Flos

Flos stopped by with their latest products. They have modified their mini monopoint so it now is available with a magnet attachment for easy installations. We also suggested that they look into a high grade suction cup as well for installations that do not have metal surfaces available. They have also expanded the Running Magnet line. ACT ceilings can now be accommodated for. Decorative pendants can also be installed in the Running Magnet.

The Circle of Light is a unique fixture. It comes in multiple diameters and has a series of individual points in a recessed circle that create a large spot on the floor. Each aperture is fitted with a black rubber cone that creates a crisp cut-off and reduces the glare considerably. It is only a downlight and does not adjust so it would have to be for a specific application. Each diameter results in a corresponding disk of light on the ground. Dimming is standard with 0-10V. There are two beam spreads that can also provide variability along with the diameter size with 11° and 52°.

Flos has also been working on more if their Find Me series. They are offering a pendant version as well as a double recessed version. The double Find Me is adjustable but cannot pull down like the single version.

We also got to see their new Super Flat which is an edge-lit panel that can be direct, indirect or both. It is available in multiple sizes and can be dimmed.

SSL

SSL introduced us to some of their latest products including their exterior and interior rated cove fixtures, which are both line voltage. They pride themselves on the care and precision which each LED is handled and installed on the boards. Because optics are so important with the cove fixtures, it is nice to see a manufacturer pay attention to how each LED relates to the other, whether it is color temperature consistency or even just alignment. Multiple beam spreads are available for both interior and exterior, as well as multiple outputs. Standard lengths are stocked in 1’ and 4’ increments, but they can do 2’, 3’, 5’ and 6’ fixtures as well. However, it might be a longer lead time. They showed us their new under-cabinet fixtures. They have a line voltage as well as a remote driver version. Both fixtures boast thin profiles. The remote driver version is half as thin as the line voltage on at 0.3”. With the frosted lens it was almost node free.

All of the linear fixtures that we saw are dimple standard down to 10%, and they will be able to bring it down to 1% soon.

We also got a look at their linear color fixture, which comes in an array of seven static colors. They create the colors using remote phosphors as opposed to colored LEDs. In the sample they showed us, it was a line of 7 fixtures with all of the color options available. When you pulled them away from the wall it looked like white light which was an interesting effect. The fixtures are line voltage and dimple to 3% standard with ELV or trailing edge. One thing we were cautious with is the consistency that you would have to get with the phosphors each time to maintain the color throughout the fixtures you are using.

Holophane

Holophane is known for their traditional high bays with HID sources, but they have recently developed an LED version to add to their product family. The Phuzion has a unique shape compared to a traditional high bay, but it is just as high performing with up to 27,000 lumens. It can come with either a glass prismatic lens or an acrylic one. Dimming is available with 0-10V.

With the latest version Holophane has come out with, you can add on an uplight component. It is recommended that you use a frosted lens instead of a clear prismatic lens. It reduces the light output but is much better in terms of glare comfort. We talked to them about the possibility of incorporating more glass to try and stick with the traditional look of a high bay and it sounds like that is something they are perusing for further iterations.

They can also remote the heat sink up to 50', which allows you to have just the disc of the fixture without the tall heat sink protruding up from it. Of course, for more industrial or warehouse applications aesthetics aren't as important.

Montreal Factory Tour with SDA

Another great trip with Stan Deutsch Associates, this time up to Montreal to visit Luminis, Lumenpulse, and SACO. LUMINIS was our first stop. Their standard warranty is 5 years with an average LED life of 65-80,000 hours (until L70). They predominately use Bridgelux LED, but also are compatible with CREE. Their thermal properties are able to support at least two manufacturers in case of an LED shortage. I was also happy to hear that they purchase a percentage of each generation to store for any future needs (so that the 5yr warranty can actually be covered). 0-10V dimming to 10% is standard, and the LUTRON 3-wire can be offered to 1%.

