May 15, 2012: Greenville, SC Alera Lighting rolls out a new radial shielding family designed for its center optic curvature suspended lighting system. Available for shipment within 10 business days as part of Alera Express, the new Curv lenses and shieldings feature a modern aesthetic in a variety of designs. The Curv radial baffle option employs either solid radial blades or contemporary light-infused perforated baffles to illuminate a variety of workplace, educational, and healthcare environments. The clean, smooth lines of the Curv radial lens suggest sophistication and artistry. Offering unparalleled light source obscuration with efficiencies in the low 90s, this softly glowing lens can be used in even the most restrictive applications. The shielding family is rounded out with the Curv louvered design that reveals a splash of hip metallic shine at its silver center. Each lens is available with a variety of end caps to further personalize and enrich its appearance. The entire collection improves upon not only the eye-appeal, but also upon efficiency, a primary concern for the design community when considering current restrictions on power density. With integrated daylight sensor technology, energy savings is achieved as the light output is controlled by the amount of available daylight. The Curv Radial lens or baffles then seamlessly combine uplight, downlight, and available daylight to create the ideal environment for working and learning.

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The brain is a dynamic organ. Neurocognitive research has produced evidence that both developing and mature brains are structurally altered during learning. The weight and thickness of the cortex, the structure of nerve cells and in some instances the capillaries supplying blood to the nerve cells are altered appropriate to the task. This occurs during the integrating or evaluation process. These physical changes resulting from our processing information are part of an exciting new area of research on how our brains can be rewired. A brain injury or loss of one of our senses can be compensated for over time by a physical rewiring of the brain. This can be positively affected by specific learning techniques to accelerate and improve the rewiring results. The implication is that focused or narrow learning will ultimately create a very different neural network than a broad or general education. This would impact problem solving and slow the processing of any information that is unrelated to a persons narrow field of knowledge. Conversely learning related to the narrow but deep knowledge already understood by that person would be understood and processed quicker than someone else with a more generalized education. This relates to the 7 Multiple Intelligences mentioned above and to all learning being built upon and involving a transfer from previous experiences.
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What can be learned when people fall down? Where I work we have an amphitheater. When lighting folk enter they are initially impressed by the large room, then they proceed to gaze upward as they walk forward. There is a gradual slope with a few steps down to the stage. They fall down. This is funny in concept but instantly humbling for the injured. Lighting professionals who are always looking up at the lighting are missing the bigger picture. The lighting is our focus and interest but narrowing our view excludes information that can be equally or more important. Out of compassion and fear of lawsuits we have installed contrasting stair nosing and brighter lights marking the aisles. People still crumple to the carpet. To prevent future attendees from dropping in droves we now issue verbal cautions on entry.
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The Mak Museum in Vienna will be unveiling some very unusual electronic “plant-life” this October. Ross Lovegrove’s Solar Trees project is a unique effort, which combines nature and technology. Learn more here.

Image: Inhabitat.

If you work in the lighting industry or happen to be a fan of lighting in general (who isn’t, after all?) then you might find this resource from the National Park Service very interesting. This informative article will take you from how light is perceived by the human eye to an explanation of light pollution. Visit the NPS page here.

From the EnergyWatch Blog:

The first report, dealing with lifecycle energy consumption for replacement lamps, was recently published: Review of the Life-Cycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent, and LED Lamps. The second report will address luminaires as well, and also incorporate environmental impacts. The study found that, based on DOE’s assumption that the average LED lamp provides service life equivalent to about 22 incandescent lamps, the average LED lamp consumes 75% less energy than the average incandescent lamp. Based on DOE’s assumption that the average LED lamp’s service life is equivalent to three compact fluorescent lamps, the average lifecycle energy consumption of LED lamps is about the same as that for compact fluorescent.

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/tech_reports.html

Check out Columbia Lighting’s new ad design. You’ll be seeing this and other similar ads in publications throughout the industry. Do you ever scan a QR code on an ad? We’d love to know.

Craving lighting news? Here is a round-up of several recent posts that we found interesting and informative:

• Nomad Solar Lamp Makes Off-Grid Lighting Easy
• San Diego Burger Joint Saves Electricity with LED Lighting
• Cool DIY Lighting Projects!

If you have plans to visit LIGHTFAIR^® International 2012 (May 9 -11) come by and say hello to the Columbia Lighting team. We can be found at booth #1921 (Hubbell Building Automation) and at AIA booth #2421. Hope to see you there!

LIGHTFAIR^® International (LFI) is the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference. LFI has a proven track record of bringing top international and domestic Architectural, Design, Engineering and Lighting professionals together with exhibitors from around the world.

Here at blaze! we enjoy all things light related. The Northern Lights are one of the most amazing occurrences in nature. It is a dream of this blog contributor to see these lights in person one day! Enjoy a video of The Northern Lights over Norway here or by clicking on the image above.