Lightfair Hits the Big Apple Next Month

Lightfair International 2003, the annual trade show and conference for the architectural lighting industry, opens at the Javits Convention Center in New York City on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, with Lightfair Institute, continues on Monday, May 5, with preconference workshops, with the exhibit floor open Tuesday through Thursday, May 6-8. Billed as a show “where the world of lighting comes together first to see design trends, find innovative lighting solutions, and build industry relationships,” Lightfair 2003 expects over 19,000 lighting professionals to visit 550 global exhibitors in 1,460 booths, creating the world's largest architectural and commercial lighting event.

An important aspect of the Lightfair program is its 105 hours of lighting education, offering CEU credits for a wide range of industry-related associations including ASID, IIDA, AIA, IESNA, IFMA, and NCQLP. The education component kicks off at the Lightfair Institute with six full-day courses: Basic Lighting, taught by Craig Bernecker; Intermediate Lighting: Beyond the Fundamentals, taught by David DiLaura; Modern Daylighting, taught by Andrew Bierman, Joel Loveland, and G.Z. “Charley” Brown; Light, Perception, and Culture, taught by Mark Sussman and Linnaea Tillett; Presentation Techniques for Lighting Professionals, taught by Nathalie Rozot and Matthew Richter; and AutoCAD 101 taught by Michael K. Larsen.

The preconference workshops on Monday, May 5, range from a full-day walking tour of retail lighting, sponsored by Philips Lighting, and two sessions on energy and environmental codes presented by Jim Benya and sponsored by Con-Tech Lighting, to a look at designing with LEDs by Ted Ferreira, and an examination of current lighting software by Robert Guglielmetti. In addition, Ed Kaye presents a session entitled Win, Lose, or Draw: Developing Lighting Details, while William Daiber, Fred Oberkircher, and Thomas Scott present a review workshop for the Lighting Certification exam. Last, but not at all least, is Randall Whitehead's Sweet Dreams and Rude Awakenings: Lighting for Kitchens and Baths.

Throughout the three days the Lightfair exhibit floor is open there are additional seminars and roundtables divided into various tracks. These include management, design, technology, and commerce and present leading experts from throughout the lighting industry in sessions that range from the highly practical (#%@&? — Does Your Client Understand You?) to the theoretical (Doers and Thinkers: What Is the Future of Design Education?).

Lightfair also presents a variety of special events. This year these include the Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education Luncheon, the Richard Kelly Grant Welcome Cocktail Reception, a City Walk in memory of lighting designer Craig A. Roeder, the NCQLP Lighting Certified Luncheon, and the IALD 20th annual Awards dinner to be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 18th Street on Wednesday, May 6. Also held during Lightfair are the annual GE Lighting Awards, and this year that event will be held aboard the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier on Monday, May 5.

A high point of Lightfair each year is the New Product Showcase and Awards presentation. To be held on Tuesday, May 6, 8:30-10:00am, this high-powered event will be hosted by Susan Brady, Gary Dulanski (his dulcet tones are worth the price of admission), Barbara Cianci Horton, and Lee Waldron.

“This must-see yearly event is intense, exciting, and wonderfully exhausting,” says IALD member Randall Whitehead. “It is the only annual event where you can see the latest products, attend seminars on a wide spectrum of lighting-related subjects, and connect with innovators from all over the world in one convenient location.” Complete details on the entire Lightfair International 2003 program are available at www.lightfair.com or by calling 888-863-9072 or 708-486-0723.