FSG Northeast Gets Some LEDucation
By: Andrew Ghilino
Members of the FSG Northeast team attended the LEDucation 8 Expo in New York City for two days of classes, exhibits. and speakers. The conference was held March 18th and 19th at the Sheraton NY Times Square Hotel and this was the first year it featured the new two day format. It was the 8th year of the conference which has seen notable growth each year.
The Northeast team members all attended for different reasons. Some went specifically for classes, others to explore the trade show floor and view the new technology. Everyone who attended had positive reviews and sited the conference as an excellent learning experience.
John Lienesch, an SME for the New Jersey division, considers LEDucation an event that anyone involved in the lighting industry should attend. “The seminars along with the product trade show allow you to learn a lot of useful information in a fairly short amount of time”, said Lienesch.
The classes covered a wide range of LED lighting topics. Catherine Faure, the Northeast Regional Account Coordinator attended courses that counted towards her LC. A course that stood out to her was ‘How LED’s Have Altered Luminaire Design and Construction’ which was taught by Stephen Blackman, President & Chief Design Officer, BlackJack Lighting.
She was able to take away the fact that LED’s have changed the way lighting design can be looked at. “LED’s are small and compact and do not require a glass enclosure. A fixture no longer needs to be designed with the limitation of making sure there is enough space for the lamp and or ballast. Designers can now incorporate lighting in their design as opposed to designing around the lamp. It is exciting how LED’s have opened up and expanded the role of light” said Faure.
Learning about the future of LED lighting and ways of looking at it from a new perspective was just one part of the conference. Visitors from all facets of the industry flooded the show floor to get a first hand look at some of the newest LED technology from over 200 manufacturers.
One the products that really stood out to our team was the HiOptix LED fixture from Lusio. It replaces a 1000W HID fixture and is a great fit for various industrial settings. Equally as impressive to Eddie Matias, the Audit Team and SME Manager for the New Jersey division, was the T5 LED Tube from LEDtronics. “This was a product which I found very unique and if priced right may have an opportunity to make a splash in the market place,” said Matias.
With the show catered specifically to LED’s, and Lightfair being in Las Vegas this year, LEDucation is “definitely a good way to keep up with the market” said Eddie and the rest of the Northeast Team.
Preparations for LEDucation 9 are already being made. For those that want more information on the annual conference you can visit http://www.leducation.org/.