The Evolution of Lighting

For more than a century, conventional lighting technologies such as incandescent and halogen lamps dominated residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. While these sources provided adequate illumination, they were notoriously inefficient. A large portion of the energy consumed by incandescent lamps is converted into heat rather than visible light, making them environmentally and economically costly.

The introduction of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) offered a partial solution by reducing energy consumption and extending lamp life. However, CFLs had limitations including mercury content, slow start times, and
inconsistent color rendering. These challenges paved the way for the widespread adoption of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, which has now become the cornerstone of modern lighting design.

LED lighting represents one of the most significant breakthroughs in lighting technology. Unlike traditional light sources that rely on heated filaments or gas discharge, LEDs generate light through electroluminescence in semiconductor materials. This fundamental difference results in dramatically improved energy efficiency, longer operational life, and greater design flexibility.

Understanding LED Technology

LEDs convert electrical energy directly into light with minimal energy loss. As a result, they can achieve energy savings of up to 80–90 percent compared to traditional incandescent lighting. In practical terms, this means lower electricity consumption, reduced operational costs, and a smaller carbon footprint.

Another major advantage of LED technology is its longevity. While a typical incandescent bulb may last approximately 1,000 hours, high-quality LED luminaires can operate for 50,000 hours or more. From a consultant’s perspective, this longevity translates into reduced maintenance requirements, particularly in large facilities such as offices, shopping malls, hospitals, and industrial buildings where replacing lamps frequently can be costly and disruptive.

LEDs also offer exceptional versatility. They can be engineered to produce a wide range of color temperatures, from warm tones that replicate traditional incandescent lighting to cool daylight tones suitable for task-oriented environments. In addition, LEDs support advanced dimming capabilities and integration with smart control systems, enabling dynamic lighting solutions tailored to specific user needs.

The Concept of Green Lighting

Green lighting extends beyond the use of efficient light sources. It represents a holistic approach to lighting design that prioritizes environmental sustainability, energy conservation, and occupant well-being. As lighting consultants, our role is to balance technical performance with ecological responsibility.

A green lighting strategy typically includes several key principles:

• Energy Efficiency: Minimizing energy consumption through high-performance lighting technologies such as LEDs.
• Smart Controls: Using sensors, timers, and automation systems to ensure that lighting operates only when necessary.
• Daylight Integration: Maximizing the use of natural daylight to reduce reliance on artificial lighting.
• Sustainable Materials: Selecting fixtures and components that are recyclable, durable, and manufactured with minimal environmental impact.
• Human-Centric Lighting: Designing lighting environments that support human health, comfort, and productivity.

Together, these elements form a comprehensive framework that allows lighting designers and consultants to create environmentally responsible lighting systems.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact

Energy consumption in buildings accounts for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, and lighting alone can represent up to 20 percent of a building’s total electricity usage. Transitioning to LED lighting can dramatically reduce this figure.

For example, when a commercial building replaces conventional fluorescent fixtures with LED luminaires, energy savings of 40–60 percent are commonly achieved. When combined with intelligent lighting controls, these savings can increase even further.

From a sustainability standpoint, reduced energy consumption directly translates into lower carbon emissions. In countries where electricity generation relies heavily on fossil fuels, this reduction plays a critical role in mitigating climate change. Even in regions with renewable energy infrastructure, energy efficiency remains essential for minimizing environmental impact.

LED lighting also reduces waste. Because LEDs last significantly longer than traditional lamps, fewer replacements are required, which in turn reduces the volume of discarded lighting products entering landfills.

Smart Lighting and Digital Integration

The convergence of LED technology with digital control systems has opened new possibilities for sustainable lighting design. Modern lighting systems can now communicate with building management platforms, occupancy sensors, and daylight sensors to create highly responsive environments.

In office buildings, for instance, occupancy sensors ensure that lights turn off automatically when spaces are unoccupied. Daylight sensors adjust artificial lighting levels based on available natural light, maintaining consistent illumination while minimizing energy consumption.

Smart lighting systems can also be programmed to follow circadian rhythms, adjusting color temperature and brightness throughout the day to support human biological cycles. This approach, often referred to as human-centric lighting, has been shown to improve mood, productivity, and overall well-being.

For lighting consultants, integrating these technologies requires careful planning. Factors such as sensor placement, control protocols, user interface design, and system interoperability must all be considered to ensure that smart lighting systems perform effectively.

Lighting in Sustainable Architecture

Lighting design is increasingly recognized as a key component of sustainable architecture. Green building certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and WELL Building Standard place significant emphasis on energy-efficient lighting and occupant comfort.

