July 6, 2024
5 Things to Know: July 6
Acuity Brands ups its international investments. Plus, Center City's most prominent landmarks are awash in new dynamic lighting.
Here's a roundup of some of the week's happenings curated to help lighting people stay informed.
1. Acuity Brands’ International Investments
Distech Controls, a major part of Acuity Brands' Intelligent Spaces Group business, has started expanding its global headquarters in Brossard, Quebec, adding 43,000 sq ft to enhance production and inventory space while creating new job opportunities. This follows a similar expansion at the brand’s European headquarters in France. The new facility will incorporate advanced Distech Controls building automation controllers, sensors, and software to promote energy efficiency and support a healthy environment.
Chief Financial Officer, Karen Holcom, during Acuity Brands' recent Q3 earnings call, noted, "...we are expanding those operations both in Lyon (France) and in Montreal, to support the growth of that business."
IMPORTANT NOTE: Advocates of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) best practices should not be alarmed by the unusual combination of Acuity Brands' Holcom simultaneously wearing a hard hat and open-toe shoes. We believe that these top company executives were not doing actual construction work and that the above photo was for public relations purposes only.
2 . Lighting Education Curriculum
Dr. Kevin Houser, a professor at Oregon State University, has significantly influenced lighting research and education while remaining actively connected to real-life practices in lighting design and application. Known for his decades of research, involvement in IES and IALD events and his tenure as editor-in-chief of LEUKOS, Houser consistently bridges the lighting industry's gap between academic theory and practical application, benefiting students, faculty, and lighting professionals alike.
In his latest contribution, Houser has published a comprehensive framework for a university-level lighting education curriculum. This resource, developed in collaboration with industry professionals, outlines a multi-course sequence for a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering. It includes detailed syllabi, classroom activities, homework assignments, and design projects aimed at balancing technical illuminating engineering with artistic lighting design, and is intended for reuse or adaptation by other educators and independent learners.
3. A Royal Honor for Stoane Lighting
Stoane Lighting, a Scotland-based lighting manufacturer, has received two King's Awards for Enterprise, recognizing its achievements in Sustainable Development and Innovation. Founded in 1995, Stoane Lighting operates in North America through an exclusive relationship with Maryland-based Inter-lux to market its products in the U.S.
The Innovation award celebrates Stoane Lighting's ZTA product family, a high-performing, flexible, and pioneering solution designed for the circular economy and minimal environmental impact. This recognition highlights the company's commitment to creating long-lasting, re-manufacturable equipment that meets calls for truly sustainable lighting solutions.
The King's Awards for Enterprise, issued by the United Kingdom government, recognize outstanding achievements by UK businesses in innovation, international trade, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity through social mobility. Award recipients are invited to a Royal reception, presented with the award at their company by a Lord-Lieutenant, allowed to fly The King's Awards flag at their main office and use the emblem on marketing materials, and given a Grant of Appointment and a commemorative crystal trophy.
4. Philly Lights
Philadelphia's City Hall district is shining brighter as officials flipped the switch on a newly installed lighting system on the historic building and 10 surrounding structures. The system features color-changing LED lights capable of seasonal and sports-themed effects. This upgrade follows the recent $2.1 million lighting renovation of the iconic Boathouse Row. The Lighting Practice, a prominent Philadelphia-based architectural lighting design firm, was involved in both projects.
City officials did not comment on whether the new lighting is expected to help the local professional sports teams perform better. As a collective group, the Eagles, Sixers, Phillies and Flyers have won just two championships in the last 40 years.
Watch the 48-second video overview below:
5. Signify’s latest blog entry
Signify, the worldwide leader in lighting, has distinguished itself as a company that is highly adept in crafting informational press releases and blogs, despite their marketing origins. In its latest, unusually brief blog entry – just one sentence long – Signify showcased its notable patent achievements: "Signify continued to extend its industry-leading IP portfolio with another record year for submissions in 2023, proudly being top 7 of all European-headquartered companies, first in the lighting industry, and climbing to 21st worldwide in the European Patent Office (EPO) rankings."
While ranking 7th among European companies, Signify's new patent filings in 2023 placed it 21st globally. The full list of the Top 50 applicants according to the EPO is available here.