Their products are technical looking, but have a consideration of design. The Aramis LED (above) highlights and celebrates the thermal heat sink - and the reflector can either be visible or hidden behind frosted glass. The aluminum pieces can typically be painted, but the heat sink must remain in its cast aluminum standard finish. There is a similar technical style in the Prisma LED pendants (below) with a visible heat sink, but also a nod to the well-loved factory light shape. The optics incorporate frosting into the acrylic to soften the LED.

LUMINIS also has a nice range of outdoor products - including an exciting tube family called Syrios (below). This family features an adjustable head (360deg rotation) within the tube structure - which is the first time I've seen this offered on an exterior product. The family includes a pendant, wall, and ceiling mounting - and a square shape is being presented at LightFair in early May.

A few other features LUMINIS offers is Amber LEDs for turtle lighting areas, a "wood" paint coating to help fixtures blend into the terrain, and low-copper cast aluminum components (to reduce rusting). They are working on the optics for their street lighting fixtures - looking into silicone (instead of acrylic) which is inherently dirt and UV resistant.

LUMENPULSE gave a nice presentation primarily highlighting their excellence in manufacturing, thermal management, and LED binning. Except for the LED itself, LUMENPULSE designs everything themselves (boards, optics, heat sinks, etc.). Most fixtures are offered with a 5yr warranty, but the Lumencove Nano is actually offered with a 10yr. They claim that their LEDs having a 120,000 life until reaching L70.

LUMENPULSE takes great care in the LEDs chosen for each fixture. They chose from 16 micro-bins, with each LED selected with 4 quadrants, always within the visual tolerance of the eye. They use this "recipe" to create the same color temperature over and over again - not relying on a specific manufacturer to reproduce the same quality.

Within each fixture, the DMXrd feature is a two-way communication that keeps track of the driver, heat, and LED output. This is a great component is perfect for bridges, building facades, etc. anywhere that is difficult to maintain. Another control option is Lumentalk, which is retro-fit smart control which turns existing wiring into a digital network.

We were able to take a quick peak at the new Lumenalpha products, in-grade linear grazer, and also hear about the advancement in the Lumenline optics. I'm excited to see more of this at LightFair in early May.

SACO has been around for over 20 years, developing LED lighting and media solutions for a variety of projects (including at least three installations that have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records!). They break down their service into a few devisions: Shockwave Video Lighting, Smartvision and SACO Design Lab, all offering impeccable service and integration with the design team and installers. They showed us a small representation of their control capabilities as well. The video sequencing is very easy and very intuitive, with more control than DMX.

One of my favorite projects that we were shown is the Maple Leaf Square Canopy in Toronto, CA, which was "inspired by the experience of walking through a forest’s dappled light." They integrated LED modules into repeating geometric cells (the abstract form of leaves) and utilized a computer controlled digital output to show a non-repeating pattern moving throughout the canopy. During the day, the cells allow for daylight to come partially through and activate the canopy continuously.

SACO offers only a small quantity of products, but stresses the options for installation and integration. They maintain only a 2% difference in color, brightness, and voltage from fixture to fixture and LED to LED. And all products are backwards compatible. All products have excellent thermal management, allowing for smaller platforms and fixture dimensions - they actually have an aversion to heat sinks, believing they are only a target for dust, which actually traps heat and makes the fixtures hotter. Their adaptive white products are a combination of 5500K and Amber LEDs, which they find produces a more halogen looking color.

Lumenetix

SSL Lumenetix has been working on developing the control aspect of their modules lately. They are moving away from radio zig by controls and going with Bluetooth control through apps on your phone or tablet. They will also provide a solution for previously installed products to bring them up to the current technology. By wiring the fixtures to a 0-10V box you can convert it to Bluetooth control. They offer their modules with warm dim or color tune. The color tune has a high quality pure white with stay rated color options as well.

Lumenetix develops the modules and uses third parties to provide optics and controls.