In many projects, lighting consultants collaborate closely with architects, engineers, and interior designers to develop integrated solutions that align with sustainability goals. This collaborative process often begins during the early stages of building design.

One of the most effective strategies is daylight harvesting, which involves designing building layouts that maximize natural light penetration. Large windows, skylights, light shelves, and reflective surfaces can significantly reduce the need for artificial lighting during daytime hours.

However, daylight must be carefully balanced with artificial lighting to prevent glare and ensure visual comfort. Advanced lighting simulations and modeling tools allow consultants to evaluate different design options and optimize lighting performance before construction begins.

Retrofitting Existing Buildings

While new construction offers opportunities for integrated green lighting design, the majority of buildings in use today were built before LED technology became widely available. Retrofitting existing buildings therefore represents one of the most impactful strategies for improving energy efficiency.

LED retrofits can range from simple lamp replacements to comprehensive lighting system upgrades. In some cases, replacing fluorescent tubes with LED equivalents may be sufficient. In others, upgrading to entirely new luminaires and control systems may yield greater long-term benefits.

From a consultant’s perspective, retrofit projects require careful assessment of existing infrastructure, including electrical systems, fixture compatibility, and lighting layout. The goal is to maximize energy savings while maintaining or improving lighting quality.

Many governments and utility companies also offer incentives and rebates for energy-efficient lighting upgrades, making retrofits financially attractive for building owners.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the numerous advantages of LED and green lighting, several challenges remain. One common issue is the misconception that all LED products are of equal quality. In reality, LED performance varies widely depending on factors such as chip quality, thermal management, and driver design.

Poorly designed LED fixtures may suffer from flicker, color inconsistency, or premature failure. For this reason, lighting consultants play a critical role in evaluating products and specifying high-quality luminaires that meet industry standards.

Another challenge involves balancing energy efficiency with visual comfort. Overly aggressive energy-saving strategies can sometimes result in under-lit spaces or excessive glare. Effective lighting design must therefore prioritize both sustainability and user experience.

There is also a growing need to address the issue of light pollution. Outdoor lighting, particularly in urban environments, can contribute to skyglow and ecological disruption if not properly designed. Shielded fixtures, appropriate light levels, and carefully selected color temperatures can help mitigate these effects.

The Future of Green Lighting

Looking ahead, the future of lighting will likely be defined by further integration between technology, sustainability, and human well-being. Innovations such as Li-Fi (light-based data communication), advanced OLED lighting panels, and adaptive lighting systems are already being explored.

Artificial intelligence and data analytics may also play a role in optimizing lighting performance. Smart systems could analyse occupancy patterns, energy consumption, and environmental conditions to automatically adjust lighting strategies in real time.

Meanwhile, the global push toward net-zero carbon buildings will continue to drive demand for high-efficiency lighting solutions. As energy codes become more stringent, LED lighting and intelligent controls will become standard components of building infrastructure.

Conclusion

From the perspective of a lighting consultant, the transition toward LED and green lighting represents a profound shift in the way we design and experience illuminated environments. It is no longer sufficient for lighting systems to simply provide visibility; they must also support sustainability, energy efficiency, and human well-being.

LED technology has already demonstrated its ability to dramatically reduce energy consumption while offering unparalleled flexibility and performance. When combined with thoughtful design strategies, smart controls, and sustainable materials, it forms the foundation of modern green lighting systems.

As the built environment continues to evolve, lighting professionals have a unique opportunity and responsibility to guide this transformation. By embracing innovative technologies and environmentally responsible practices, we can create lighting solutions that not only illuminate spaces but also contribute to a more sustainable future.

Sandeip Anand (M.A Lighting Design Germany) is the Director at AIMS Lighting Design, Mumbai having professional lighting experience of more than 20 years.

I was very pleased to see many innovative solutions, such as full-spectrum light-source technologies and products that integrate high-quality lighting attributes like exceptional colour fidelity and precision. These advancements truly enhance the vividness of light and improve how accurately objects are rendered under illumination.

At the same time, I believe there are areas for improvement. Many products perform well in laboratory measurements and exhibit strong specifications on paper; however, when evaluated in real-world conditions especially from different viewing angles or eye levels—there are still noticeable gaps between the documented performance and the actual on-site results. This is not an issue unique to exhibitors in India, but rather a global challenge.

Nevertheless, the discussions I had with various experts were highly productive. It is clear that the industry has already made significant progress in how these technologies are demonstrated and communicated compared to the past. Looking ahead, I am confident that there is still substantial potential for further improvement, and with continued collaboration, we can work together to close these remaining gaps.

