detailed measurements on luminaire parts. The end cap had a rather simple cylindrical shape with delicate mounting bits in the bottom to connect to the socket base. After reviewing the first 3D printed part from the 3D file I had generated, I was caught by surprise.
The 3D printer is capable of spitting out a digital model, transforming data into a tactile product. But the quality of the result was far off from my expectations, with exception of form and material thickness of the generated object. This led me to analyse the piece in detail, revising the modelling workflow and the transition into the “slicer” (the programme that translates the 3D model attributes for the 3D printer). Following these steps, I was able to refine the surface structure and quality, optimise the necessary support structure to print this piece and get consistent results. It took a few attempts to figure out the correct tolerances to make the end cap snap onto the socket without using too much force. Simultaneously, I was interested in trying different material types with a variety of characteristics besides the polylactic acid (PLA), which is most commonly used in the FDM (fused deposition modeling) 3D printing process and engaging in online learning courses that helped me to calibrate and utilise the 3D printer more efficiently.
It still feels like scratching the surface of options and opportunities connected to 3D printing, since the possibilities and knowledge exchange in the field of 3D printing are endless. But these first iterative steps to arrive at an adequate and bespoke 3D printing part made me more interested in more complex tasks.
From Form to Fit
My creative process was certainly boosted by changes around the office leading to closer cooperation with the architectural studio GPA (part of AFRY). In 2019, we started to extend the 3D printing hardware in our common workshop/light lab at the office, allowing faster and larger 3D prints. It helped us to react instantly on projects where we wanted to apply customised fittings. We were able to deliver mock-ups and conceptual solutions ranging from luminaire brackets to reflector parts. In this stage we mainly used the 3D printing capabilities to make tests and give clients an idea of scale and form of the final tailor-made product part. Due to its rapid and almost instant nature, additive manufacturing supported our decision-making process. The awareness of 3D printing was rising, and we even cooperated with manufacturers who sent us 3D data of additional luminaire parts for mock-up luminaires, since it was faster to produce these add-ons locally than to send the spare parts to us by post. This made me realise that 3D printing can become a major part of a circular economy system and a sustainable alternative for the existing linear production due to its decentralised production capabilities.
The focus changed from just using the technology to replace or supplement parts to designing a 3D printed object first, which could then be produced in series.
From Fit to Product
Materialising ideas and the production of custom-made parts has become significantly easier and more accessible through additive manufacturing. We are now able now to react and adapt to changes in the detailing stage and proactively find solutions for difficulties and issues at the project site. But to allow a higher print volume, more accuracy and sturdiness for the object, while reducing costs and production time per piece, we were looking for partners using suitable 3D printing technologies to cooperate with.
Ruten in Sandnes
One of the new signature structures in Sandnes, a city located on the west coast of Norway, will be Ruten, which has long been the region’s largest transit interchange point. The area has undergone an extensive infrastructural transformation, leading to a new key pivot point for the city featuring an urban park with a canopied ring structure. The design brief in this project, developed and designed by SpaceGroup Architects in Norway, was to install luminaires at predefined heights into approximately 60 round pillar cavities of a filigree bearing roof structure with an organic shape. The lighting concept for the urban area focuses on using mainly indirect reflected light from the canopied structure provided by the pillar integrated luminaires, resulting in a soft and diffuse lit area providing guidance and orientation while simultaneously highlighting the volume of the structure.
We are currently in the final stage of completing this project – our first where 3D printing is a vital and integral part of the fixture design.
The diameter for the prefabricated cut-outs in the pillars was defined to be 10cm and the difficulty of this task was to create a luminaire component that seamlessly connects the convex shape of the pillar and holds an adjustable standardised exterior spotlight fixture firm in place. Additionally, other challenges, such as different material thickness of the pillars and the fact that all components needed to fit through the 10cm hole as only access point, influenced the design process for the prototype.
After plenty of considerations and numerous design alternatives with regards to optimised light distribution, colour, fitting and installation, as well as in regard to the workflow for the electrician, were carried out and we arrived at a final design solution with a consistent and coordinated design for a prototype in January 2020. A mock-up was subsequently performed in a warehouse and all project participants were able to see this hybrid solution of a tailor‐made 3D printed secondary reflector and a standard exterior spotlight.
