Energy + Environment

Resilient lighting can survive and operate during and after natural and man-made disasters. Don’t confuse “resilient lighting” with 90-minute emergency lighting, which is designed to get people out of buildings. Resilient lighting is designed to operate for days – or even weeks – after disasters and is part of a larger Resilient Buildings trend.

The FLAP program in Toronto was the first to raise awareness of the problem lights pose for birds in an urban center, starting in 1993. In 1999, Audubon and its partners established the first Lights Out program in Chicago. Since then, groups in many other cities have organized programs to make a difference for birds

Many articles have written about the potential of using bioluminescence to light cities, but a French start-up, Glowee, is actually producing lights using bioluminescence and installing them.

There is growing scientific evidence that LED outdoor white light at night is devastating global insect and bird populations, in addition to potential negative human health impacts. A possible solution is to move back to non-white lighting, such as phosphor-converted amber and direct emission amber LED sources, outdoors.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed just how important focusing on health and wellness is (and will be) for facility managers and construction professionals. A new report from the Urban Land Institute titled “Greening Buildings for Healthier People” examines all the ways resilience, health and wellness, and sustainability match up.

The GreenLight Alliance (GLA) is a non-profit organization with leadership across Europe and North America, dedicated to applying circular economy principles to the lighting industry, targeting specifiers to drive change. I interviewed Emilio Hernandez, Chair of the GreenLight Alliance about the GLA’s goals and strategies.

The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) has released four new logos, allowing manufacturers and distributors to indicate which products are listed on each of the four DLC Qualified Product Lists (QPLs).

The fast growing EV charging market and the lighting world are starting to collide. StressCrete Group, manufacturers of spun concrete poles and light fixtures operating across North America, announced today the launch of their new product, the VoltLock.

Fishing nets account for 46% of ocean plastic pollution, and Signify is now upcycling them to fashion new pendants, in their Coastal Breeze Collection. Crafted from salvaged fishing nets using 3D-printing, Coastal Breeze brings ocean-inspired beauty to residential or light commercial applications.