All in all the experience has been inspiring. You can really feel the momentum of the Indian lighting ecosystem here – from manufacturers and integrators to designers, consultants, and regulators all in one hall. LED Expo has created a very dynamic platform where international and local perspectives genuinely meet, not just in the conference room but also at every booth conversation.

How has the global lighting industry evolved in the last year, especially in terms of intelligent and connected systems?

Globally, the industry is shifting from being “connected for the sake of being connected” to being “connected with a purpose.” Over the past year, more projects have begun with a clear question: What human or operational outcomes do we want this intelligent system to achieve? These outcomes range from better sleep and improved comfort to healthier workplaces, more adaptable spaces, and simplified maintenance.

We are also seeing stronger alignment with established building standards and scientific frameworks, including circadian lighting metrics and integrated air-quality strategies. Sensor data is now being leveraged not just to control lighting, but to verify that spaces are genuinely meeting targets for well-being, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

What innovations or shifts do you expect in the next three to five years of digital lighting controls?

In the next 3–5 years, I anticipate three major industry shifts:

• A transition from device-level to space- and people-centric control: System specifications will increasingly be driven by what occupants need at eye level and within real environments over time, rather than by the technical capabilities of luminaires alone.
• Deeper integration of health and well-being objectives: Lighting and control systems will more routinely incorporate circadian metrics, personalized exposure profiles, and curated emotional or experiential lighting scenes. These will become standard design elements instead of optional enhancements.
• Greater simplicity supported by advanced intelligence: User interfaces will continue to become more intuitive and streamlined, while the underlying complexity is managed through improved algorithms, open communication protocols, and seamless cloud–edge collaboration. This evolution will significantly ease commissioning, operation, and maintenance for all stakeholders.

Can you mention one notable innovation you came across this year that you think has significant potential for the lighting industry?

One of the most promising innovations today is the new generation of field measurement tools that bring advanced lighting and environmental metrics such as spectral data, circadian-effective illuminance, flicker indices and indoor air quality directly into the hands of designers, consultants and facility managers. When we can validate in real time what people actually experience in a space rather than relying solely on design assumptions, we close the gap between theory and reality. This enables more accurate tuning, smoother commissioning and greater confidence in human-centric lighting performance. As an advisor to IWBI’s Light Concept, I see this capability as essential for implementing standards like WELL with real, measurable evidence rather than intention alone.

Looking ahead, sensor technologies that make well-being metrics visible, understandable and even interactive will be essential. When advanced sensors, intelligent algorithms, responsive products and integrated controls work together as a continuous feedback loop, they will fundamentally transform how we design, verify and manage healthy lighting environments. This holistic ecosystem will define the future of human-centric lighting.

The 30^th edition of LED Expo focused on Utility, Design and Well-being. How do you see it with respect to the fast-evolving lighting industry?

I would say it is essential—and overdue.

• Utility ensures lighting is functional, reliable, and energy-efficient.
• Design shapes the identity of the space and the emotional experience of the users.
• Well-being makes sure that what looks good and works well also supports our body, brain, and long-term health.

If we optimise only one or two of these, we create compromises: beautiful spaces that cause fatigue, highly efficient spaces that people dislike, or “healthy” concepts that are too complex or costly to operate. When utility, design and well-being are synchronized from the beginning—supported by clear metrics and standards—we get lighting that is both beautiful and beneficial, and that can be scaled across offices, schools, hospitals, homes and cities.

In your opinion, how important are events like these in making collaborations, product showcases and networking opportunities?

Events like LED Expo play a crucial role in advancing the lighting and building industry. While standards and best practices exist on paper, real adoption happens through people—through conversations, demonstrations, and shared success stories. These platforms allow manufacturers to show how their solutions align with frameworks such as WELL and other global guidelines, while designers, engineers, regulators, and clients can see practical implementations rather than relying solely on technical documents. Because the lighting ecosystem is highly diverse—spanning manufacturers, specifiers, designers, regulators, developers, and end users—it is essential to build shared awareness across all stakeholders. Improving light quality for better circadian support, mood, productivity, and overall well-being requires a common vision that goes beyond traditional focuses on visual tasks, safety, and energy efficiency.

For a rapidly growing market like India, this collaborative platform is especially important. By aligning understanding and working together to close existing gaps, the industry can accelerate its shift from basic LED replacement thinking toward a mature, standards-based, human-centric lighting culture. With increasing participation and collective effort, we can meaningfully advance both quality of life and long-term sustainability.

