It Wasn't Just Hot Outdoors...
Temperatures that climbed well past 100ºF (38ºC) did not keep the 12th annual edition of Lightfair International, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 29 to June 1, from breaking records. Attendance of more than 16,330 architectural, engineering, and design professionals from around the world was recorded, and the exhibit hall featured 526 domestic and international exhibiting companies, occupying over 1,274 booths. All are new high-water marks for the exhibition.
Though still chided as "Repfair" by some, given the high number of lighting reps and would-be reps scouting for clients on the show floor, this year's show was praised by many, as it brought together goodly amounts of suppliers, designers, and specifiers in what has been a difficult year for the industry (and seemed to bring back some Asian clientele, after a few dormant years from that part of the world).
It was not lost on attendees, however, that some of the biggest names in the industry (like Lithonia Lighting and Sterner), and some that are fast-developing in their niches (like fiber-optics firm Isis Light, found on the web at www.isislighting.com) stayed off the show floor and exhibited instead in hotel suites. What this piggybacking means for future growth of the show is uncertain, though as the numbers indicate there was still much happening in the great indoors of the vast LVCC, particularly from companies eager to show off advances in LEDs, fiber optics, and energy efficiency.
There were numerous awards presented at a ceremony illuminated by LD advisory board member Marsha Stern (her website is www.msldc.com). Some of interest to LD readers:
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Best New Product of the Year Award and
Best of Category Award for Components Category
Meso Optics by Ledalite Architectural Products (www.ledalite.com) -
Energy Award and Best of Category Award for Systems Category
Ergolight-Discus by Ledalite Architectural Products -
Best of Category Award for Incandescent Lamps Category
Capsylite G9 120V halogen Capsule Lamp, by Osram Sylvania (www.sylvania.com) -
Best of Category Award for Fluorescent Lamps Category
Octron XPS by Osram Sylvania -
Best of Category Award for HID Lamps Category
MasterColor HPS Retro-White by Philips Lighting Company (www.lighting.philips.com) -
Best of Category Award for Specialty Lamps Category
The Luxeon line of Power Light Sources by Lumileds/Philips Lighting Company -
Best of Category Award for Downlights, Wallwashers & Accent Lights Category
Pro-Optic Firebox by Progress Lighting (www.progresslighting.com) -
Best of Category Award for Landscape and Fountain Lighting Category
"Stealth" Steplight by Lucifer Lighting Company (www.luciferlighting.com) -
Best of Category Award for Fiber Optic and Remote Source Lighting Category
Fiberstars Underground by Fiberstars Inc. (www.fiberstars.com) -
Best of Category Award for Controls Category
Handshake™ Portable Lighting Control by High End Systems (www.highend.com)
What follows is a taste of what these suppliers and others had to offer at this year's show:
At Altman Stage Lighting (www.altmanltg.com), the Mirage Wall Wash, a compact semi-recessed luminaire, was on display. Billed as Altman's first full-blown architectural fixture, the Mirage has been in development for three years, and made its debut at Lightfair with a patented optical system. The Mirage serves as a full wall washer, with all indirect light, or light that is reflected in the optical cabinet, to create a perfectly even wash, the firm says. The Mirage uses an energy-saving 10,000-hour lamp, and will also be available in a quartz version with dimming capability. This product is designed for low-cost installations in museums, hotels, retail, and restaurants where a non color-changing effect can be used. Production models will be available in the fall. Altman plans to continue to expand its architectural fixture line.
Bartco Lighting (www.bartcolighting.com) introduced its new Slide by Side adjustable staggered low profile fixture. It is available for both T-5 and T-8 linear fluorescent lamps in 120V or 277V.
Belfer (www.belfer.com) now offers an interactive CD-ROM product catalog to clients and professionals. The CD-ROM offers complete design specifications on all Belfer products with or without Internet connection.
Bruck Lighting Systems (www.brucklightingsystems.com) presented its ninth track system, Flight. Flight can be flush mounted or suspended to achieve various configurations. The festoon lamps also have a life of over 20,000 hours.
Color Kinetics (www.colorkinetics.com) launched a group of new products, including C-Splash, a submersible fixture in the C-Series line of full spectrum digital lighting products, and the iColor Cove LT, a cove light fixture designed for lower-cost installations requiring lower intensity light output.
Electronics Diversified Inc. (www.EDIOnline.com) introduced the MVP 6/12 Pak architectural dimmer. The dimmer provides noise suppression at all levels, accepts DMX512, and can be setup by sitting the start address using the two rotary switches.
