LytePod

"Solving complex problems by providing multiple solutions at the same time," that's Jon Penndorf's definition of truly sustainable design. Jon is Perkins&Will's Sustainability Leader and believes that great design outcomes are more than the sum of their parts — especially when designing sustainably. Listen in as he discusses the influential role that lighting designers play within the larger p...

Sustainability in lighting manufacturing is one of the community’s hottest topics. Following in the footsteps of the carpet, furniture, and building materials industries, owners and specifiers alike are asking for lighting products to be created with more than just energy efficiency in mind when it comes to sustainability. Join Sam as he talks through the fine points of Finelite’s sustainability j...

The emergence of virtual reality (VR) technology for architecture and design has been making headlines in the past few years — in the future, they've said, VR will become an integral part not just of a client presentation but also of the design process. Well, the future is now. Ernesto Pacheco, Director of Visualization, and Coffield King, Senior Lighting Designer at CannonDesign, joined Sam on th...

You can't miss the buzz in the lighting industry around material transparency, and in part that's thanks to people like Melissa Mattes, senior lighting designer and sustainability specialist at Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting. Melissa shares the "why" that fuels her passion for advancing sustainable lighting design practices and discusses how she took her sustainable values to help create a s...

Moving the needle on climate change isn't something the lighting industry can do alone — but we can start by looking at what the AEC sector has put in place and build on that progress. DPR Construction's global sustainability leader, Ryan Poole, talks us through some of the real and perceived obstacles surrounding sustainability in the design and delivery of the built environment and offers his th...

There's something seriously wrong with the way we specify and procure lighting today — ask any lighting designer, and you'll hear a horror story or two about packaging, substitutions, and pricing games that clearly show the system is broken. Enter Paul Boken, VP of Mulvey & Banani Lighting, and one of the contributors to Sourcery, a new content-sharing platform for the lighting design communit...

In part two of Sam's conversation with the Boston Lighting crew: Dan Weissman, Senior Associate and Director at Lam Partners, Kate St. Laurent, Associate Vice President at CannonDesign, and Sara Schonour, VP of Education and Engagement here at Lytei, the group dives into a new set of topics: what designers really want to see in new products, what they need as manufacturer and rep support, and new...

When it comes to lighting design today, Sam sat down with Dan Weissman, Senior Associate and Director at Lam Partners, Kate St. Laurent, Associate Vice President at CannonDesign, and Sara Shonour, VP of Education and Engagement here at Lytei, to explore everything from current design visualization software to designing and documenting and the tools they wish they had but don’t have at their design...

Want to know what's at the cutting edge of lighting tech? VR, AR, data leveraging, and new frontiers of visualization and production aren't just "somewhere on the horizon" anymore — they're already transforming everyday life. Listen to Chris Slaughter, Senior Lighting Engineer at Visual Interest, talk us through some exciting ways technology is changing the way we work in the lighting industry.&nb...

From the Archives: Touchless buildings, automated climate control, and lights that make you feel good are all great ideas, but how do we build a space that can successfully implement and integrate all of that technology? Join Jay Wratten, Practice Leader of Innovation Advisory Services at WSP, as he takes us on a digital journey through the built environment and walks us through the system infrast...

From the Archives : A hero of the industry, Howard Brandston shares his advice after 60+ years of pioneering the lighting design profession. Learn the lifelong "mind over matter" mentality that guides his approach to everything and how he went on a 30-day safari in Africa to test his skills as a world-class hunter. This episode was originally released on January 29, 2020.

From the Archives : As lighting technology and the design process evolve, Chip Israel, Founder + CEO of Lighting Design Alliance, argues that designing within a lighting budget gets more difficult every time. He points out that the distribution system for architectural lighting has not changed in over 40 years, but it's time it did. While it's inevitable that change is on the horizon, what will it...

