September 21, 2024
5 Things to Know: September 21
The relationship between lighting and crime. Plus, mainstream media can't stop staring at these light fixtures.
Here's a roundup of some of the week's happenings curated to help lighting people stay informed.
1. Error & Omission: Zaniboni Lighting
A recent update to Inside Lighting's "Leaderboard" of brands included in the 2024 IES Progress Report reveals that Zaniboni Lighting was mistakenly omitted in the original August 22 report. The error originated from an oversight in the IES Progress Committee's initial report and was missed during our editorial review. While we caught two other omissions from the Progress Committee's recap, the Zaniboni mistake went unnoticed.
Above: Eleven companies had multiple products included in the 2024 IES Progress Report
Zaniboni’s Mini TX Downlight, Mini RXW Luminaire, and Omni QT System were all accepted into the IES Progress Report and should have been acknowledged among the other brands’ innovations. We regret this omission and recognize Zaniboni Lighting’s contributions to the 2024 IES Progress Report, which highlights innovations shaping the future of lighting.
2 . Lighting & Crime
In a story that Inside Lighting broke earlier this month, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Street & Area Lighting Conference (SALC) will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from September 22 to 25, 2024.
Nick Mesler, known for his data-driven approach, will present on the complex relationship between street lighting and crime. His analysis will focus on the correlation between illumination levels and crime rates, offering an objective look at how lighting influences urban environments. Recent media coverage by FOX 13 Seattle and The Atlantic highlights the relevance of this topic.
Looking forward to the IES Street & Area Light Conference next week! Nick Mesler will present the complex relationship between streetlights & crime.
— Inside Lighting (@InsLighting) September 21, 2024
Recently, this topic was featured by FOX 13 Seattle (https://t.co/xMqPwyjDt7) and The Atlantic (https://t.co/occewdndCU)
3. New Lighting Lab Enhances Hands-On Learning at Oregon State University
A 2019 flood in Oregon State University's Kearney Hall led to the recent creation of a cutting-edge lighting laboratory, offering students hands-on experience in lighting design and technology.
The lab, guided by Kevin Houser, PhD, a highly respected researcher and educator whose work has positively impacted the lighting industry for decades, allows students to explore how to control light's spatial pattern, intensity, spectrum and timing. Houser, who joined OSU in 2019 as its first faculty member in architectural engineering, emphasizes the lab's role in accelerating learning through direct, side-by-side comparisons of lighting effects—an experience that was previously scattered across different campus locations.
The lighting lab's unique setup provides a practical environment for students to grasp the complexities of lighting design and application, with opportunities to understand how light influences human perceptions and biological responses. This facility offers an advanced educational platform that prepares future lighting professionals for real-world challenges and innovations in the field.
4. Washington Post and NY Times Cover "B*** Lights"
We love it when mainstream media covers lighting-related stories...but is this the lighting publicity we want? Over the last couple of months, we've observed two mainstream newspapers running articles on flush-mounted dome lights—fixtures that have stirred some controversy due to their frequently ridiculed design and the less-than-flattering nickname they’ve acquired.
The Washington Post recently featured an article by Rachel Kurzius, discussing how these flush-mounted dome lights, commonly found in many homes and apartments, have become a target of criticism for their appearance.
Mainstream media seemingly can’t stop staring at these fixtures…https://t.co/ONZZ5hR6pg
— Inside Lighting (@InsLighting) September 21, 2024
In parallel, the New York Times’ Wirecutter took a practical approach by testing a renter-friendly solution from a company called Tulip, which offers a magnetic cotton-canvas cover to conceal these ceiling lights.
Are these fixture types overexposed? https://t.co/bfLJn4XzJ5
— Inside Lighting (@InsLighting) September 21, 2024
5. Light Pollution is a Growing Threat to Ocean Ecosystems
Light pollution is gaining recognition as a serious threat to marine ecosystems, affecting species from turtles to coral reefs, according to The Maritime Executive. Thomas Davies, a marine conservation researcher at the University of Plymouth and leader of the Global Ocean Artificial Light at Night Network (GOALANN), reports that artificial light disrupts natural behaviors such as feeding, breeding, and migration. For example, newly hatched turtles can be led astray by light from beachfront restaurants, while corals experience changes in physiology and spawning cycles due to exposure to artificial light.
The Maritime Executive notes that light pollution is expected to increase, particularly in developing coastal regions where urbanization is rising. With few regulations in place to control lighting from offshore infrastructure and vessels, Davies stresses the importance of integrating light pollution into international policy frameworks to mitigate its effects, much like noise pollution has been addressed in recent years.
The Maritime Executive has published a detailed report on how light pollution disrupts marine life— from nesting turtles misled by beachfront lights to corals affected in spawning. https://t.co/AdxX6YT0nt
— Inside Lighting (@InsLighting) September 21, 2024