The also have a linear product that comes in 1' increments. You need a power supply every 4' but you can connect with a ribbon connector and can control the length from one module. There is an integral collimator to provide near field mixing to blend the LEDs.

Cooledge Lighting

Cooledge Lighting has thin led products that are all UL listed. The material itself is a heat sink so you don't need any extrusions or additional material. You can simply mount straight to your material of your installation.

There are different sizes available starting with 1.4". The strips are field cuttable with rolls up to 30'. For the thinner strips there is not a way to add lengths to the end of the run so a new power supply would have to be run from the other end.

Cooledge also has sheets that are 12" x 12". These sheets can also be cut in the field. The great thing about the sheets is that they are connected with snaps to one another which makes for an easy installation. Because the LEDs are close together you can get uniformity backlighting materials with 2-3" depth. All of their products are 0-10v dimming standard.

Cooledge provides their products with a reasons price point making them a standout to their competitors and worth consideration.

Ketra Lighting

Ketra is a new company from Austin that stopped by our office. They specialize in a control system that allows you to have total color control of their fixtures as well as limited control of fixtures from other manufacturers. Ketra's control box can be used on its own or incorporated into a larger control system coordination. Ketra offers both a linear fixtures and LED PAR lamps. With their control system you can change the color temperature and CRI along the black body curve as well as static colors. Output is maintained regardless of color temperature. Their proprietary software is available to download and program scenes and settings for your lighting design, or fixtures and lamps can come preprogrammed from the factory.

Working on a closed loop system, Ketra allows you to calibrate color and temperature amongst the fixtures providing consistency across the board.

They said that they are developing a 3" downlight and hope to release it soon. We will have to see what the final product looks like, but we tend to be a little hesitant when companies that are traditionally focused on other aspects of lighting such as controls, try and get into the downlighting game.

LEDucation 2015

A big thank you to the DLFNY for once again putting together a great show! LEDucation 2015 was a huge success and our team really enjoyed seeing the breadth of product on display. Here's a list of the manufacturers we were able to stop and see:

ACCLAIM LIGHTING

ACDC There is a new North American facility to produce the products for the USA. They are als currently working on making their submersible linear fixture available for use here.

A.LIGHT They are adding a new reflector in the lensed LED products to provide a clean glow of light as some complaints had been made about the visual line in the center of the fixture.

ALW The new Noventa series is a square fixture that is designed for two lit sides perpendicular to each other. It can be hung as a pendant (diamond shape) or mounted in the corner so that the two unlit sides are hidden in the walls. The fixture can be mounted inside the corner or trimless as part of an outside corner.

BARTCO

BEGA

BIRCHWOOD All fixtures are now constant current. They are working on new round / curved fixtures, to be announced at LightFair.

COOPER: NEORAY We reviewed the new DEFINE Series that should be offered mid-year (a fully developed family by the end of the year). It is a new semi-recessed fixture with the lens the only visible component. NEORAY is still working on the edge detail, but the fixture can be offered within a 1" module and cut to make any angle. Their standard color temperatures are 3K, 35K, and 4K. 27K can be provided as a special.

EDISON PRICE LIGHTING EPL has created a new line of fixtures called APLUS utilizing the CREE dome lens module. They offer all the CREE color temperatures, including Sunset dimming. In addition, although EPL now offers a 10° beam with a different CREE chip, they are starting to work with the new Xicato chip to achieve tighter beam spreads.

EKLIPSE LIGHTING This was a new and potentially exciting company we reviewed. They had a very large range of linear (and curve-able) product, good color and lensing (node free) options. One of their more interesting products was a linear grazer in which the optics can be shifted along the linear axis. This was done via a lever that shifted the optics altogether in a marked angle.

FEELUX

iGUZZINI The X1 and X2 Blade fixtures are now available as Class 2, meaning without the large housing and with a remote driver. New larger Blade fixtures are also available, with 30° and 50° beam spreads, the X1 cell is equivalent to the X3 cell smaller version. The fixture is offered in white or black finishes and trimless will be available next year. IP65 glass lenses are available for some versions.