Electronic Theatre Controls (www.etcconnect.com) has created an official company division, ETC Architectural. This division will focus on market segments and on expanding the sales and marketing opportunities of its architecturally targeted products.
New products from General Electric (www.ge.com/lighting/business) include the energy-efficient T8 Watt-Miser System, with the GE Starcoat technology. This lamp offers an 82 CRI and optimum color and light output. Also new is the T5 Starcoat linear fluorescent, designed for use in tight spaces and low-profile applications, and two additions to covRguard shatter-resistant lamps, the covRfresh linear fluorescent and the Gold covRguard. At its annual dinner and awards presentation, the GE Edison Award was presented to George Sexton of George Sexton Associates in Washington, DC, for the IALD-winning lighting design of the Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Christ) Church in Munich, Germany (scroll down below).
The aforementioned Handshake won much favor from visitors to the High End Systems booth (www.highend.com). The portable lighting controller is designed to run on a Palm® Organizer, and can be used to program and configure lights, plus analyze DMX data for trouble-shooting purposes. Its simple operating system and low cost suit it for everything from retail and architectural applications to corporate/industrial shows, the firm says.
The Katie Group Inc. (www.katiegroup.com) presented AOT White 96, a sprayable diffuse coating formulated for lighting applications. It combines high reflectivity and the ability to withstand high operating temperatures.
LaserMedia (www.lasermedia.com) now offers the LM100 CDX Fiber-Optic Illuminator. The illuminator is ETL-approved and uses a 100W high intensity discharge lamp.
Lehigh Electric Products Company (www.lehighdim.com) showed its newest dimmer rack, along with the Millennium control console. The dimmer rack provides high dimmer density, with 120-2.4kW dimmers in a single cabinet, and the Millennium uses a combination of Pentium power and Windows 95.
Lighting & Electronics Inc. (www.le-us.com) displayed the City Line CDM series, a line of luminaries designed for accent and display lighting applications.
Lightolier (www.lightolier.com) introduced new lighting forms designed by Spectral. The lighting forms include wall and ceiling pendants, wall brackets, and optic, fluted, flat, adjustable, and round T5 forms, using a variety of compact fluorescent, metal halide, and halogen light sources.
Lucifer Lighting Co. (www.luciferlighting.com) showed an array of lightstrips, downlights, fiber optics, Altima track and spots, and Helix track and spots.
After a hiatus to regroup, Lumenyte International Corp. (www.lumenyte.com) returned to the show circuit to present the Encore fiber-optic illuminator. The Encore Series Philips MasterColor CDM metal halide lamp has a CRI of 95 and 4200 Kelvin temperature.
Lutron Electronics Co. Inc. (www.lutron.com) now offers the Digital microWATT system. It is an Integrated Lighting Automation System that provides automated on/off light switching, full-range dimming capability, precise real-time monitoring, and load shedding.
Martin Professional (www.martin.dk) brought from GlobalShop its chrysallis-shaped booth, illuminated from the interior with its Architectural Effect Lighting products, which include the MiniMAC Maestro, the ImageScan, and FiberSource Q150 and QFX150.
Osram Sylvania (www.sylvania.com) displayed a 120V halogen lamp, the Capsylite G9. The lamp measures 2.1"x0.5". To bolster the appearance of Hoover Dam at night, Sylvania's compact metal-halide Metalarc (1,000W) have been installed in a freshly mounted series of Hydrel fixtures.
Philips (www.lighting.philips.com) enhanced and expanded its line of fluorescent lamps, and introduced its MasterColor HPS-Retro White ceramic metal halide lamp and 400W MasterColor Pulse Start.
Prescolite (www.prescolite.com) showed its Alum Wall Luminaires, Multilum Recessed Accent Modules, Pendalum Series of luminaires, TriLume Series of downlight reflectors, and the Virtual Baffle luminaire.
Progress Lighting (www.progresslighting.com) now offers the Pro-Optic Firebox, a recessed downlight for fire-rated applications. It offers high light output and is in compliance with the safety codes of fire-rated ceiling assemblies.
Schott-Fostec LLC (www.schott-fostec.com) introduced Schott fiber-optic lighting products for indoor and outdoor architectural and display applications. It includes all elements of a complete system, including halogen and metal-halide light sources, glass and plastic fiber optic harnesses, and a variety of downlighters and end-fittings.
