5 Things to Know: September 13

Of all the lighting sagas we've tracked this year, this one’s our favorite: Millions of dollars in Color Kinetics bridge lights, purchased years ago by New York State, quietly sold at auction — and then, in a corporate plot twist, anonymously bought back by Signify.

When we didn’t know the buyer’s identity, we submitted a formal Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the New York Power Authority — just two days after the auction closed. Signify came forward in July, ending the mystery. But still, we wonder: Are there more details worth uncovering?

So we’ve kept the FOIL request alive, asking for documentation including the invoice, receipt and purchase confirmation.

And month after month, NYPA’s attorney Eileen Flynn has professionally — and consistently — extended the deadline. No apologies, just updates.

As of today, we’ve passed the 10-week mark beyond the statutory deadline, and September 11 was the latest promised response date. If the records contain anything compelling, we’ll share it. If not, this might be the end of the road for a story that’s already given us plenty.

That said, we still hope for a brighter update on or before the next deadline of September 25. Preferably with attachments.

Two years after award-winning designer Susan Brady sued Acuity Brands Lighting over royalties she claims are owed for her Slot and Veil fluorescent product designs, the long-running case has taken a turn toward resolution.

Court filings show that after exchanging settlement proposals, Brady and Acuity held a one-hour discussion on September 2. Both sides reported “some progress” and jointly requested mediation. U.S. District Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke agreed, referring the matter to Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang for settlement talks

The shift comes amid the broader dispute over whether Acuity owes Brady and her firm, Studio Light, more than $3 million in unpaid royalties dating back two decades.

New Deadlines

• Nov 3, 2025: Opening briefs on dispositive motions
• Dec 2, 2025: Opposition briefs due
• Dec 16, 2025: Reply briefs due

For Brady, who claims that her designs helped define Mark Architectural Lighting’s Slot family before its 2007 acquisition by Acuity, mediation could mark a real chance at closure. Whether the case settles or heads toward trial may hinge on what unfolds in Judge Wang’s chambers.

It’s rare for a global, multi-billion dollar corporation to engage publicly with a former employee’s grievance on social media. But that’s exactly what unfolded this week when Signify, the world’s largest lighting company, responded to allegations that former workers in India were being left in the dark — figuratively and financially.

The controversy began with a single LinkedIn post from Ramgopal Singh, a former Assistant Manager who spent nearly 30 years with Philips Lighting India and later Signify. In his post, Singh described a long, loyal career that ended with him “pleading” for access to retirement funds.

Others chimed in. Commenters alleged forced retirements, delayed pension payouts, and unprocessed claims affecting dozens of ex-employees from Signify’s Vadodara site.

These are normally the kinds of issues handled quietly in back-office channels. But now, the complaints are public, permanent, and global.

After five days of growing visibility, Signify’s corporate LinkedIn account responded directly to Singh’s post, assuring him, and the wider audience, that the company is “closely working with the EPF office & Philips team.” By responding publicly, Signify pushed the post into the feeds of its 600,000+ followers, including ours at Inside Lighting, amplifying a grievance that might have otherwise faded among Singh’s 124-person LinkedIn following.

In a bold move to illuminate one of the NFL’s dimmer franchises, smart lighting company Govee has announced a new partnership with the Miami Dolphins. The deal promises to “light up your legacy” — a tagline that’s as optimistic as it is ironic for a franchise currently riding a 25-year playoff win drought and whose last Super Bowl victory came in 1973, roughly the same year fluorescent lighting was cutting edge.

This announcement came the same week the Dolphins were trounced 33–8 by the Daniel Jones–led Indianapolis Colts, a sentence not seen outside of parody until now. Still, hope glows eternal. Through themed lighting effects, discounts, and interactive stadium booths, fans can now relive the magic of a team that went undefeated… 53 years ago.

Govee will debut immersive Dolphins lighting at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14 and again October 30 for a Halloween game night experience. One lucky player or coach (presumably not the defensive coordinator) will receive a full Govee lighting makeover.

As of press time, the Dolphins' Super Bowl odds sit at 200 to 1, but at least their porches will look fantastic.

For decades, researchers now affiliated with Mount Sinai’s Light and Health Research Center — Mark Rea, John Bullough, and Nick Skinner — have shaped how the lighting industry understands the power of UV light. Now they’ve taken that expertise to the field, quite literally.

In a recent outdoor study, the team sprayed apple trees with titanium dioxide, a mineral found in toothpaste and paint. When exposed to sunlight — specifically its UV rays — the mineral produced reactive molecules that helped the trees resist fire blight, a costly bacterial disease. The results matched those of standard antibiotics.

The research focused on open-air orchards, using natural solar UV to activate the TiO₂. But it raises a question for the built environment: Could similar light-activated coatings one day play a role indoors? If paired with UV-A lighting, could treated surfaces in healthcare or commercial buildings quietly clean themselves?

The Mount Sinai team didn’t test that. But for an industry that constantly explores the intersection of light, health, and materials, it remains an open question — one that may be worth pursuing, though not without the potential downsides and risks associated with indoor UV-A applications.