INTENSE LIGHTING Along with their typical offering, INTENSE is providing some nice trim options for the Impressions series. There is also a retro-fit option available.

LED LINEAR The Adonis fixture was exceptionally bright for such a small package. The lens is fully opal with no imaging, and the fixture is equipped with acrylic end-caps that pick up stray light and create an almost continuous line of light when mounted end-to-end. There is a groove at the bottom of the fixture to accept wiring. LED Linear is careful to list both the original A new 2000K color temperature will be available in the future.

LIGHTING SCIENCES GROUP LSG has moved away from professional material and more into consumer lamps.

LOUPI A new company represented by Lites on West. They had a good collection of retail products and linear lighting.

NULUX

N°8 LIGHTING Some exciting new developments from Number 8! A new 700mA option has been developed, providing a 1050 lumen package, along with a new 13° beam spread. A new round bevel trim is available, which means a regressed round trim is as well. In July, a new ELV driver that will dim to 0%.

PHILIPS We need to look in the consumer lamps section for more retro-fit options.

SOLAIS / POWERSECURE Solais had a nice set-up showcasing their different color temperature options, plus their VioLight technology. They also showed us their new 4° PAR38 retro-fit and 8° dedicated platform. These had some really great punch. Another nice details is that the track heads have hidden power supplies within the track itself.

SPI LIGHTING

SPOT ON

STERNBERG Nice quality exterior lighting, with modern through traditional offerings. The SV1 lens has a 12% loss factor, and the SV2 has an 18% loss. They were willing to do field mock-ups.

SUNLITE

TECH LIGHTING A few new surprises from TECH. They have teamed up with SORAA to provide a bi-pin replacement lamp for their decorative line. They also have two new offerings: the RLS3 is an indirect slot detail with integral lighting and movable 850 lumen adjustable accent lights. If this series (the 3" wide slot) does well, they will consider offering wider slots. They also have a new recessed multiple series offered, in the standard 1 - 4, and grid, but also available in "fill-in" groups where you can place fixtures as needed. The fixtures have two tabs that pinch and are then used to rotate the module - you can never see behind it to the housing. Lumen packages are 1050 and 1300.

TEMPO The C3 curvable fixture is offered in 240 or 330 lumens/ft. The modules are field changeable, and it is about the cost of a good tape light.

TIVOLI

TOKISTAR

TPR ENTERPRISES

USAi LIGHTING

VISUAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES (VLT) They have chosen to provide their tightly spaced LED in all extrusions. None are node free (greater dimension is required) but it does provide a good option for some details where reflection is more of an issue.

Erco

Erco has been making a lot of improvements to their fixtures. They are now offering only LED products. Also they have gotten their LEDs to approximately 100 lumens/watt for 3000K and 130 lumens/watt for 4000K. They have designed their fixtures around projection and not reflection which works inherently with how LEDs work as opposed to older light source technology. Through the use of lenses, Erco is able to offer several different optics for each fixture.

Gecko is a new round projector that can work as either a floodlight or a wallwasher. There are multiple beam spreads as well as lenses that can be specified. For tighter beam spreads, the LEDs are recessed back into the fixture and for wide flood and the wall wash the LEDs sit next to the glass lens.

Lightscan Facade is an addition to the Lightscan family and is a surface ceiling wash fixture. It comes in multiple sizes and wattages ranging from 24W - 72W. It's an impressive fixture. Because of the direction the LEDs are facing, you don't get any backspill on the surface it is mounted to. Like most of their fixture families, the Lightscan comes in either a wide beam or a deep beam.

Erco has designed Site which is an in-grade linear grazer. Site has a very wide throw with an 80° beam angle. Because of this they are able to get a spacing of 1 to 4 or even 1 to 6 depending on how much light you want on the vertical surface. Each fixture is 16". After it is installed you can use a tool to tilt the fixture 10° forward and back.

