Lighting Perspectives
Singapore, 4th October 2012
Earlier this year I met with a friend and colleague in the industry and ever since I promised to read his book and give him my opinion on the book (as he is supposed to do on my book!). Having written my own book and having exchanged books between us it’s kind of fun (and educational!) to explore the ideas that have driven the other to write and how they translated their thoughts and experiences onto paper. Ok Thomas, here it goes…
The book is called Lighting Perspectives and is a collaboration of experts from ERCO that have conceptionalised, designed and authored a book to illustrate what lighting and lighting design is all about. In the process I can only assume that it also represents ERCO’s philosophy about lighting, hence, as can be expected, the core of the book is about the intrinsic qualities of light. What I particularly like about the way the lighting issues are being tackled is the illustration by contrast. Just like life, were we have Ying and Yang, positive does not exist without negative! By taking this approach throughout the book it contrasts nicely the various lighting techniques and experiences that you can have (or better still can create) with lighting. Hence we find the lighting qualities explained as light opposite dark, diffuse opposite direct, warm white against cool or coloured light and of course natural versus artificial light.
The book continues in the same style with two of the most important aspects of lighting; the interaction between light and space (the environment we live in) and the interaction between light and humans. Good lighting (design) has to harmoniously integrate with architecture and how light interact with surfaces and lighting patterns that are created in the process will determine our visual appreciation and understanding of the space. I keep saying that we do not design for lux meters and seeing a good part of the book dedicated to human issues is something to my heart.
The book of course makes generously use of all ERCO expertise and reference photographs, many originating from close cooperation with lighting designers from around the world. It surely is a fantastic reference book that will please many wanting to understand more about light, architecture and humans. It certainly puts lighting into perspective.
Light Watch 3-151: Lighting Perspectives printed by ERCO in Germany, ISBN 978-3-9813216-1-6.
Pictures from the official media release.
Now and then
Singapore, 3rd October 2012
As I am struggling again with my laptop, looking for un-findable files, then try opening files with un-willing software programs that erratically do something else then what I want, I am thinking back to the time when I started my career in lighting when we did not have personal computers, let alone mobile phones! Lighting design was done with hand sketches, manual calculations, hand drafted plans which then had to be brought to a printer to be copied. We would go to project meetings with boards full of sketches, rolls of drawings while now we are just carrying our laptop for a Powerpoint presentation or even less, just CD rom disc…what…wait, even that is outdated…just a little thumb drive which you use as your key chain is already enough. How many terra bites?
While cumbersome in terms of “manual” work, our life was probably simple, certainly no LED worries. Just incandescent bulbs, fluorescent tubes and gas discharge lamps, well, the early ones at least. Lighting design was fairly straight forward placing a good deal of importance on creativity and technical knowledge. In that respect things haven’t changed much, it’s just that the array of lamps and technology we need to master together with the ever increasing environmental, safety and health standards means you need those terra bites in your mind to keep up or have a fantastic virtual storage system.
Interestingly we are getting to a point that the new generation of lighting designers have no connection anymore with the past, the area without computers, laptops, Ipads, IPhones, Blackberries, Face-books, Linked-In’s, Twitters or Skypes. It’s now part of daily life…if you are not holding a mobile phone in your hand and talking or texting to someone at anytime your look like a retard! Do people still smell the roses, realise what is happening right around them, instead of finding out via Face-book or Twitter?
We now have upcoming lighting designers that only know about LED lighting. They never have (and probably never will) design lighting with the “old” lighting technology. Isn’t that scary a bit? How can they make a point for LED? I have shifted to LED as well but at least I have a reference frame with the “old” technology that allows me to appreciate and bring out the values of LED to a client….
Light Watch 3-150: One of the lighting events that is certainly representative of the now are the city Light Festivals. Moscow’s Circle of Light recently celebrated its 2nd edition.
