COMMeMOratiVe ISSue - Illuminating Engineering Society

G R E E N I D E A S
Sustainability for the
Next Century By Denise Fong
even exist today. If the light sources
don’t exist, the fixtures don’t exist
either. Perhaps the materials to make
the light fixtures don’t exist. Perhaps
we will move from primarily steel and
aluminum fixtures to a new synthetic
ing on the level of activity on a particular
day What if the network that
controls the lights could also read
power and gas meters, or track buses
and inform people when the next bus
will arrive at their stop
ways to incorporate it Is it possible
for every work space to have access
to daylight
How will reduced access to and
availability of raw materials impact
the lighting industry The most suc-
then avoid disposal fees, continuing
the cycle of savings.
Companies that address cradle-tograve
issues before the government
requires compliance will be ahead
of their competition. Wouldn’t it be
material made from an agricultural
Where will research take us
cessful firms will be forward-think-
great if the concept of waste was
crop—something that could be com-
And how will it impact our design
ing companies that view recycling
obsolete 100 years from now
When presented with the prospect
ronmentally compromised areas of
posted at the end of its life instead
Will we devise a methodology to
and remanufacturing as benefits
Will the lighting industry (manu-
of writing a “green” column for the
our country due to industrial pollu-
of deposited in a landfill. What if fix-
describe light in terms of how we see
and not hardships imposed by gov-
facturers, engineers, and design-
100th Anniversary issue, there was
tion. With the ground literally wiped
tures were routinely remanufactured
at night that is distinct from what we
ernment. Companies that find ways
ers) be leaders in the movement to
a momentary panic. What could I
“clean,” how will corporate America
Perhaps someday buildings will truly
use today I think this will be neces-
to transform waste from another
“green,” or will they merely be fol-
possibly write that would reflect the
rebuild (“Clean” is a relative term
sary to make the next leap in energy
industry into the raw materials they
lowers Time will tell. I wish I could
past 100 years and look forward to
the next 100
I imagine that this issue will be
chock full of wonderful stories that
reminisce about historic moments
and changes in this industry. Not
being old enough to look back very
far (she said “tongue in cheek”), I
decided to look forward.
in this case, as the buildings may
be gone but the pollution caused
by some industries was spread as a
result of the flooding.)
When companies rebuild, will it be
business as usual, looking at shortterm
profit at the expense of local
families who live near industrial
plants that pass their pollution onto
Wouldn’t it be
great if the
concept of waste
was obsolete 100
years from now
efficiency and source control.
Light AND VISIBILITY
As our population ages, acknowledging
that we see differently as we
get older must be incorporated into
a broader range of building types
and site design. It’s not just the “old
folk’s home” that needs more light.
need will be in the forefront of their
industry. Rather than perceive recycling
as a cumbersome task, these
companies will come out ahead by
turning waste generated by other
companies into a revenue stream.
These third-party companies will
be around in 100 years to find out.
Denise Fong, IALD, LC, LEED®AP,
is principal of Candela Lighting
Design and Consulting, Seattle,
WA.
We’ve seen massive destruction
others Or will decision makers step
And is it really more light that is
of the earth’s built environment with
back and seek ways to build cleaner
be wireless—including the lighting.
necessary Perhaps what’s needed
Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita,
plants with less waste and fewer
(This may not be a comforting thought
is better visibility, and we need to
the Indian Ocean tsunami and the
toxic by-products
to electrical engineers reading this!)
rethink what that is. It seems clear
7.6 earthquake in Pakistan, not to
Will those plants manufacture
How will the lighting design com-
that “better visibility” cannot be
mention the war in Iraq and conflicts
“green” materials Will they pay a
munity respond to these changes
defined by footcandles.
in other places around the globe.
living wage with decent health insur-
For example, if you were tasked with
How will we develop lighting
Natural disasters can’t be prevented
ance Will we look at the land and build
designing the lighting for a city that
designs that help people heal more
and the power of Mother Nature can’t
where buildings can be sustained, or
was impacted by a major natural
rapidly Recent studies indicate that
be denied. Thousands of lives have
rebuild in places that will again be
disaster and there was no stock of
access to daylight allows patients
been lost and families destroyed, but
susceptible to Mother Nature
existing equipment to work around or
to recover from surgery faster with
the resilience of people is undeni-
maintenance department entrenched
fewer drugs and less reported pain.
able. In fact, only weeks after Katrina
Lighting Impacts
in its “standards,” how would you
“Green” health care facility design
hit, individuals began coming for-
Where does the lighting industry
approach the design Could you
can also be a powerful recruitment
ward with ideas and dreams of how
fit into this picture I see many chal-
design an environment that was com-
tool. For example, when a new hospi-
to rebuild.
lenges that only make this industry
fortable and safe for people, inviting
tal in Canada published an article in the
While it’s difficult to think there
more exciting to be a part of.
and exciting, and still preserve views
local newspaper about green features
may be a silver lining in any of these
When I compare the light sources
of the stars Opportunities to address
designed into the hospital, it received
events, the opportunity to rebuild a
available 100 years ago with what we
light source control, color, distribu-
unsolicited employment applications
better, safer and more sustainable
use today, and then project that same
tion and intensity would all be viewed
from all over the country.
place is looking us right in the eye.
rate of change into the next 100 years,
from a fresh perspective.
As we begin to understand day-
Some of the areas destroyed by
the only thing that seems certain is that
What if you could customize the
light and how it impacts our new
Katrina were the poorest, most envi-
the light sources of the future don’t
lighting for different districts depend-
spaces, will we find more effective
26 www.iesna.org January 2006 27