Visor and Lightmark are a new series of pathlights that come in various mounting options; surface, recessed and bollards. At 6 watts a fixture, it had a decent light output. They offer either a wide or a deep distribution.

Amerlux

Amerlux is a large manufacturer with a vast offering of fixtures both interior and exterior. They recently stopped by with some of their exterior lines to give us a taste of what they can do. The LB2.5 is a bollard with a 2 1/2" diameter and has a 360° distribution. It had a nice throw of light and we didn't notice a harsh line on the floor. It's dimmable to 10%. You can specify the height to be 12"-48". They also have a 4" version as well which has a higher output allowing you to have a larger spacing.

We also took a look at their step-lights. The fixture itself is wet location rated so it can be used as a retrofit installation or used with the new construction back box. It had a pretty harsh line on the floor, but it had a wide distribution. Their standard faceplate is a composite similar to material used on boats and is a cheaper option to metal plates. The composite faceplate allows you to have custom colors for the finish. The also have steel and cast aluminum face plates for an up-charge.

The AC series comes in two sizes, 2" and 3.5". The beam on the AC2 had a strange pattern. The larger AC3.5 seemed to have a cleaner spread. Both fixtures come with the option of using additional lenses to alter the beam.

Amerlux is known for their post-tops and bollards. With LEDs taking over the market, they have developed a retro-fit module that can be installed into existing metal halide fixtures. This saves cost from installing new poles and can be used with fixtures from other manufacturers as well. The module is dark sky rated.

Cree

We got a chance to see Cree in our office today. They have developed new square recessed downlights for their KR line. They offer multiple lumen packages. It is not wet location though, which is something we look for when we are looking at a famliy of recessed lights so the trims are the same throughout the project. We did not see a sample of the trims or the fixtures, but they will have them at Leducation next month and we look forward to seeing them.

Cree has multiple types of troffer fixtures. We looked at their CR fixture. 2x4, 2x2 and 1x4 sizes are available. The fixture comes standard with step dimming for bi-level control per code but they can also do 0-10V dimming. Emergency battery backups are offered and are integral to the fixture.

The ZR troffer fixtures are a lower price version of their standard troffer. It comes standard with 0-10V dimming. The sample we saw has a glossy white finish which was a bit glary, but they said they are coming out with a matte finish soon that will help with that. It is generally in stock by distributors and contractors so it is readily available.

We also took a look at the LS fixture which is a linear area light in 4' and 8' lengths. The fixtures come in standard 4000 and 8000 lumen packages respectively, but they can modify the lumen output for each length.

Smart Cast is a unique control system that Cree has developed for their fixtures. It uses built-in censors to control fixtures together and can be programmed using a remote control device. The benefit of using Smart Cast is that no extra wire is required which brings down the cost. You have to use their switches.

We were also made aware of their T8 LED retro-fit lamp that they have. It's different from other lamps on the market because it does not need a different ballast. It can accommodate any type of ballast that you might have installed.

Ligman Lighting

Ligman Lighting stopped by our office for an introduction to their global company. Ligman Lighting has a vast catalog of products they offer. Their hard copy of their catalog is over 900 pages. Currently, they are only offering their exterior lines in the US, but plan on bringing the interior lines here in the future. One unique thing that Ligman offers for their exterior fixtures is an IK rating which rates the fixture for vandal resistance. On a scale of 0-10 with 10 being strongest and most resistant.

They have basic fixtures but are open to customizations since all of their fixtures and components are made in-house. As a standard, their logo is imprinted on their fixtures, but you can specify without it.

Ligman is similar to other exterior manufacturers that are out there but with a lower price point. What is nice about Ligman is because their catalog is so vast, they have multiple families of fixtures that let you have different fixtures types on one project that have the same style as each other.

WAC Lighting

WAC Lighting has been making some changes to their product catalog. The are offering a 3.5" downlight that has a 3.5" shallow housing depth including ceiling thickness. Trim and trimless options are available in both round and square apertures. ELV and 0-10V dimming are standard.