Do you have any advice or thoughts that you would like to share with the industry?

I believe global building standards are opening an important window of opportunity for the lighting industry. As someone who has spent many years in this field, and through my work with IWBI and international partners, I have seen a growing number of global projects emerging in India. This momentum is encouraging, but it is only the beginning. Compared with regions like the United States, China and other parts of Asia, India is still at an early stage—yet the potential here is extraordinary.

As an advisor to global standards, I see tremendous opportunity for Indian lighting professionals, educational institutions, and industry stakeholders. Worldwide, there are still significant gaps to close in science-based lighting, in integrating well-being, and in advancing smarter, healthier lighting practices. These gaps represent opportunities for India to contribute meaningfully.

If the industry continues to invest in impactful technologies, high-quality solutions and strong collaboration across all disciplines, India can not only elevate its own lighting quality but also build the capability to bring world-class products, solutions and ideas to the global market. This is a chance for India to establish a powerful and influential presence in the international lighting community.

High-Ceiling illumination at Geneo, Singapore Science Park

Geneo is far more than a conventional work destination. Comprising a cluster of five mixed-use buildings, it offers purpose-built workspaces, amenities, and serviced apartments. Beyond the professional sphere, Geneo distinguishes itself as a dynamic social and ecological hub. Its major event plaza, vibrant retail and restaurant spaces, and extensive landscaped areas – covering over 21,000 sqm (approximately one-third of the site) – foster a sense of community and provide a seamless connection to the nearby Kent Ridge Park. The overarching vision was to create a space that promotes well-being and interaction, accessible directly from Kent Ridge MRT station as a grand gateway to the wider development.

The lighting challenge: brilliance from extreme heights

The centrepiece of Geneo is its monumental, sheltered canopy, characterized by majestic Mass Engineered Timber columns and arches. While its architectural grandeur is evident by day, the true spectacle unfolds in the evening, when Nipek Lighting’s elaborate design comes to life. The key lighting challenge was to provide powerful, homogeneous, and safe illumination for a vast public circulation area, all while working with an extreme mounting height of approximately 28 meters. An illuminance of minimum of 100 lux was required on the ground for general circulation safety standards.

ERCO was the chosen partner due to its proven capability in high-ceiling environments, its commitment to precision engineering, and the robust performance of its luminaires. The solution involved strategically clustering ERCO’s Atrium Double Focus luminaires in groups of eight at the apex of each arch.

ERCO’s approach to lighting effectiveness is rooted in its lx/W approach, which emphasizes not just energy efficiency but true light effectivity. This principle focuses on the crucial ratio of illuminance to connected load (lux per watt) – ensuring the maximum quantity of light reaches the target surface. ERCO achieves this through the use of optimal LEDs and in-house developed operating electronics for low energy consumption, combined with high-precision photometric systems that direct light precisely without spill.

The successful illumination of Geneo showcases the transformative power of expertly designed lighting, realized through the vision of Nipek Lighting and the precise engineering of ERCO luminaires. ERCO’s contribution has not only met the stringent technical requirements of a high-ceiling environment but has also enhanced the architectural beauty and functional utility of this key public space.

The ERCO solution: chosen for precision, power, and longevity

Exceptional Performance at Height: Despite the challenging 28-meter mounting height, these powerful fixtures consistently deliver a remarkable 100 lux on the ground. This not only meets the minimum safety requirements for circulation spaces but also ensures a brilliant and welcoming atmosphere throughout the plaza.

Homogeneous Illumination: The optical precision of the Atrium Double Focus ensures a uniform and glare-free spread of light, critical for comfort and visual navigation in a busy public space.

Aesthetic Integration: The luminaires feature a sophisticated black reflector, contributing to a cleaner, more integrated aesthetic that seamlessly blends with the timber structure.

Durability and low maintenance: With an impressive lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, ERCO luminaires significantly reduce the need for maintenance, offering substantial long-term convenience and cost savings for building managers. This durability underscores ERCO’s commitment to sustainable and reliable lighting solutions.

Architecture: Chris Lee (Serie Architects), Multiply Architects
Lighting design: Nipek Pte Ltd
Photography: Shiya Creative Studio, Singapore
Project location: Singapore / Singapore
Country: Singapore

• Primary Lens
• Secondary Lens

A Primary Lens narrows the initial beam angle to a more manageable range. A lens can be designed to cater to angles from 180 to as low as 60 degrees or even lower. Light emitting efficiency is proportional to the angle (the higher the angle, the greater the efficiency). The lens is directly glued on the chip holder to encapsulate the chip, which in turn becomes an integral part of the LED source.