Together, with the producer of the 3D prints, we discussed object joints and fillets, material choice and thickness as well as tolerances to be able to deliver a holistic and comprehensive design that is long lasting and easy to install and maintain on building site. Funnily enough, the producer is located 20km from the building site, a fact that became significant in the beginning of February 2021.
After all components were delivered to the site, we received a phone call informing us that the cut-outs in the pillars were performed through a different method, resulting in higher tolerances of the cut out down to around 8cm. We managed to tackle this deviation by redesigning and adjusting the secondary reflector and could deliver new prototypes on site for fitting within three days, without the need to wait for a shipment from further away.
We expect the project to be done in the first quarter of 2021 and are looking forward to the results. I am of the opinion that we have not yet leveraged all of the possibilities that lie within the 3D printing technology. We are on the verge of making 3D printing a powerful element in the lighting designer’s toolbox.
David Morgan Review: LED Linear Ultima-P
LED Linear shrinks luminaire design to a new level with its latest range, Ultima. Originally due to launch during Light + Building 2020, the Ultima range has now been revealed virtually. David Morgan delves in to find out more.
The world of lighting changes fairly gradually but one continuous trend that I have experienced over many years of luminaire design is the miniaturisation of luminaires and light sources. LED Linear has always achieved a high lumen output from small profile products and has now taken luminaire shrinking to a new level with its Ultima range.
LED Linear was founded by Dr. Michael Kramer, who was responsible for sales and marketing, and Carsten Schaffarz, who looked after innovation and production. They were colleagues at Vossloh-Schwabe Optoelektronik before launching LED Linear in May 2006, initially operating from a garage. The company has rapidly grown to become one of the most recognised brands in the specification linear lighting market, with 150 directly employed staff. The company was acquired by the Fagerhult Group in 2016 and, after three years transition, the two founders have now moved on.
LED Linear has based its systems on the use of flexible LED tape, which is assembled in-house, along with all the various luminaire types at a facility in Duisburg, Germany. Sales are global with branch sales offices in major markets and a network of distributors in smaller countries.
The latest luminaire series to be launched by LED Linear is the Ultima range that was due to be launched at Light + Building 2020 but which, due to the Covid pandemic, has been launched virtually. The complete range, which has a very wide range of housing and mounting options, all incorporate an innovative, miniature, linear light engine and heat sink assembly only 13 mm wide x 10 mm deep. The heart of the Ultima range is the light engine, which incorporates chip scale 1mm x 1mm 0.2W LEDs mounted on an 8.5mm pitch. It is understood that LED Linear is the only manufacturer so far that has been able to mount chip scale LEDs onto a flexible PCB with the required precision to work correctly with optics. The light output from the LEDs is controlled with a miniature moulded reflector, only 7mm in diameter, and a nano lens optical film combination. The light engine is mounted in an extruded aluminium heat sink housing onto which a moulded miniature glare control louvre is fixed, providing glare control up to UGI 13. The NanoRay 2 optical film used in the Ultima is understood to be a further development of the earlier nano optic system used in the LED Linear Mars system.
There are seven distributions available in the Ultima range, from a narrow 10º spot up to a wide 60º beam and an opal window option for a diffuse effect. There are optics for batwing and asymmetric distributions, allowing the system to be used in a wide variety of lighting applications.
Maximum output is 1,870 lumens from the 4,000 K 80 CRI version with a power consumption of 25W per metre.
The Ultima S range - the stand-alone version - was the first to be launched in 2020. This is the basic 13mm x 10mm profile, which can be mounted with various clip designs and also magnetic strips that can be fixed with double sided adhesive tape to the body extrusion. Specific clips allow this version to be mounted onto T-bar ceilings where the width of the luminaire fits unobtrusively between tiles
The Ultima T track mounted range was then launched. This combines a four conductor low voltage track system with the Ultima luminaires allowing them to snapped in and repositioned as required without tools. Suspended, surface mount, and trimless recessed versions of the track are also available.
The latest version is the Ultima P pendant version, which I was given to test. In this instance the linear strip is mounted in a robust steel U channel to provide additional weight thus making a very neat pendant.
