Review: Lightfair 2017

The annual trade show and educational conference event, Lightfair Intl., found itself in the “City of Brotherly Love,” (aka Philadelphia) this past May 7-11. With the trade show floor spanning two levels, the product offerings were expansive, while the educational sessions focused largely on lighting for healthcare, offices, schools, commercial environments, hospitality, residential and retail.

LEDs are now the main focus when it comes to lighting sources, with other options like incandescent and fluorescent becoming obsolete. (Many companies were showcasing their retrofit kits again this year, encouraging those who need to make the switch to do so.)

Dimming/driver capabilities continue to improve for LEDs, making them exceptionally desirable for those under the jurisdiction of Title 24 in California, a part of the California Energy Commission that requires lighting to be dimming capable. Tunable white and/or color-temperature tuning is also becoming more of an expected feature, as most companies on the show floor seemed to have some kind of tunable capabilities or at least have plans to head in that direction. (It was refreshing to see others so concerned about circadian rhythms, too!)

When it came to retail applications, occupancy sensors were aplenty this year, with ones utilizing connective technology to communicate with store managers/operators. Beacon technology also found its way into demonstration areas in some booths. For the second year in a row, “IoT” (the Internet of Things) was the buzzword of choice, though some exhibitors openly complained that many in the lighting industry don’t really quite understand the concept.

A very noticeable shift in trend was in exterior lighting, namely parking lot fixtures. According to one company, some retailers – in this case, a wide-reaching grocery store – are backing away from the 6000K eye-burning fixtures you regularly encounter in parking lots at night, and opting to go with a more amber hue (easier on the eye), while still maintaining enough brightness for safety concerns. Other companies had a wider range of exterior lighting on display this year than in previous years, which also offered a variety of lumen-output options, color temperatures and height variations.

Fixture-wise, many elements have taken on a sculptural (almost futuristic) aesthetic, keeping in line with the trend of architectural integration of lighting, while other unique shapes and colors were on display, mainly targeting the hospitality and retail industries.

One of the keynote speakers was famed futurist, theoretical physicist and author, Michio Kaku, who spoke briefly about the “artificial intelligence” of lighting and how everything else is becoming “smart,” so why can’t illumination, he posited. This also was echoed in a presentation on the last day, called “The Shotgun Marriage of Lighting, Integrated Controls and the IoT (And Everything Changes),” which examined IoT, lighting controls and “smart” lighting that will take over our homes, offices and commercial spaces. In short, “smart” lighting is the new aspirational goal set out by the industry, merging illumination and advanced technology.

Several innovations went home with awards again this year, including Vode Lighting’s ZipThree 707 Wall Mount, a slim, bidirectional light, which won the Most Innovative Product of the Year distinction. Taking home the Technical Innovation Award was SoraaLaser’s LaserLight SMD; the Design Excellence Award went to Tech Lighting’s Element Reflections; and the Judges’ Citation Award went to Ams AG’s ams AS7221. (All of the winners can be viewed here.)

Lighting technology is constantly evolving and retailers should aim to remain educated on the industry and what this may mean for the future of our retail spaces. Between occupancy sensors, beacons, tunable white and shifting exterior options, there’s a lot to digest but so much to look forward to.

Lightfair Intl. 2018 will be going to McCormick Place in Chicago: The pre-conference will take place May 6-7, with the trade show and conference portion set for May 8-10. For more information, please visit lightfair.com.

Carly Hagedon is the Managing Editor of VMSD magazine. She lives and works in Cincinnati and is a 2011 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where she studied Journalism—Magazine Writing and American history. She also currently serves as a board member for the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Prior to her foray into the retail industry, Carly worked as a freelancer for several local publications and interned at Cincinnati Magazine.