They also have a no frills downlight that is line voltage so it does not need a driver. It comes in one color temperature (3000K), 50° beam spread and a white trim finish. We thought the color was very cool for 3K.

WAC has developed a track fitter for their W recessed and surface track. The driver is hidden inside the fitter. When you use a track cover over the portions of unused track, you can have a seamless appearance.

The Paloma is a track spotlight that uses the W recessed track fitter. What is unique about the Paloma is that you can manually adjust the beam spread to be between 15° and 60°.

We also took a look at the Summit fixture which is intended as a MR16 LED replacement fixture. It is a dedicated LED but it uses AC so no driver is needed. Summit uses Beamshift which lets you move the lens to either the front or recessed back into the fixture to change the beam spread from a flood to a spot.

Aculux

Aculux stopped by our office to introduce their 2" aperture platform. The fixtures are available in either square or round and in fixed downlight, adjustable or wall wash versions. It comes in two outputs, 700 lumens or 1000 lumens and 80 or 90 CRI. The optics are interchangeable in the field with 18°, 24°, 35° and 45° beamspreads. We saw the 18° optic and it was relatively clean with not a lot of secondary spill. For the round downlight fixture there are two different reflector cones; hyperbolic and parabolic. The parabolic is the typical reflector style that helps eliminate the glare and direct the light, however they have developed a hyperbolic reflector that provides a wider distribution and the light seems to disappear more at the fixture. They recommend this fixture especially when you have taller ceiling heights. Although there is a harsher line than the parabolic when the fixtures are closer to the wall.

We took a look at the wall wash trim version but were not very impressed with it. There was a lot of light being directed towards the ground and a harsh line on the wall. The fixture itself was glary.

Aculux offers a remote emergency battery backup option and the red test light can be located remotely as well.

Overall it was a nice punch for such a small aperture and would be a good option to consider for residential projects that prefer when the fixtures do not draw attention to themselves and seem to blend into the architecture.

They also showed us a more commercial grade version from Juno that is a straight no frills downlight. It would be a good option for lower budget condominium projects.

Bartco Factory Trip

A quick trip to the Bartco Lighting factory in Huntington Beach, CA was greatly appreciated in the cold of early February NYC. Bartco is family owned and maintains a community spirit throughout the factory.

Bartco is working on a number of exciting new fixtures, as well as updating their current product with the newest and greatest LEDs and optics. Their typical linear fixtures use a Harvard Engineering board with multiple LEDs per inch, produced a node-free appearance on their typical frosted lens (see their BAM-XLS8290 bookcase light below). 0-10V dimming control will be provided as a standard as well.

Bartco has also been working on a new anodizing treatment that allows for any scanned image to be used as a finish. We've seen a few factories that are offering this type of finish, mostly as various wood options (Intense Lighting, Luminis, etc.) but Bartco is also offering to coordinate for custom designs. Any anodized finish you can scan - can be provided for their extruded aluminum fixtures.

Two exciting new products that Bartco is working on are an 5/8" deep edge-lit frosted lens fixture, designed to install within the gypsum only so that the studs behind are not affected. This allows the fixture to run in any imaginable designs without restriction. Typically, it can only be mounted in gypsum with a mud-in plate, but Bartco is also working on integration for mirrors.

The other new product is their BSS110, a new linear cove light. Using the new node-free LED boards with a frosted lens, this product produces a smooth band of light on the back and ceiling of the cove. It also has up to 15deg tool-less field adjustability.

It was interesting to discuss projects with the other designers on the trip. Many still use linear fluorescent lamps for commercial projects where dimming is not required. Since fluorescent lamps are now available with 50,000+ (or even 80,000+) lamp life hours, and the lumens/watts is still relatively similar, the payback for LED is not as great. Also, the consistency of using fluorescent lamps and ballasts, which can easily be changed out, is potentially more attractive to owners than relying on LED boards and drivers that are constantly changing.