The samples I was given were the medium flood with a 40º beam and black louvre, and the batwing distribution fitted with a white louvre. The lit effect of the 40º distribution was fairly dramatic producing a high intensity cut off beam, which was uniform and has almost no visible colour over angle issues. The batwing version was equally impressive with a wide clean distribution.
One of the advantages in reducing the size of luminaires, in addition to production cost reduction, is to minimise the environmental impact and carbon footprint by reducing the weight of materials used. The Ultima range would fit well into a circular economy model as the mechanical and optical components all snap together very neatly. However, I am not sure how easy it would be to remove the LED tape from the heat sink extrusion after five or more years in use.
It is understood that the Ultima range was developed over a two-year period following discussions with lighting designers in various countries who expressed a strong interest in specifying smaller luminaires with high output and good optical control. The Ultima design and development was undertaken in-house with the top management team involved throughout the process. Franziska Heckmanns was the key product designer for the range, I understand.
The company reports that feedback from lighting designers and customers has been positive to the Ultima range and a number of projects have already been completed. This latest example of luminaire miniaturisation has been well executed and looks set to be a successful addition to the LED Linear portfolio.
Ruth Kelly Waskett
An Associate at Hoare Lea with a strong focus on daylight, Ruth Kelly Waskett will take over as President of the Society of Light and Lighting this May. arc speaks with Kelly Waskett about her ambitions for her Presidency, and the value of organisations such as the SLL to the lighting world.
How did you first get into lighting?
In a nutshell, I got into lighting via daylight. I studied building services engineering and after working in that discipline for a few years, I started to get involved with daylight modelling and it really captured my interest. I studied for an MSc in Light & Lighting at UCL and I just felt so at home with the blend of art and science that lighting is.
Can you describe your career journey so far?
My career could probably be best be described as an “academia sandwich”! I spent the first 10 years or so working as an engineer and then lighting consultant, followed by a five-year period in academia where I did a PhD in daylighting and became a visiting lecturer at UCL. I joined Hoare Lea in 2017 and it is great to be back in practice again. There’s nothing like seeing your designs become a reality!
How did you first get involved with the SLL?
It is because of Liz Peck. I met Liz at an SLL conference in my hometown of Dublin, and before I knew it, I had agreed to join the Newsletter Committee! Liz’s enthusiasm was infectious, and she was great at getting people involved. I think many of us are still coming to terms with her untimely death earlier this year. She had such a big impact and will be greatly missed.
What has been your role within the Society since first getting involved?
After the Newsletter Committee, it was contributing to guides, and I led the revision of Lighting Guide 10 (Daylight) in 2014. I became a Vice President in 2016 and through this role I’ve been involved in various initiatives, including an overhaul of the Young Lighter competition which has been really successful.
What was the process for you becoming President-Elect? How were you chosen?
Every year, the SLL Nominations Panel meet to nominate an individual to join the SLL Executive as a Vice President, and joining as a VP puts you on a pathway to becoming President. The Executive nomination is presented to the SLL membership and they can put an alternative nomination forward, if this happens there is a ballot.
When did you find out you were to become SLL President? What does it mean to you to be given this role?
The results of the nomination process are finalised at the SLL Annual General Meeting. So it was at the AGM in May 2020 that my role as President Elect was confirmed. It sounds like a cliché, but it really is a huge honour. Many of the past presidents are people I greatly admire and to be honest I can’t believe I’m next!
What are your goals/aspirations for your tenure as SLL President?
This role is a huge opportunity. I want to use it to recalibrate SLL, to get back to the basics of why it exists and what it is here to do. One of the key things I want to focus on is uniting diverse groups from across the industry, and I mean diversity in more than one sense – not just gender or ethn icity, but also how people identify within lighting. Some of us describe ourselves as engineers, some as designers, but we all love lighting, so let’s get together!
Have you received any words of advice from former Presidents or current President Bob Bohannon?
Bob is very supportive and has encouraged a lot of collaboration between all the VPs and the President each year, so that no-one feels isolated. It also ensures continuity in the work that Presidents do – there’s a limit to what anyone can do in one year.
How important do you think organisations such as the SLL are to the lighting community?
