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The ALA Engineering Committee is a business, technical and technology resource for all ALA members. Each spring the committee meets in person to review lighting technology and to participate in the discussions as we hear updates from industry experts, including the technical staff of member companies, regarding lamp and lighting technology. Standards and codes by UL, CSA Group, NFPA (the National Electrical Code) and legislative entities are always changing and those changes have technical implications that directly affect ALA members. Attendees at ALA's Engineering meeting are predominantly the technical staff from ALA manufacturers and technical managers from the commercial testing labs, but there are always several showroom people, component suppliers and designers. I welcome all members, because in this age of rapid technical change, the more input and ideas that we exchange, the better the technical aspects of our businesses will be understood and managed.
Control Technology
This year the Engineering Committee meets May 13-14 in Plantation, Florida, where Lutron has kindly offered meeting space in the recently remodeled Lutron Experience Center. As you might guess, a technical discussion involving lighting controls is one of the main agenda items. Control technology has changed, because light source technology has changed, and controls are now "smarter." They can communicate with smart phones, tablets, home Wi-Fi systems, computers and even electric meters. There are also new standards, which should make it easier to specify, sell and put together lighting control systems for consumer applications. But, as always, it's the technical details that matter.
LED Product Design
Recently, I received a proposed specification for replacement screw-in LED bulbs, which is being developed by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) as part of its Residential Lighting Initiative. The specification is being written on behalf of electric utilities and energy organizations, which are acting to improve lighting efficiency through lighting information, promotions and rebates for lamps and fixtures. If completed and approved, the CEE specification would be the third put into place for utilities, lamp manufacturers and retailers to consider as they evaluate products and programs. In use now are specifications from ENERGY STAR (Lamps, Version 1.0 issued in August 2013) and the California Energy Commission's Voluntary California Quality LED Lamp Specification (December, 2012). I've invited CEE to participate in ALA's Engineering Committee meeting so we can find out more about this new lamp specification, which is unique because it sets up product tiers with different performance requirements. These specifications put new emphasis on the growing use of (and market for) LED replacement bulbs. From an engineering standpoint, I think some of the best LED product design work being done right now is built into these bulbs because of the difficult cost, performance and life challenges involved. Knowing more about LED bulb technology also helps answer a frequent fixture manufacturers' question: "With the rapid changes going on, should I be designing LED fixtures with dedicated light engines, LED modules or with LED screw-in bulbs?" We will also address this question at our Engineering Meeting.
Technical Resources
Our Engineering Committee Co-chairs, Michael O'Boyle, manager of codes, standards & laboratories at Philips-Lightolier; and David Shiller, president of Lighting Solution Development, help organize the annual meeting and are themselves great information resources and deeply involved in the technical aspects of lighting. Conversations with them are always a learning experience.
Any ALA member is welcome to attend the Engineering Committee meeting. There is no charge; it is an ALA member benefit. Send me an email if you would like the meeting details and topic list. The complete meeting agenda will be out later this week.
Sincerely,
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