October 14, 2023
5 Things to Know: Week Ending October 14
The Governor pays a visit to lighting company. Plus, glowing platypuses inspire a lighting discovery, fur sure.
Here's a roundup of some of the week's happenings curated to help lighting people stay informed.
1. RAB Lighting Seeks Court Intervention in Financial Dispute
In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday, RAB Lighting is contesting an arbitration award favoring the Employees Security Fund of the Electrical Products Industries under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). This dispute revolves around "withdrawal liability," a charge incurred when a company exits a multiemployer pension plan.
The bone of contention is the actuarial method used to calculate this liability. RAB Lighting asserts that the Fund’s actuary inappropriately lowered the projected return rate on investments, thereby inflating RAB Lighting's withdrawal liability from around $250,000 to nearly $5.4 million. The company argues this calculation method violates ERISA and seeks a court order for recalculating the liability using a higher, and in their view, more accurate investment return rate.
RAB Lighting is requesting the court to overturn the arbitrator's decision which endorsed the calculation method used by the Employees Security Fund to determine withdrawal liability. They are urging the court to mandate a recalculation of this liability using a higher investment return rate of 7.25%, which they believe accurately reflects the fund's expected rate of return.
2 . New Star Lighting: Recent Visits from VIP and Non-VIP Guests
On Friday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker visited the Chicago world headquarters of New Star Lighting, a leading manufacturer of high-quality luminaires tailored for healthcare, correctional, transportation, commercial, high abuse and cleanroom applications.
John Pena, President of New Star Lighting, conveyed to the governor the commendable work the New Star Lighting team is doing. They discussed the abundant lighting opportunities in Illinois and how New Star manufactures the products they require.
With a much quieter reception in August, and deservedly so, inside.lighting visited New Star Lighting to observe the company's capabilities and their recent investments in personnel and equipment, aiming to further the growth of the lighting company.
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| VIP visit Gov. Pritzker with New Star team |
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| VIP visit Governor Pritzker & John Pena |
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| non-VIP visit Al Uszynski & John Pena |
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3. Northeast Lighting Principals Join SESCO Lighting
SESCO Lighting, the world's largest lighting agent, provides sales coverage throughout the Southeast U.S. and the Caribbean for a couple hundred lighting manufacturers. The company recently onboarded two notable personnel familiar to those in Northeast U.S. lighting circles. Both have previously held Principal roles at different Pennsylvania lighting agencies:
Michael Goldfinger, formerly Principal of Philadelphia’s Penn Lighting, has assumed the role of Branch Manager for SESCO's Tampa market. Given his recent representation of Signify in the Northeast, and SESCO's longstanding partnership with Signify, Goldie’s transition to The Big Guava is expected to be smooth one.
Rob Pugliano, co-founder and former Principal of Pittsburgh’s Architectural Lighting Sales, has joined SESCO to oversee strategic accounts for the agency.
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| Michael Goldfinger |
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| Rob Pugliano |
4. Mammals Glow Under UV Light, New Study Reveals
Researchers at the Western Australian Museum have discovered that an astounding 125 mammal species exhibit fluorescence under ultraviolet (UV) light. The discovery was initiated by Dr. Kenny Travouillon's curiosity about a study that found glowing platypuses. Surprisingly, when Dr. Travouillon and his team examined various taxidermied mammals under UV light, they observed that nearly all specimens displayed some level of glow.
Further studies in collaboration with Perth's Curtin University confirmed these findings. The intensity of fluorescence varied based on preservation methods and the species in question. One analysis found that ground-dwelling, tree-dwelling, and burrowing mammals more commonly displayed this trait, especially nocturnal species. It is theorized that fluorescence might aid nocturnal animals in attracting potential mates by enhancing their visibility.
However, Dr. Travouillon warns against using UV lights to observe these animals in the wild, as it can harm their vision. He advises using red lights instead.
Image credit: Royal Society
5. Are Carbon-Neutral Buildings Expensive?
In a recent article by ArchDaily, the financial implications of carbon-neutral buildings were explored. The building sector is under scrutiny for its significant contribution to carbon emissions, with energy used for lighting, heating, and cooling accounting for 28%, and embodied carbon from construction processes making up 11%. Traditional sustainability standards, such as BREEAM or LEED, come with added costs.
However, the industry is veering towards financially feasible alternatives. Carbon-neutral buildings demand a higher upfront investment because of innovative technologies like photovoltaic solar panels and advanced insulation. Despite the initial costs, the long-term benefits of green construction are undeniable, states ArchDaily.
Real estate companies with carbon-reducing measures can ask for higher rents and receive beneficial grants. Moreover, buildings with green certifications can have rent premiums of 6% and sales premiums of 8%. While carbon-neutral buildings might have higher initial costs, their long-term financial and environmental rewards are considerable according to the report.