If you are interested in lighting, and especially if you work in lighting, then being part of a group of people with this common interest is hugely beneficial. You have direct access to not just the guidebooks but to the people who wrote them. There is a really diverse programme of events, all online at the moment obviously, which allows you to keep up to date with the latest research and thinking. Most of all, it’s a great way to connect with a group of people who share your obsession with lighting and who will not roll their eyes when you spend a lot of your time looking up at the ceiling when you go out somewhere!
You have a particular focus on daylight in your position at Hoare Lea – how integral do you think daylight should be in lighting design?
The importance of daylight is becoming more widely recognised in building design due to the drive for sustainability, and more recently because of the realisation of the crucial role of daylight to our health. But I would like to see more lighting designers integrate daylight with their practice. In the process of lighting design, we have a tendency to focus on what happens after dark and forget that for a huge chunk of the 24-hour period, buildings are illuminated by daylight as well as artificial light.
What do you think the future holds for the lighting industry?
The pandemic has changed so much, and for the lighting industry we need to embrace the new fluidity between spaces for working, spaces for living and spaces for recreation. Lighting can facilitate a huge amount of flexibility to support this change. Another impact of the pandemic is a renewed sense of responsibility over our own health – mental and physical. And of course, light is key to health; we know we need high levels of light in the daytime and darkness at night to stay healthy. I think it’s vital that as an industry we respond to this.
www.cibse.org/society-of-light-and-lighting
www.hoarelea.com
Illuminated River launches new engagement programme as artwork is revealed
(UK) - To celebrate the completion of its nine-bridge artwork, the Illuminated River Foundation has launched a new programme of engagement activities.
Launched on 13 April, the programme will evolve throughout the year, and will support the artwork through a mixture of on-site and digital activities, with free and bookable options. The programme includes interactive art trails and guided walking tours, as well as a new phase of musical collaboration with students from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Spanning from London Bridge to Lambeth Bridge, the Illuminated River artworks were created by internationally acclaimed artist Leo Villareal, with award-winning architectural practice Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands. With a minimum lifespan of ten years, it is estimated that up to 90 million people a year will see the artworks in situ along the River Thames.
The Illuminated River Foundation has also commissioned new music uniquely inspired by the artwork, the Thames and its bridges, from students at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. In this second iteration of the collaboration, dozens of original music compositions, each focusing on a specific bridge, have been created to celebrate the artwork, as well as the social history behind the structures. These will be shared in a series of releases over the coming weeks.
For example the arrangement ‘Still We Move’ by Lillian Chan, for example, explores the under-recognised contribution of the largely female workforce responsible for completing Waterloo Bridge, also known as ‘The Ladies Bridge’ during WWII. Alluding to the sentiment in Maya Angelou’s 1978 poem, ‘Still I Rise’, Chan’s commission layers female vocals with strings to emphasise a message of solidarity among women.
Free audio guides created with City of London Guides also delve deeper into the rich history of each bridge, highlighting key sites of interest along both the north and south banks of the river, and elucidating Villareal’s artistic vision.
Meanwhile, a calendar of guided tours of the Illuminated River artwork is planned throughout the coming months, with some events reserved especially for key workers. The 90-minute tours, available to book online for groups of up to six, take place on Tuesdays (for Blackfriars to Lambeth Bridge) and Fridays (from London to Millennium Bridge) and comprise a gentle evening stroll along the river accompanied by an informative professional guide.
Sarah Gaventa, Director of the Illuminated River Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be developing this programme of engagement to celebrate the completion of the next five bridges in the Illuminated River artwork.
“This launch marks the culmination of five years’ work by the Foundation, and we’re very excited to finally share it with the public. Through various collaborations with some incredible partners, we are offering a stimulating, educational and accessible calendar of activities and resources for all to enjoy.”
Women in Lighting launch Gender Equality survey
Women in Lighting has launched #womeninlighitngUKfacts, a survey collecting data about gender equality in the UK lighting industry as a whole.
It welcomes participation from lighting consultancies and engineering practices, as well as manufacturers, educators, researchers, and related disciplines, which sometimes do not feel represented in the mainstream. The survey aims to find out quantitative and qualitative data. It will collect figures and facts about equal opportunities, sexism, pay gaps and company policies. Some questions will give the chance to expand on the answers if anyone wishes to.
