Another Lightfair has come and gone, and what a great Lightfair it was!
This year’s Lightfair was held in Philadelphia and attended by thousands from around the world, and while the latest lamps and luminaires were certainly a focal point, they weren’t the most important thing. Here are a few observations from this year’s Lightfair and a couple of pictures from the FSG Team.
The Design Possibilities are Endless
One of the first observations made at LFI this year is that the LED lamp and luminaire can do and be just about anything you want them to. From traditional style, to out-of-this-world design, LED lighting can literally be made to fit any shape and size. With smaller heat sinks, more compact drivers, and more efficient chip sets, LED lamps and luminaires are no longer big, ugly pieces of technology hanging from the ceiling, but instead are defined components that add more to a space than just light. Gone are the days of wondering whether or not there is an LED application for that design—the answer is yes, there is!
No Cash Needed!
With longer life cycles and quicker paybacks, manufacturers, suppliers, and creditors are much more open to offering customers service models designed to allow projects to pay for themselves as opposed to the customer footing the bill upfront. This “Lighting as a Service” model was spoken about a lot at this year’s Lightfair and is sure to become an even hotter topic as technology only seems to be getting better. And it wasn’t just Lighting as a Service, but also Utility Management as a Service, Software as a Service, and Controls as a Service. This model is allowing vendors to make and keep their promises, thus allowing customers never-before-seen flexibility when it comes to lighting projects and lighting maintenance.
The One that Controls the Light Controls the Industry
Perhaps the hottest topic at Lightfair 2017 was, and probably will continue to be, controls. How we turn on the lights is becoming much more important than the lights themselves. And it isn’t just about on and off, but also about how intense the light is when it’s on, when it needs to turn off, and even what color it should be while it is on!
One of the best demonstrations of these controls came from the Acuity Brands team who demonstrated how a simple fixture and controls integration in a classroom can help teachers make sure their students are working in the best possible lighting conditions for the task. Utilizing Acuity’s N-Light Platform, classrooms can be equipped with a simple push button control panel that allows a teacher to change the light from a 3000k color temperature during reading time to a 4700k color temperature for another activity later in the day. All of these settings having been verified to be ideal for the tasks they are programmed for, and all are designed to help students engage more in their learning while helping the learning institution lower their energy consumption.
Controls are here and while the LED lamp and fixture is important, it isn’t nearly as important as how it turns on and off. The companies that understand this, embrace it, and take it to their customers will be the leaders in the industry.
FSG is Ready for the Future!
The most significant thing I walked away from Lightfair 2017 with is the fact that FSG is positioned in the industry to lead the way for our customers and strategic partners. The FSG brand was represented well at Lightfair with most of the Northeast FSG team taking time out of their schedules to come to Lightfair and learn more. The FSG National Accounts team was well represented as well and held several key strategic meetings with both existing partners and new potential partners.
As always, the FSG Northeast team hosted their FSG teammates from afar with a nice meal, sponsored by RAB Lighting, at McCormick and Schmidt in downtown Philly. Much fun was had by all and a few pictures were taken, and a few drinks shared. After all, we have much to celebrate and be thankful for at FSG! And if Lightfair 2017 is any indication, we have lots of tremendous opportunities ahead for everyone!