LED ODM
Penang, 2nd October 2012
There are times when you need to be pro-active to make sure you stay on top of things. Today I spent the day in Penang, Malaysia, with one of the leading ODM LED manufacturers in this region, perhaps the world. Some major brands have their LED lamps Originally Designed and Manufactured here. The advantage of this kind of set up is that the team gets to experience technology inputs from various big company R&D departments and at the same time get to test and compare various brands, technologies and solutions. This a bit different from what is commonly known as OEM, where the company is the Original Equipment Manufacturing plant only. Why am I here? I am really getting frustrated with all the issues (dimming specifically) that we encounter with LED lamps, most of all the retrofit LED types and ones that use a transformer. I am still learning…the times that we were just dealing with simple incandescent and fluorescent lamps is long gone…LED technology requires a whole set of new skills and knowledge and while I am an old school lighting designer I have to keep up with the times and understand the technology and its implications. What is more, I find that many of the lighting suppliers and sales people (the LED cowboys) pretend to know a lot about their product but in reality know “shit” about the real issues that we face with LED lighting, hence my “study” trip today.
I have come to understand issues like power factors and how it affects the actual power consumption (do any “green” consultants take this into account?), junction temperatures and their impact on the quality and lifespan of LED and most of all got to look at real test figures from various brands. What it showed me is that not all manufacturers are truthful about their technical data. Many manipulate the figures to make it look more attractive. It also appears that some may have had the original lamp design tested and CE certified, but subsequent upgrade versions have not gone through the testing cycle again meaning that they actually do not comply anymore with EMC (Electro Magnetic Compliance) requirements, electrical safety and the like. It appears for instance that one of the transformers that was recommended by the manufacturer to be used in a project in combination with the LED lamps shows surge spikes way over the standard specifications. You can only imagine how that affects the LED lamp and vice versa…no wonder we have all that flickering and early failure happening.
Light Watch 3-149: Some pics of the visit:
-Getting dressed up for the tour
-Lamp testing (spot colour differences?)
-Different chips and layouts
-Appreciating the “True Colour” qualities
Carbon credits
Singapore, 1st October 2012
While we have already moved into October (time flies!) I ponder on an article that I read in this morning’s Singapore newspaper reporting that one of the leading hotel operators (Hilton) here has put into place a new carbon footprint offset scheme. My initial reaction is that such schemes are to make people feel good about themselves, while continuing to spent energy as they did before. The difference being that they bought carbon credits (in these case in Malaysia and Cambodia) to offset the amount of carbon they produce through their energy consumption. I still do not fully understand how they make the conversion from energy consumption to the acres of forests they buy, but I assume they have done their homework and will therefore give this one the benefit of the doubt.
In fact the article started with the statement that attendees to weddings and other events and conferences at the hotel here could feel good about themselves now as with the new carbon credit program all events and functions at the hotels’ venues energy usage were covered. Yeah…no more guilt feeling! Great marketing too! Is it that simple? There are so many variables, further more how to compare apples and bananas just to use a metaphor? Yes, we can quantify the infra-structural power set up and assumingly calculate the maximum load at full use, but what about all the auxiliary energy zapping equipment that is brought in at functions (including set up and cleaning equipment). Also not every function lasts the same length. Still assuming you manage to calculate an overall maximum energy footprint, how does it match up to an exact natural-habitat-carbon-neutralising foot print? Surely some trees absorb/convert/”recycle” more carbon than others? Trees come in all shapes forms and sizes and are subject to different climates and weather conditions; how to monitor your trees over life and keep up the bench marking over time?
I may seem a bit cynic about this, but in my mind the best way is to tackle this at the source…the design and specifications! Buying carbon credits seem to be a desperate attempt in situations where proper energy saving and other sustainable measure seem too much of an effort.
Light Watch 3-148: To test myself I logged into a site called www.carbonneutral.com.au and inputted some figures to get a feel of the process. See for yourself, it’s that easy!
Another day…
Singapore, 28th September 2012
Another day, another time spent on LED dimming issues…a continuing saga. I am starting to be convinced now that dimming retrofit lamps should be avoided at all cost, at least in commercial or public applications. I guess in residential and home applications it may not be such a big deal, but in a professional environment failing lights and lighting effects are noticed immediately and affect the image, mood and ambiance of the space that is being lit. With all due respect to all the great LED lamp manufacturers out there, we have still some way to go before we can confidently specify LED retrofit lamps for dimming, specifically the MR16 halogen types.
I am continuing my quest in finding the origins of the faltering LED performance when it comes to dimming. Again this week we had tests carried out to determine where in the chain of lighting components the possible cause could be identified and after another meeting today I have to conclude with more and more certainty that the retro fit lamp itself is at fault. The tests included testing current and voltage in various parts of the circuit starting from the dimmer system, testing with leading and trailing edge dimming, adding active loads (to simulate a “conventional” incandescent lamp in the circuit) and bypassing the electrical wiring and cabling all together by pulling a new cable with a complete new transformer and LED lamp.