Special FX Lighting (www.fxlight.com) displayed its Dichro-X tempered lenses and Fade(Not poly sleeves.
Special-T Lighting (www.s-tl.com) showed both the Powermax Series and Fibermax Series of fiber-optic illuminators.
Super Vision International (www.svision.com) displayed its Envision LED Light Bar, a high brightness, single row monochromatic fixture. The LEDs cast their light directionally rather than radiantly, causing a wide light dispersion.
Tempest Lighting Inc. (www.tempestlighting.com) showed its Model 2100 Sr. Tornado Enclosure and its Model 6000 NAT Enclosure. The Model 2100 is designed for larger and higher-output moving body luminaires, and the Model 6000 is designed for long-term and permanent installations in exterior environments where minimum maintenance is required.
Times Square Lighting (www.tslight.com) showed such products as the MasterColor Lightbars, a custom product using 39W and 70W PAR-30 metal-halide CDM lamps for wall washing, the TS70FP metal-halide pattern and framing projector (this with a 70W lamp) and the CDMP150 150W metal-halide PAR. Times Square also handles the LiteTruss, an integrated track system to combine track lighting with trussing for display applications.
TIR Systems Ltd. (www.tirsys.com) showed its OLP12 Light Pipe System, an energy- efficient, high-output system that combines operational savings with a variety of aesthetic design options.
TSAO Designs Inc. (www.tsaolighting.com) has moved its plant and offices to a new, larger facility in Bridgeport, CT. The new phone number is 877-966-9559 or 203-335-4337. The new fax number is 203-335-4277.
Universal Lighting Technologies (www.universalballast.com) announced that its name has changed from MagneTek Lighting Products to Universal Lighting Technologies. It displayed its Ballastar Dimming Ballasts, high-frequency dimming electronic ballasts for T8 lamps.
Venture Lighting (www.venturelighting.com) announced its flagship illuminator, the Imagine 68W fanless metal-halide/fiber-optic lighting component. It also announced the development of Uni-Form Plus lamps, high CRI versions.
W.A.C. Lighting Co. (www.waclighting.com) introduced a full-color 80-page catalog featuring over 200 new track heads and recessed fixtures.
And the IALD Awards go to...
The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) recognized nine international lighting designs with Lighting Design Awards at its 18th annual presentations dinner, held at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel on May 31. One Award of Excellence, seven Awards of Merit, and one Special Citation were presented at the event, co-sponsored by Architectural Lighting magazine. The 2001 winners are:
Award of Excellence
American Museum of Natural History Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York, designed by Charles G. Stone II (IALD), Henry Forrest, Alicia Kapheim, Matthew Toomajian, and Javier Ten of the New York-based design firm Fisher Marantz Stone Inc.
Award of Merit
Alexander Graham Bell House British Telecom Regional Headquarters, in Edinburgh, Scotland, designed by Jonathan Speirs (IALD) and Gavin Fraser of Edinburgh-based Jonathan Speirs and Associates Ltd.
Fußgängerbrücke (Pedestrian Bridge), in Innenhafen Duisburg, Nordrhein Westfalen, Germany, designed by Uwe Belzner and Stefan Hofmann of Stuttgart, Germany-based Architekur Licht Bühne.
Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Church), in Munich, Germany, designed by George Sexton Associates of Washington, DC.
Photo: Florian Holzherr
Millennium Dome in London, designed by Jonathan Speirs (IALD), Mark Major (IALD), Laura Jones, Claudia Clements, Henrietta Lynch, Andrew Jacques, Philip Rose, Greg Lomas, and Colin Ball of London-based Speirs and Major Ltd. The show lighting designer is Patrick Woodroffe.
Module VII Chiller Plant, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, designed by Robert J. Osten, Jr., James Hamilton, and Justin T. Brown of Cambridge, MA-based Lam Partners.
Raleigh/Durham Airport Parking Structure in Raleigh, NC, designed by Francesca Bettridge (IALD) and Daniel Rogers of New York-based Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design Inc.
San Francisco City Hall designed by Angela McDonald (IALD) of San Francisco-based Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design.
Special Citation
The New 42nd Street Studio Building facade lighting in New York, designed by Anne Militello (IALD) of Los Angeles-based Vortex Lighting.
Lightfair, which is sponsored by the IALD and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), returns to San Francisco for its 13th outing June 3-5, 2002. Lightfair is on the web at www.lightfair.com.
LD intern Natalie Zmuda contributed to the preparation of this report.