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Kuzco LED pendant lamp available through Robinson Lighting & Bath. OCTOBER 2015 | 29 Lighting N ow, more than ever, is LED's time to shine. "Everybody and everything is con- sumed by the LED trend," says Jim Ormshaw, lighting product specialist for Robinson Lighting & Bath Centre. "We go to market anticipating to see what's new, and in the past it would be a style or a finish, but now it's all about the light output." With the influx of interest in LED, lighting companies are being pushed to up their knowledge. "You have to raise your bench strength; you have to have the knowledge," says Barry Fagen, president of Peerless Electric. "It's not just about fixtures, but about a whole lighting solution." The new wave of LEDs hit the sweet spot between early adopters and cautious industry bigwigs. "For the first generation of these lights, half the vendors were into it, and the other half were waiting for the first half to correct all the problems," laughs Ormshaw. "The first generation of LEDs were not bright enough – you'd buy a vanity and turn it on and go 'that's not enough light.' As time has gone on, over the past 18 months, the fixtures are starting to be brighter and wattage is continuing to decrease." "Almost all major fluorescent manufacturers now offer T8 lamps that are rated for over 50,000 to 60,000 hours, which is twice or three times more than the con- ventional fluorescent lamps, at reasonable costs," says Oscar Ceron, senior manager of BC Hydro's Commercial New Construction Program. Changes are happening rap- idly, and it's creating a wave of excitement in the industry. New LED fixtures come with the lights integrated in. Lumen output increases month by month and the bet- ter these technologies get, the more they'll be adopted. "As conventional lighting technologies like fluorescent sources struggle to compete with LEDs, one of the positive outcomes is a significant improvement in lamp life," Ceron adds. C H A N G I N G AT T I T U D E S Manufacturers have been pushing the boundaries of efficiency, and now consumer attitudes are starting to catch up. "As manufacturers take lumen output and deliv- ery efficacy of LEDs to new summits, stakeholder mentality towards lighting is improving, too," Ceron says. The constant increase in lumen packages for LED sources, happily, results in more competitively priced luminaire options. Reducing the sticker shock of LED products is a big part of increasing consumer acceptance. Ormshaw points out that manufacturers are now introducing lights with a shorter lifespan – 10,000 hours, say, instead of 50,000 – to help bring the price down. It's been a quick change. "Even two years ago, LED tubes were in the $50 range. A year ago, it was $30 [depending on volumes], and now we're in the high-teens range," notes Jad Butkovic, lighting expert with MCW Consultants. For residential fixtures, the reality is that energy efficient bulbs may not save that much money month by month, so taking the plunge can be hard for shoppers. "You do save energy, but at the end of the day you've got to have the bulbs run- ning 24 hours a day. For hotels or stores, it's worth it as they have hundreds upon hundreds of lights burning. A typical residence isn't going to see that same sort of use," says Ormshaw. "We're seeing a lot more integration with smarthome systems that will integrate lighting," says interior designer Sarah Gallop. "It frees up wall space, looks tidier and you have more control over your lights. Obviously there are still gorgeous fixtures out there, but doing stuff that's integrated and just getting the ambient effect of the lighting is really appealing." High-tech control strategies, like colour-changing and dimming, make the utili- zation of LEDs even more appealing. And wireless sensing technologies, which can harvest daylight and detect occupancy, not only improve functionality for lighting, but economic value as well. Controls, says Butkovic, are the next big wave. "Offices that are open concept may turn on at 6 a.m. and off at 10 p.m., but why are all the lights on during the shoulder hours? How can you set up a building automation system, or upgrade your control system, to save money?" One such control system is the Acuity Brands Fresco lighting system, which can be paired with a small tab- let to control 36 lighting zones. "The fact that a large head-end system is not required is great for spaces like restaurants where there is limited space available for lighting control," says Ben Rajewski, electrical engineer for Williams Engineering. "Various scenes can be built in, including dimming over time, so as not to create an abrupt change in feeling of a space like a restaurant when the lights go to dim." For home use, there's the Philips Hue bulb. It combines wireless LED light bulbs with a small wireless bridge that connects to a Smartphone app. Users can dim the lights, change the colour, or even connect the lighting to sync with TV shows. C O L O U R F I X In terms of fixture finishes, warm metals continue to rule: "Brass, copper, bronze, gold – it's all creeping back in," says Ormshaw. And industrial looks are hot, includ- ing concrete designs. "People are pulling fixtures from warehouse-type atmo- spheres," Ormshaw notes. As the industry embraces LED, fixtures are being designed more often specif- ically with these bulbs in mind. "The wholesale adoption of LED lighting by the industry has allowed manufacturers to focus, in some cases exclusively, on this technology and to create fixtures that are optimized for LEDs," says Rajewski. Small fixtures like four-inch downlights can provide lumen packages that previ- ously were only available in eight-inch downlights or larger. "As a lighting designer, this allows much more flexibility when trying to obtain the right light levels in a space while also trying to maintain an architecturally pleasing ceiling space," says Rajewski. Until now, LEDs were only available in a standard range of colour temperatures, but with new technology, there's flexibility over a range of temperatures. Tunable white LEDs have been a game changer. "Before, if you wanted different colours or lumen output, you'd change the lamp. Now it's all programmed, it's a technology with LED boards and drivers. It's become a science at the end of the day," says Fagen. As optical technology continues to get better, manufacturers are now able to replicate the effects that were only possible from other light sources. "For example, many people find the soft, warm glow of incandescent lighting comforting and pre- fer this type of light for their home. LED lamp manufacturers can now replicate this feeling while using a tenth of the energy," says Rajewski. "The dynamic white allows the luminaires to utilize different colour temperatures of white to mimic traditional dimming, resulting in a warmer light the dimmer the luminaire is set," explains Steve Nemetz, CEO of Nemetz (S/A) & Associates Ltd. "This technology can also be used to tune in exactly the colour of white required for dis- play or features, or mimic the change in daylight colour in an exterior environment." T H E F U T U R E I S B R I G H T New energy codes have driven the construction industry to implement smarter design approaches to lighting systems. Because the efficiency of LED sources has increased, and the colour characteristics have improved, it's more appealing than ever to adopt the technology. In fact, for BC Hydro's Commercial New Construction Program, lighting accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the attributed kWh energy savings, all thanks to efficient lighting products. "Efficient lighting products and design are an important part of our efficiency goals in the construction of new commercial buildings," says Ceron. Some argue that the future of interior lighting may not be LED at all. "Lasers are the next big thing," says Betty Lou Pacey, president of BL Innovative Lighting. "We're developing the technology and manufacturing it right here in Canada." A Shine On A new generation of LEDs light up the scene by STACEY MCLACHLAN

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