The reflow soldering process is used to attach the pre-encapsulated LED component to a PCB, and because of its highly automated nature high volumes of soldering can be achieved. A primary lens is a double convex lens, and to set the desired angle the distance between the lens and the LED is adjusted (the angle is inversely proportional to the distance).

A Secondary Lens is located on the exterior of the LED with a Primary Lens. This lens is designed to converge the light emitting angle of the LED light source to a desired angle between 5° and 160°. The three main geometrical distributions of the light field achieved through this are circle, ellipse and rectangle.

There are different types of lenses used for secondary optics, the most popular being TIR Lens working on the principle of total internal reflection. This type of lens enables more control over light and also provides rotationally symmetric designs for round light distribution. For multiple LEDs such lenses can be designed in arrays.

Sports Lighting

One of the most complex of all requirements in general lighting has been in design of Sports lighting. LEDs have several benefits over their conventional counterparts. Some of the benefits are energy efficiency, longer lifespan, instant on/off capabilities, improved light quality, enhanced control, mercury free, pollution free and especially applicable for sports – flicker free. But in order to qualify, LEDs were required to meet the following critical requirements:

• Player visibility, which is very important for day-night cricket matches
• Light spill and Glare control
• Long throw illumination from High masts
• Wider beams for covering larger areas closer to the ground
• To meet high definition (HD) TV broadcasting of major sports events

Optics

The intended beam pattern and light distribution for a particular sports and arena depends on precise alignment of the LEDs with the Primary and Secondary optics, and accurate positioning in the luminaire. Nowadays, a large variety of LED modules are available. This, in turn, allows greater flexibility in configuring the luminaires with different numbers of LED modules and optics for achieving desired output levels.

Other than the Primary lens which collimate the light, and the Secondary lens which provides the desired light pattern, specialised optics with sharp cut-off angles are employed for minimising light spill and glare. Frosted or patterned materials are sometimes used as diffusers to soften the light for player and spectator. Flexibility in luminaire design has got a further boost with the advent of microlenses. These are very small lenses which are either integrated into or placed on top of the Primary or Secondary lens. They can either be fabricated directly on the surface of a Primary or Secondary lens, or a separate sheet can also be placed over the LED matrix or Secondary optics.  The microlenses have been successfully used for – a) finer control of the light beam; b) homogenising the light output resulting in reduction of colour and intensity variations across the beam; c) highly precise shaping of beam pattern; d) reduction of glare by diffusing the light at a small scale.

For microlenses, materials similar to Secondary lens are used. As high-powered LEDs generate significant heat, luminaire design incorporates proper heat sinks and other thermal management techniques to effectively dissipate heat for a long lifespan and consistent performance of the LEDs and optics. For sports lighting in tropical countries, silicone is often used as a material for microlenses. With development of suitable software for performing optics simulation, a luminaire designer may have to download ray set files for their high-brightness LEDs.

Rapid development in optics has enhanced the capabilities of LED sources to an extent that it has not only overpowered the traditional light sources, the flexibility in adopting LEDs in sports lighting, considered the most complex of lighting design solutions has brought about a sort of renaissance in illumination science.

Installations

There are many instances, apart from newer installations where LED luminaires have replaced the traditional floodlight luminaires.

• Most of Tennis Grand Slam stadia
• Many stadiums in Australia and New Zealand, where FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 were hosted
• Yankee Stadium, New York and Fenway Park, Boston for Baseball
• Most of the Tennis Arenas hosting Grand Slam Tournaments across the world. Tennis requires flicker-free illumination

Back in India, the following major Cricket Stadia have undergone upgrades to replace traditional metal halides with LED systems for capitalising on the benefits.

• Eden Gardens Kolkata – The first installation for day-night cricket consisted of 864 single-ended filament 2kW Metal Halide Floodlights across four towers. Later upgraded to 400V double-ended filament 2kW Metal Halide Lamps. To achieve higher illumination levels for HD TV broadcasting and also improve energy efficiency, the stadium underwent further upgradation to a new LED system. The major achievement was about 40% reduction in several luminaires and huge power savings to the tune of 700kW.  The illuminance achieved was 2500 lux (vertical) on pitch; 2000 lux on the 30-yard circle, and 1500 lux on the outfield.