Leveraging collective expertise is the best way to design — at least, that's the premise behind the newest version of the WELL standard. Join Rachel Fitzgerald, Alison Fiedler, and Jessica Smith of Stantec as they talk us through the lighting features in WELL v2, and discuss the ways holistic design thinking sets up a framework beyond problem-solving and defines a vocabulary that ensures an integr...

Much has been said about HLB and its principals, but what may surprise people is that there is more to the operation and collaborative culture of the firm than outsiders might assume. In this final installment of Stephen Lees’ three-part story, he walks us through four decades of milestone moments in his career and HLB’s trajectory and touches on the culture and the legacy-driven model that define...

In part two of the Stephen Lees Story, we hear how embracing change and thinking big picture helped build the business legacy of HLB. Stephen shares his insights on combating "corporate amnesia," the key to successful mentorships, and why he feels building bigger, more inclusive boxes will accelerate the growth and advancement of the lighting industry.

Ever wonder how a living lighting legend like Stephen Lees got his start, how he frames design challenges (not to mention career challenges), or what keeps him motivated? In part one of this three-part series showcasing his life and career, Stephen tells the story of his beginnings in the architectural lighting industry. Drawing inspiration from his experience and education in theater, learn some...

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion — four powerful words that point us toward a better future as a society, and the guiding principles behind SmithGroup's groundbreaking J.E.D.I. Committee. The J.E.D.I. team focuses on representing the communities the firm serves: the wide and varied mix of races, genders, backgrounds, and voices that don't always have a seat at AEC industry table. Oscar Co...

While it may not be fully back to business as usual, one treasured lighting event made a comeback in 2021 [albeit on a smaller scale] — we’re talking about the world-famous Lights in Alingsås festival and workshop! Recorded live on the Lightfair show floor, hear from Jessica Krometis, Senior Designer at Hartranft Lighting Design and member of the Lightfair Content Advisory Committee, as she recoun...

The spectral flexibility of LEDs has opened up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to color rendition, and the IES's TM-30 — specifically Annex E — is the new standard to guide you through it. Jason Livingston, Principal at Studio T+L, and Tony Esposito, Founder & Head Researcher at Lighting Research Solutions, take us through the basics of the new measures introduced in Annex E,...

Diversity shapes, colors, and enhances our world. Although acceptance and awareness have increased, we can still do better when it comes to create equitable opportunities and leverage the power of diversity in design. Alana Shepherd, Martin van Koolbergen, and Amy Karn unpack their thoughts about the queer experience in today's lighting community, and light the path towards meaningful changes with...

2021 has been a year like no other. Considering all of the challenges of the pandemic and the resulting shift in social and economic conditions that have come with it, the "new normal" has also created unique opportunities - opportunities to rethink the way we work and do business in today's lighting world. Charles G. Stone, President of Fisher Marantz Stone, gives us his observations on the chang...

As the buzz around sustainability continues to grow, a clear signal is emerging: designers and their clients want more transparency in the products and materials they specify. Our cross-sectional industry panel — Melissa Mattes, Karen Jess-Lindsley, Jonathan Penndorf, Reiko Kagawa, and Jane White — breakdown designer and manufacturer mindsets on one of lighting's most impactful topics, and discuss...

Creating a safe and inclusive space to share and connect—for women and allies alike—is what Women in Lighting + Design (WILD) is all about. Alriah, Alyssa, Sarah, and Michelle, four of many vibrant voices for women in the lighting industry, tell us what it's like to start new chapters of life and take on new frontiers for WILD in the Lone Star State.

In a sea of competitors, what do manufacturers prioritize to set themselves apart? Paul Pickard, CTO at Ecosense, draws from decades of experience in lighting manufacturing to dive into the DNA of product inception, R&D and production, and shares what's on the horizon for lighting technology.

What do rock ‘n roll and lighting design have in common? Turns out, more than you might think! Granville McAnear, President, Owner and Design Director of GMLD shares his story of how curiosity, exploration and being open to life’s lessons took him from rock star dreams to an all-star career in lighting design, and everything in between.