The survey is completely anonymous, so it encourage participants to provide their honest opinion and was conceived by Carmela Dagnello, WiL UK Ambassador, with the support of a team made up of Amy Rennie (WiL Ambassador for Scotland), Carolina Sterzi and Sandra Babini. The survey can be completed here.
Lam Partners Celebrates 60th Anniversary; Announces New Brand Identity
(USA) – New brand identity to commemorate past and look to future.
Lam Partners has marked its 60th anniversary with a rebrand to its visual identity.
“We are proud that we've been able to work on incredible projects with exceptional collaborators, clients, and friends for the past 60 years,” said Jamie Perry, Principal. “Our new identity is not just cosmetic – we’ve taken this opportunity to evolve our brand into something that represents where Lam Partners is as a company today – 60 years later.”
The Lam logo serves as the foundation to a dynamic, flexible visual system. It finds a visual language for light and mimics how light behaves in a space. The logo represents the interplay of light and shadow. The new typeface and vibrant colours reflect the company’s approach to its work: energetic, passionate, and innovative.
“2021 is a special year for us as it marks our 60th anniversary. What better way to recognise our history and legacy, while also focusing on the future, than with a new brand identity for Lam Partners,” said Paul Zaferiou, Principal. “The new brand identity is not only current and modern but continues to reflect the core values of our organisation – our collaborative spirit, supportive internal culture, and elevation of human spaces.”
William Lam Associates was founded in 1961 by William M. C. Lam, after he had worked in architecture and as a lighting manufacturer for many years. With a focus on the integration of lighting with architecture and urban design, Lam collaborated with many architects across the US and throughout the world, developing innovative lighting solutions and integrated system approaches for complex building designs. Lam retired in 1995 but continued to work as a consultant until his passing in 2012.
Today, Lam Partners is a 30-person firm, with eight principals across two offices. Its collaborative spirit, supportive internal culture, and elevation of human spaces shows that people are at the heart of what it does. They understand that the spaces they create will have a profound effect on those that live, work, and play in them.
Bega acquires majority stake of Aubrilam
(Europe) – Aubrilam to be French Bega location, will also continue as independent brand.
Bega has announced that it has acquired the majority stake of its French partner company, Aubrilam.
The luminaire manufacturer has already maintained a successful system partnership with Aubrilam and its street furniture solutions made of wood, for almost a decade.
As the future French Bega location, Aubrilam will remain present in the market as a brand with an independent product portfolio, with the same number of employees. Soufyane Miloudi will remain as Aubrilam’s Managing Director, with Turki Badeed remaining as partner.
“The expected further urbanisation with the establishment of leisure-focused lifestyles in growing cities will increase the demand for high-quality street furniture,” said Heinrich Gantenbrink, Managing Partner of Bega. “Wood as a very sustainable, natural material will play a major role in this, along with convincing lighting solutions.”
Gantenbrink added that the acquisition of Aubrilam was a logical step in this regard: “The philosophy of both companies that only extraordinary quality, as well as the durability of the products, are acceptable was the basis of our partnership. Now we are bringing this previous success story together under one roof.”
Soutyane Miloudi, Managing Partner of Aubrilam, added: “Our brand has been established in the market since 1978. Since the beginning almost a decade ago, our structured cooperation with Bega has grown very fruitfully. Now we are going to take the next step together.”
LEDucation 2021 In-Person August Trade Show Cancelled
(USA) – Conference sessions to be moved online and held virtually.
Due to the uncertainty of New York local and state restrictions regarding mass gatherings in August, as well as government restrictions that impede international travel, the LEDucation committee has made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the in-person trade show, scheduled for August 17-18, 2021.
However, LEDucation will offer a series of accredited virtual conference sessions in August 2021. Definitive dates and details are forthcoming.
“To accommodate scheduling efforts and critical deadlines in the industry, we have come to the unfortunate conclusion that an in-person LEDucation in 2021 is not feasible. The safety and protection of attendees and exhibitors is of paramount importance to us,” LEDucation Co-Chairs Burt Grant and Caroline Rinker said in a joint statement.
“We understand that this comes as an enormous disappointment to the exhibitors, buyers, and industry professionals who were due to attend the show. As we continue to tackle the unknowns and prepare for better days ahead, we look forward to dynamic and interactive presentations coming this August and look forward to seeing everyone in 2022.”