• Wankhede Stadium Mumbai – The upgrade to the LED lighting system was carried out by Bajaj Electricals in time for the India vs England T20 match on February 2, 2025. Here the HID floodlights were replaced with 448 advanced 1650W LED floodlights. It was a next-generation LED lighting designed to include DMX controls, scene customisation and enhanced energy management.

Biswajit Sengupta is an MTech, Chartered Engineer, Fellow of Institution of Engineers (FIE), Fellow of Indian Society of Lighting Engineers (FISLE). He has over 35 years’ experience in lighting industry. He co-founded School of Illumination (SISED) at Jadavpur University. Successfully organized Lux Pacifica (international conference in Lighting) in Calcutta in 2015 as Secretary, Technical Committee. At present he is an Independent Lighting Consultant on Illumination Design and Engineering including LED and Fibre Optic Lighting, Circadian Lighting Design; Luminaire and Lamp manufacturing; Sourcing; Solar Energy consultancy & training.

“Digital signage is a driving force as companies, designers and artists look for new and inspiring ways to interact with consumers. The new LightScene solutions build on the success of the original models, delivering a unique design for aesthetically blending projection in virtually any environment. These new and improved models integrate lighting and projection with powerful, next-generation features to make the ordinary extraordinary and the invisible visible,” said Remi Del Mar, Product Manager, Epson America, Inc.

The new Bluetooth-enabled LightScene models feature motion sensing capabilities and a brighter laser light engine with up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation.(2) The display solutions are powered by software and mobile applications that can completely remove friction points, making them accessible for nearly any customer.

Mei Yi, Product Manager said: “In horticulture applications growers are looking for time tested, top performance and reliability, the LUXEON 3030 HE Plus Horticulture delivers the photons that enable consistent and high growth output with the highest of efficiencies.”

The new LEDs are engineered for robust sulfur protection – critical for long and stable life in warm and humid environments and are specified for horticulture at 65mA and Tj= 25°C with CCTs from 2200K to 6500K and CRI of 70, 80, or 90. When matched with LUXEON Deep Red and Far Red options a complete horticulture illumination solution is at hand.

LUXEON 3030 HE Plus Horticulture offers a 0.1V forward voltage bin, quadrant color bin inside 3SDCM, and a maximum drive current of 480mA.

Human-centric lighting is making a difference in settings where people seek to heal and enhance their mood. In hospitals, tunable lighting systems are already promoting better sleep, which is vital to a patients’ recovery. In the educational field, students are making most from the greater cognitive focus that the correct lighting regime promotes. These lightings are not only energy-efficient but also enhances the wellbeing of employees, making them more productive and motivated at the work front. Lighting can be customized by each employee to suit their individual requirements, creating a smooth and refreshed work environment.

As people are now more aware of the benefits of human-centric lighting in their homes and workplace, it has become more common and, we are witnessing a rise in the demand for such lighting.

Are there any new innovations that will be launched by Signify in the near future? What is the acceptance of your products internationally?

We have an in-house R&D unit which works closely with global teams on business forward plans and portfolio development. UV- C based innovations will remain a strong focus area for the organization. We have initiated production and are capable of catering to the significant demand of our customers. We plan to have a variety of UV-C based solutions with professional and consumer applications.

In this effort, we recently acquired Germicidal Lamps and Applications (GLA), a Netherlands-based company with extensive expertise in UV-C disinfection solutions that complements our portfolio. We acquired their assets which include upper-room UV-C air disinfection portfolio as well as in-depth application knowledge. The upper-room air disinfection luminaires can be used, with people in the room as they are installed, at a height which is in combination with shielding and optics to prevent exposure, to the UV-C light source. The air in the upper part of the room is continuously disinfected using UV-C irradiation and natural convection of airflow within the room, making these perfect for use in schools, offices, gyms, retail outlets and other high-contact areas. The assets and know-how acquired from GLA will help us to accelerate the development of our roadmap for UV-C based upper-room air disinfection systems. We plan to make these products available across the globe soon.

What is Signify’s point of view towards Make In India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) initiative?

India is a strong focus for Signify. We are committed to the idea of Make in India, creating livelihood and economic value here, and are continuously innovating to suit the needs of the market. We have been manufacturing in India, for India over 90 years, since 1930. About 98% of what we sell in India is made in India and was strategically done much before the crisis. To de-risk our production from external factors and become self-reliant. Our manufacturing unit in Vadodara currently exports conventional and LED lamps to 29 countries across the world. Our state-of-the-art R&D facility, Signify Innovation Labs with over 400 employees in Bengaluru, has churned out the blueprints for smart cities and smart building concepts designed for the Indian market, which has enabled various central and state government projects in the country. Our teams here are also driving the worldwide transition to smart cities out of this Bengaluru facility. India is also the global headquarters for Signify’s solar business & R&D facilities in Bengaluru & Pune are leading the product & software development for the world. We are proud to support the Government’s vision of self-reliance and will continue our endeavours in this direction.