In the original situation shimmering (light flickering) can be observed when dimming specifically at lower levels. But any of the above tests did not result in any change of situation, except in the newly pulled cable with new lamps which seemed to resolve the issue. When one of the (flickering) LED bulbs from the original situation was interchanged with the new lamp in the new circuit, the problem shifted to the new circuit. The new lamp in the old circuit did not flicker, the old lamp in the new one kept flickering even in the new set up. It has to benoted that the original LED retrofit lamp did not flicker when dimmed on installation!
This begs the question whether retrofit LED lamps (MR16 types specifically) age with prolonged use of dimming. Possibly the stronger the dimming level over longer duration, the faster these LED lamps start to depreciate …and flicker. Surely the LED manufacturers must know something about this? Can someone enlighten me?
Light Watch 3-147: No comments…:)
Have a great weekend!
Majet!
Jakarta, 27th September 2012
My last day in Jakarta…and it was again majet, majet! Trafic jams are becoming so horrible in this city that you wonder how people do business! Something is terribly wrong in the city planning and the Jakartians (are they called that way?) will be the first to admit it. Solving one piece of the traffic jam only results in moving it to another place. Right now they are building an elevated highway in front of our Raffles Hotel/ Ciputra World project but the general consensus is that it is just going to create chaos at the end of that highway when completed. Having spent lots of time in Shanghai, surely one of the elevated highway capitals of the world, I have found myself in traffic jams on these highways even in the middle of the night! And if there is one thing in the world I really dislike, it’s queuing and waiting, seems such a waste! To me a 9am meeting is a 9am meeting, not 8.30, not 9.30, but how to control your business (appointments) if you are not in control of your time? Someone once said Jakarta is the best place to learn patience! Yeah, right!
I know several people who live in Jakarta and somehow they accept it as a way of life. Dah! I guess you have to or move out! But that’s easier said than done of course. It seems such a waste of time spending most of your “life” in the back of a car going from A to B. If only you could work, but I get “carsick” after a while if I start reading or working on my laptop, especially with bad roads and start-stop traffic. It’s good time to discuss things with my business partner, but otherwise it’s not a time you get a lot done. Doing business in places like Jakarta (and other “majet” cities around the world) is unfortunately part and parcel of our consultant’s life. It’s not easy to factor that in your fees either. I am fortunate to be able to balance that with beautiful and relaxing places like Australia or other…
Light Watch 3-146: Here are some pics I googled….
The power of design
Jakarta, 26th September 2012
Today I have the rare opportunity to see the old and new side by side and appreciate how powerful a new design can be and most of all how much design represents or projects the time we live in. This project is a hotel renovation with the original design “dating back” about 18 years. We have completed the mock up room which I inspected this evening. I am writing this blog in one of the nearby rooms where I stay and which still is in its original state. Entering the new mock up room was like transplanting myself in a new world, like time travel, specifically because the two generation rooms are practically side by side. There are still some minor issues to rectify such as installation irregularities, light colour inconsistencies (LED cowboys in action…:)), but overall the transformation is very powerful. The main achievement is without doubt for me that the design team has succeeded in creating a feel and overall mood that is very much the style the hotel brand is after… modern and contemporary. All lighting is achieved with LED technology.
These are the moments where you can appreciate the value of professional designers and the cooperation between the various disciplines such as interiors and lighting. This result is team work and very satisfying when you see that the desired end result is achieved. I note that this is a result after several rounds of value engineering! The original design concepts were far more elaborate and it is testimony to the combined skills of all the team members that a result is nevertheless achieved that meets the budget AND design intent!
Light Watch 3-145: Here are some before and after pictures which are very illustrative of the powerful change that the new (lighting) design provides. Those of you experienced in lighting design and commissioning of projects will probably spot the irregularities in the new room still to be rectified. While these are minor issues that bother us as the designers, the general public will generally not even notice them, so I will refrain from pointing them out… 🙂
Building boom?