The next in-person LEDucation Trade Show and Conference is slated for March 15–17, 2022 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. The event will include multiple exhibition halls featuring the industry’s top manufacturers and suppliers, as well as a dynamic conference programme. In a post–COVID-19 environment, LEDucation will continue to prioritise the health and safety of all attendees and will run in accordance with official government and local authority guidance, as well as New York Hilton Midtown health protocols.
The 2021 Online Marketplace is available through the end of the year along with on-demand access to the March 2021 educational sessions.
Details for the 2022 show will be posted in the coming months.
Linea Light Group collaborates with University of Strathclyde on antibacterial light source
(Italy) – Manufacturer’s new Environment Care Lighting range uses HINS light developed by Scottish university.
Linea Light Group has unveiled a new antibacterial technology range that could help to decontaminate surfaces and prevent infection.
The new Environment Care Lighting technology range uses High Intensity Narrow Spectrum (HINS) light, developed and patented by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. The range enables the Woofer and Rollip appliances from Linea Light Group’s i-Lèd Professional collection to decontaminate surfaces and prevent infection, destroying up to 70-80% of bacteria with continuous use.
By using a light wavelength of 405nm, the Environment Care Lighting range can both light and decontaminate rooms, potentially avoiding the need for more expensive ultra-violet technologies that use frequencies between 240-260nm, require rooms to be empty during disinfection, and can cause degradation effects on photosensitive materials.
The action of two light sources – a violet-blue dominated LED combined with a white LED – enables the Environment Care Lighting technology to offer both lighting and disinfection at the same time.
The HINS-light technology was developed in the Robertson Trust Laboratory for Electronic Sterilisation Technologies (ROLEST) at the University of Strathclyde, thanks to the work of a team of experts led by Professor Scott MacGregor, Vice-Principal of the University, with Professor John G. Anderson, Dr Michelle Maclean and Professor Gerry Woolsey.
Linea Light Group will be the first European company to use the HINS-light patent in combination with lighting appliances, and looks to offer these fixtures for offices and public spaces, hospitals and healthcare settings, residential areas and multi-purpose buildings.
Gianluca Salciccia, Linea Light Group Sales Director, said: Linea Light Group’s products and projects put people in the spotlight. Lighting technology can be an important tool for wellbeing and improving people’s quality of life. Linea Light Group’s new Environment Care Lighting light range could also add a third dimension of physical wellbeing, with products capable of decontaminating the environments in which people live and work, protecting their health."
Professor John G. Anderson, Research Fellow in Electronic & Electrical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde and member of the HINS-light technology research team added: “The Environment Care Lighting represents a unique method of disinfection as it does not employ harmful chemicals or dangerous UV light, but instead uses only visible light that is harmless to humans.
“The system works by using selected visible wavelengths that activate light sensitive molecules contained within microbes. This process creates biocidal chemicals that are lethal to bacteria such as MRSA or C.diff. The process can be operated continuously to achieve whole room disinfection in both the presence and absence of occupants.”
Professor Scott MacGregor added: “The technology is harmless to people, so it can be used continuously in different spaces, thus improving disinfection and preventing the spread of infection. Linea Light Group’s new Environment Care Lighting products means that many more people in healthcare, public spaces and in commercial, work and residential environments can benefit from this technology.”
LEDforum.21 announces new dates
(Brazil) – Conference moved from August to early November 2021.
Organisers of the LEDforum.21 conference, scheduled to take place in São Paulo, Brazil this August, have announced that the show has been postponed until later in the year.
As a result of the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic last year, LEDforum.20 was held in a digital format and, with 615 lighting professionals attending, it proved to be a big success.
However, as the world continues to face new outcomes, including vaccination programmes, organisers have decided that this year’s physical event, previously scheduled to take place on 19-20 August, will no longer be feasible.
They have therefore taken the decision to reschedule the event to later in the year, with the conference now slated to take place on 4-5 November. The hope is that the situation regarding the pandemic will have eased to the point that LEDforum.21 will be able to happen in a physical or “phygital” format. “Meanwhile, we will continue to monitor the situation in order to define the most appropriate version for the event, to be held in a safe and positive way for all participants,” organisers said.
