PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

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What we really don’t know is what will be the next disrupter in the lighting industry

In October, I said I would use my next article to discuss the future of the Society as well as what we might know (and not know) about the future of lighting technology. Since then, I had the pleasure to attend some great local section events, the always well-attended IES Street and Area Lighting Conference where the future of lighting technology is at the forefront of discussions ranging from environmental considerations to how many technologies can be mounted on a street light pole; and the IES Aviation Lighting Conference where I witnessed attendees gather from around the world to discuss every aspect of this important segment of the lighting industry. These events are unique opportunities to peer into the future of both the Society and the future of lighting technology.

There is no doubt that the LED was a huge disruptor to our industry, but, in my opinion, the future of the lighting industry (and the IES) will include debates about advancing technologies, such as lighting controls, the future role of AI, sustainability, as well as lighting and health.

While the LED is here to stay as the primary lighting source (at least for the next decade or two), lighting controls have not been implemented on the same scale. Just like Internet and networked-related technology in general, lighting controls serve as the fastest growing segment of our industry, which is largely due to its slower rate of acceptance. Lighting controls technology is also rapidly advancing, which may play a role in some clients and owners lacking long-term commitments. As we strive to provide easier to use and more integrated lighting control systems that building owners and municipalities want, we also see a variety of choices across all platforms. Many controls systems are still proprietary, while others excel at open-source options. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the future.

Similarly, it will be interesting to see AI’s future role. Will lighting layouts be completed in seconds with just a few parameters given to a computer? Will our designs be accurately validated for compliance by AI someday? Will fully functioning lighting design tools be integrated into computer-aided design software? My guess: it’s only a matter of time.

LIKE MANY HEALTH-RELATED technologies, in the big picture, we are just learning how light affects humans and all living beings. While many see this as a controversial subject, this is truly an exciting time, because it means that we have decades of meaningful work to complete—helping us in our mission: improving life through the quality of light. Lighting design best practices, light therapy, dark skies and countless other subjects will all be part of the future of the IES. I encourage you to be part of this important work and join an IES technical committee.

As the IES strives to make the world a better place, we join the local, regional and global movement toward considering sustainability in all that we do. Recognizing important key elements of sustainability and their impacts, including embodied and operational carbon, materials responsibility, as well as end-of-life disposal.

I HAVE MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT what we do not know about the future of the lighting industry: Will commercial lighting control systems ever become fully standardized? Will LED engines become standardized? Will we transition to DC power for lighting systems? What new materials will change the lighting industry? Will lighting fixtures be mostly replaced by thin film video displays, and if so, by when? Will parking lot lights continue to stay on when there is no one using them? What about roadways? It seems to me that what we really don’t know is what will be the next disruptor in the lighting industry. But the good news is that the IES and its Members will be the leaders in these discussions as we continue to move forward, together.