Kindly summarize the lighting industry of the Indian market holistically. What are the progress and goals made by the Indian market in terms of IoT and sustainability?

The Indian lighting industry is on the path of rapid growth. With the government initiatives to boost LED adoption and growing awareness regarding lower power consumption of LED lighting products and replacement of basic and inefficient incandescent, halogen, fluorescent lamps with modern LED lights, we are getting towards the reduction in electricity consumption.

In India, smart lighting for homes is expected to grow by 45% over the next three years as many more houses adopt connected lighting in a major way. We are by far the market leader in this segment, as we virtually created this category when we launched our Philips Hue range in India five years back. While smart lighting for homes constitutes a very small share of our overall business right now, it has a lot of potential for growth in the future owing, to the increasing urbanization and internet penetration.

As the business scenario in India matures, expectations for a new generation of employees from their workplaces have increased and, we also see employers adopting new technologies to boost employee engagement and productivity. These developments have led to the emergence of smart and connected offices wherein the ‘Internet of Thing’ (IoT) drives new ways to collaborate, innovate and socialize. Hence, it is not surprising that in today’s fast-changing business environment, new ideas such as connected lighting are implemented, in workspaces that can facilitate a culture of innovation based on collaboration. With connected lighting, offices can offer employees the ability to personalize the lighting in their immediate work area, which, in turn, can have a profound effect on their wellbeing and effectiveness. Organizations are also focusing on building energy-efficient green offices, enabling optimal use of available resources. Connected LED lighting also allows building managers to monitor and analyze building usage data in real-time, enabling them to identify inefficiencies and control other facilities such as air conditioning, heating and meeting room availability. It can drive down energy consumption by up to 80% compared to conventional lighting allowing businesses to slash their carbon footprint and drastically reduce their running costs.

With the growth of smart cities in India, there is a lot of potential for growth, of smart street lighting. It can equip city administrators with a robust infrastructure to improve city services, improve citizen safety, beautify public spaces, engage with citizens, and encourage civic pride. It can also reduce energy costs and increase efficiency so that the city can reinvest its savings in new smart city projects.

Whether on the road, construction site or at sea – work lamps are always exposed to extreme conditions. Therefore, the FMS has a CoroSafe coating for improved corrosion resistance. It is also, certified for protection classes IP 6K7 and IP 6K9K, which require protection from dust and water penetration. Additionally, the work lamp meets the legal requirements of the ADR/GGVSEB legal standards and is therefore suitable for transporting hazardous goods.

The FMS is manufactured, at the HELLA company site in Austria. It is available in three housing colours: black, red and white. Further, you can choose between a base version with 1200 lumen and a prime version with 2500 lumen.

Yes, it is 100% true. The very first thing comes in our mind is why should we pay more while I am getting the light at very cheap price in the open market? Actually, it’s not only the people’s fault but since many cheap quality Chinese products and some Indian companies as well have dumped the goods at throwaway price. Due to which consumers are confused and not able to judge the true light. They look for mostly wattages, higher the wattages they willing to pay more but don’t compare the efficacy. A light can be judged by seeing its overall system efficacy not just wattages or the initial brightness.

What is the USP of iLux Electricals?

iLux is promoting mostly innovative and technical lights, using high lumen/watt chips and high efficacy drivers to achieve the best system efficacy.

iLux is partnered with world’s one of the top lighting components manufacture Vossloh-Schwabe, Germany (A member of Panasonic, Japan) on PAN India basis and has special colours (CCT) 3100K (Pearl White) & 3200K (Clear White) which is probably only with VS in the world. These colours are specially designed for Fashion/Clothing lighting and enables very clear/Clean white effect against any other colours.

What are the most innovative products that you have introduced in India in this year?

iLux has introduced LED Solar wall Light this year, which consume zero electricity.

The creation of LED solar light is to use in urban and rural area where people’s budget gets effected by frequently hike in electricity bills. We always try to give best to our customers with the experience of new technologies and natural lights. It is integrated with a motion sensor which keeps the light dim when there is no movement.