“We are still working full steam ahead to offer our audience quality content – confirmation of the LEDforum.21 programme will be released shortly.”
Registration for the event is currently open, more information is available on the LEDforum website.
SLL LightBytes webinar series to begin in April
(UK) – LightBytes series to focus on sustainable approach for lighting industry.
Starting on 7 April, the Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) will host LightBytes, a weekly webinar series that will see expert speakers delivering bitesized CPD presentations, focusing on a more sustainable approach for the lighting industry.
The series aims to inform and challenge current practice, considering the implications of delivering a quality lit environment in a net-zero carbon landscape.
The four-part series will explore methods of addressing the unavoidable need to pursue a new approach to lighting, considering manufacturing, design, installation, maintenance and waste.
The Society will be joined by expert speakers from its Sponsors in Partnership; Steve Shackleton, Lighting Applications Manager at Fagerhult UK; Helen Loomes, Innovation Akadamie at Trilux Group; and Tim Bowes, Head of Lighting Application at Whitecroft Lighting.
The first three sessions will see speakers delivering peer reviewed, CPD presentations, followed by interactive Q&As. For the fourth and final session, they will be joined by Emilio Hernandez, lighting designer and Chair of the GreenLight Alliance and Mark Ridler, Head of Lighting at BDP, who will be discussing the actions they are taking to raise awareness and initiate a circular economy approach across the industry and within their practice as designers.
Sessions will be chaired by current SLL President, Bob Bohannon, who has been instrumental in the ongoing development of a new SLL and CIBSE Technical Memorandum and Circular Economy Assessment Method (CEAM) alongside the Society’s Education Committee Chair, Kristina Allison.
The series will begin with a focus on minimising energy use, offering additional considerations relating to design approach; utilising the space and surface reflectance; lighting controls; and modular lighting, exploring how increased flexibility and customisation could lead to a reduction in energy use whilst providing increased comfort for the end user.
From there, speakers will be considering resource. The second session will look at the Repro-Light project, aiming to develop re-usable and reconfigurable parts for LED luminaires, reducing waste and extending their useful lifetime. It will consider the potential for nano-optics and the positive impact of reducing the overall size of luminaires. Finally, there will be an in depth look at Cradle to Cradle certification, highlighting the social and ethical responsibility outlined by circular economy practice, with examples and case studies.
With the need to reduce the amount of energy consumed by lighting, there is concern that the quality of the lit environment has become a secondary consideration. The third session will aim to build on the previous presentations relating to minimum energy and minimum resource, whilst still providing maximum comfort. It will look at defining ‘good lighting,’ what this would look like and the challenges it might raise in relation to reduced energy use.
With the revised BS EN 12464 now at the approval stage, this session will look at increased awareness and consideration of the varied needs of individual occupants within a space; providing individual control over their lit environment; and considerations for the non-visual effects of light in relation to health and circadian entrainment. This will be continued with a look at the new Double Dynamic Lighting concept, developed in association with Aalborg University in Denmark.
Encapsulating the aims of the new series, Bob Bohannon said: “So as not to be constrained by a blinkered, energy only approach, we need to understand and communicate all the aspects that make up better (lighting) in a net zero carbon building.”
Registration for the new series is free for members of the SLL, with a nominal registration fee for non-members to join all four sessions and access the recordings on demand. All the presentations are peer reviewed, providing access to six hours of CPD content.
LUCI releases new publication
(France) – Exploring City Nightscapes explores different approaches to urban lighting.
The LUCI Association has released a new publication on urban lighting design after dark.
The publication, entitled Exploring City Nightscapes, examines the variety of ways in which cities can use light, leading to very different luminous landscapes, or “nightscapes”.
“The nightscape impacts how we move through cities at night and what we see as we do so. Moreover, how municipalities apply light in their urban spaces actually shapes these spaces and our experience of the city as a whole,” said the LUCI Association.
The new book, a digital version of which is available for free download here, features the stories of 12 cities, with conversations with urban lighting decision makers in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bologna, London, Ghent, Geneva, Jyväskylä, Lyon, Rotterdam, Seoul, Shanghai and Strasbourg. Through these conversations, the book explores different approaches and common challenges linked to developing city nightscapes.
