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OCTOBER 2017 | 33 Lighting (depending on what province you live in) it's easy to see why the technology is increasing in popularity. "Current trends and new technologies always play a part in the decision making process," says Rudder. "Since LED is also the most energy efficient choice the majority of our customers are using it more and more." Improved technologies around LED and supporting components mean that bulbs are continuing to grow in efficiency. But for Jonathan Labbee, executive VP of SACO Technologies, it's the quality of light that LEDs are now able to achieve that's the real advancement. "In the past, everyone was working to get more lumens out of the LED chips," he explains. "However, now that we are at a point where efficiency versus brightness is acceptable, high CRI and colour rendition is really where the focus is for the near future." As a frequent advisor on efficiency for projects, Martino Fanfani, branch manager at Williams Engineering, is very familiar with today's top technological advance- ments, and knows that lighting is a key element in creating a sustainable building. "There's a lot of technology available to help with that process. The way the technol- ogy works has changed a bit over the years," says Fanfani. "Here in B.C., there's a big focus lately on building sustainable large-scale buildings. Builders before focused on efficient mechanical and electrical aspects, whereas now they pay attention to the building envelope itself. There's a better balance between the different compo- nents of the building system." For commercial projects, it's often the cost-savings that are more important than design. "Definitely the economic factor is always a driver," says Fanfani. "It's a very competitive market, especially the location where we are. The results of the final outcome, in regards to the resources that are taken, are something that we strive to perfect." Luckily, producing LED lights are cheaper than ever and production costs will only get lower as time goes on, so more often, these energy efficient lights will become the choice for big builders. G R O U N D C O N T R O L Standard switches and dimmers are increasingly being traded in for more high-tech control solutions, for residential use and beyond. For some homeowners, that may mean using smartphone apps to activate and control lighting systems (and even other functions of the home). SACO Technologies, which is focused on commercial and specialized architectural use, recently updated its award-winning Shockwave line to add a new Switch app to allow full control of lighting and media elements. "The software is very intuitive and offers interactivity with a variety of feeds and sensors," explains Labbee. "The addition of Switch is part of our continued mission to make innovative lighting and media products accessible to a larger part of the professional market." For SACO, it's all about education. The more designers know about the possibili- ties of control systems, the more they'll be perpetuated into new builds and inspire more questions and creativity. "As we continue to educate architects on new meth- odologies and possibilities, the architectural community hungers for innovation and solutions that are well integrated within and on their structures," says Labbee. "I think that technology has evolved to a point where there is no longer an excuse to have to compromise in order to achieve a result. Products and solutions that offer the flexibility to easily integrate is key to the modern architect." Between exciting new design options, smart control systems and an ever- increasing access to energy-efficient products, it's easy to see that the lighting industry is well on its way to lighting up the future of residential design and archi- tecture alike. A Light enhances artistry. Light sets the mood. Light defines the space in which we live. Project a unique personality into your design space using our advanced optical technology. Paired with WaveStream and LED optical technology, the uniquely curved design of this collection delivers precise and elegant illumination. Lighting shapes our experiences Learn more at: www.Eaton.com/Lighting Neo-Ray Neo-Ray Covera Nemetz.indd 1 2017-09-06 9:21

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