What are the advantages of LED Flexi tubes? Are they successfully replacing the traditional glass neon lights?

iLux LED Flexible Neon Lights are perfect replacement of glass neon tubes and are very flexible, comes in high voltage (direct AC) and low voltage (12V,24V) as well and can be cut as small as 4.17 cm to make any small letters/design. Our clients are very happy with our flexi LED Light and using for Edge lighting, decoration, signages, pathway etc. etc.
We also have colour jacketed light for which pigmentation is used from Japan, which keeps the colour of jacket unfaded for years.

What kind of architectural lighting projects are being done by you in India?

We are mainly into B2B business, so our clients do the project with our lights, some of the projects are done as below:

A – Priyakant Ju Temple at Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh India. Which was inaugurated by Amit Shah (BJP President). This lotus shaped temples entire outdoor edge lighting were done by using our product of 5w/meter, 4000K
B – At Mumbai international Airport in a Lounge.

What do you say about the quality of the LEDs available in India (especially as far as flicker is concerned?

Very good question.

Flickering happens mostly when we do not match the LED & Drivers. LED & Drivers are married together, hence they need to be matched properly and we should use proper matching drivers to drive the LED.

Due to lack of knowledge, traders lit the LED with any driver though, it may be branded and expansive but if technically it is not matched then flickering may occurred immediately or after several months.

What kinds of control products are you offering for LED strips?

We have RF & IR controllers to control the LED strips, DigiLED manual CA, DigiLED DALI CA, DMX , Wall transmitter etc. We have constant current LED strips which can give without any joint upto 20m/reel against usual available in market 5m/reel. We also have CCT adjustable or tunable, which can be dimmed and can get many colours in between from 3000K to 6000K.

What would you like to suggest to the LED system integrators?

In the last, I would like to request not suggest that all manufactures, dealers should educate the customers properly about the system efficacy, prolonged life, L90 as VS have i.e. lumen depreciations at certain hours etc.

For example, if a Downlight is of 15 W & its lumens are just 1000 lumens & LED’s are 30,000hrs, L70, priced at Rs. 1000/- or less. It would be better to buy a Downlight of 1000 lumens at 10W & L90, 50,000 hrs. as it is more efficient even though it is 25-30% expansive.

The opening ceremony, when the lights were officially turned on, was filmed live by Norwegian National Television Channel (NRK) with many celebrities present. They and the national audience watching on TV were undoubtedly impressed by what they witnessed. Using 13 CHAUVET Professional COLORado 2 Quad Zoom IP and 4 ILUMINARC Ilumipanel 90 IP fixtures for each crane, Rubicon illuminated the towering structures in dramatic and vibrant light visible for miles around the city.

A key factor in achieving this impressive result was the output from the ILUMINARC Ilumipanel fixtures, which were positioned on each crane, both at the top of the control tower facing downwards and at the base of the crane lighting upwards. Pål Erik Gulbrandsen, Project Manager at Rubicon, said, “We selected the Ilumipanel 90IP fixtures for their incredible 450W output. Given the huge surface area of the structures, the fixtures had the somewhat impossible task of providing consistent and strong illumination. The Ilumipanel illuminated the general structure of the cranes exceptionally.”

Gulbrandsen was able to bathe the structures in intense saturated colour with the help of 90 RGBA LEDs contained within the fixtures. He said, “The Ilumipanel was also specified for its ability to produce extremely saturated colours, especially with regards to hues and vibrant greens. Most importantly, we were able to completely transform the cold metal structures into something much warmer, which looked fantastic both in person and on television.”

To illuminate the crane in a number of more tricky to reach areas, Gulbrandsen relied on the COLORado 2 Quad Zoom IP fixtures that were installed on each crane – six units mounted on the legs of the crane lighting upwards, three on the roof of the control tower, and four on the crane structure itself covering the whole crane structure.

“Among the most difficult thing about lighting the cranes was getting all angles of the structures evenly illuminated,” continued Gulbrandsen. “To ensure even coverage, I chose the COLORado 2 Quad Zoom IP because of the excellent zoom capabilities of the fixture. This made it easier for me to play around with the zoom to cover as much area as I could.”

The COLORado’s punchy 14 x 15W LEDs output also met Pål’s requirements. “Despite their extremely compact size and light weight, the fixtures are more than powerful enough to illuminate the various parts of the structures. The beams are brilliant and intense.” he said.

Given the harsh Norwegian winter conditions in the port of Drammen, one of the key practical considerations of the installation was the need for reliable all-weather fixtures. By utilising Ilumipanel and COLORado fixtures’ IP67 and IP66 respective outdoor use ratings, the team at Rubicon could rely upon the fixtures despite the harsh northern conditions.

Credits: www.iluminarc.com