Jakarta, 25th September 2012
The economy seems to be booming in Jakarta according to the project manager. If we may believe the latest forecast we may have trouble finding reliable and experienced contractors to fit out the building in time for the scheduled soft and grand openings. We discussed time schedules today during our project coordination and interestingly meeting the schedules deadlines seems to rely on the availability of contractors! I know this picture of the economy is way different in Europe and other parts of the world but Jakarta somehow is booming with building activity. However the market is volatile for sure. Some developers rely on European or Chinese markets and as a result must be financially affected at times. Some projects may suddenly stop or go on hold for no apparent reason; some may suddenly rush into an unreasonable fast finish!
Doing business in Asia requires a certain mental attitude. Nothing is ever straight, yes does not mean yes, and “no problem” definitely does not mean no problem. Cultural issues such as loss of face continuously play in the back ground and you need to be flexible and take things one step at the time. Patience is definitely a virtue in this part of the world. Know your stuff and don’t stress! It is very easy to stress out and over the years I have seen many lose their marbles not knowing how to deal with “situations”. But to survive you need to understand (this does not mean necessarily agree!) the local culture and find your balance between what you believe are realistic targets and what is realistically possible within the local market environment. Note that we are hired to push the envelope a bit with our international experience, not just comply to local habits. I think clients expect that. But we need to do that diplomatically, with understanding and with full respect of our client.
Light Watch 3-144: There is still a long way to go between design and realisation. Below some renderings (how good they look!) and the reality of the building site. Building is in full swing (a lot of progress was made since last visit) but we have still a way to go. Mock up room scheduled for completion in at least another 2 months and soft opening of the hotel is targeted for Q1 in 2013
concept room
the site
bar concept
the site
ballroom concept
the site
F1 ast forward
Singapore, 24th September 2012
Operation moving, successfully completed! I am now in transit in Singapore on my way to Indonesia for the coming days. Surely you will all have read about the F1 night race that was held last night in Singapore. The race has truly come of age over the last 5 years and is now one of the top attractions in the F1 calendar and still the only night race. I blog about it every year as it is quite a special event. I was not able to attend this year but from previous years I can testify it is truly a special occasion, not in the least because of the lighting! From my “slow” office moving last week to a fast F1 forward this week! And how has LED change the face of our illuminated environment and the city skyline these last few years! Several down town buildings in the Singapore skyline have received a multi-million LED façade make over and nearly all lights in and around the circuit are LED driven, including the illuminated balloons that line along all the public areas.
How fast are we moving forward with LED! It is predicted that by 2020 more than 90% of our lighting will be LED technology. In other words in the space of 10 years we would have gone from barely 10% LED to 90% LED leaving just some minor applications using conventional system. I guess by now some people start collecting incandescent lamps and soon others like CFL and Metal Halide. Not only that, but the compact LED technology allows us to integrate lighting in applications (such as building materials and common day objects and products) previously unheard of. One of my friends has reading glasses with integrated LED lights! One thing is for sure, the lighting technology has never stood still and has seen a continuous evolution of which the end is still not in sight!
Light Watch 3-143: The hottest LED application must be Sebastian Vettel’s race helmet! He had LED custom installed in his helmet for the occasion, in a configuration representing his star sign. They still worked at the end of the race ( 🙂 )! Pretty cool and original from Sebastian…and for what it’s worth, he won!
See video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrR0I7Tjb6c
Moving!
Perth, 17 September 2012
This coming week I will be busy with moving and I may not be able to write much for my blog. Today and tomorrow mostly packing and Wednesday we are moving. Then rest of the week getting everything installed, move things into place and trying to get all equipment working! As most of you know, moving can be quite stressful if you don’t take proper time and don’t organise yourself well. Specifically anything to do with communication; internet and phone! As we are moving to another city area, we can’t keep our phone numbers. We have also decided to go high tech and have cancelled our official landlines to go virtual using VOIP (voice over internet), meaning we will use our internet set up to communicate (still using phones). As always there is the potential that there is a short “black out” during transition, but hopefully it will all go smooth.
Moving is in a way always exciting (and extremely useful) as you get into a new environment and start with new fresh set ups. Most of all it gives you this great opportunity to throw away all the unnecessary stuff you have been keeping against better judgement. While we are going paperless more and more in our practice, it is amazing the amount of paper rubbish, files and other documents you keep and stash over time…it feels good to get rid of it and more over it is also good fengshui in the process to clean out all the clutter. If only you could see what I have thrown away today! Looking forward to our new space!
Please bare with me if I am of the radar for a few days…see how we go 🙂
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