faces of the future - Illuminating Engineering Society

LETTERS
Power to the People
The article by Greg Guarnaccia
regarding the continuing reduction
of lighting power density without
regard to people (“The Code Word
is People,” LD+A, October) is dead
on. It’s about like mandating that
all big cities get rid of cooling (to
save power) and everyone run
around naked! Ok, maybe not—but
it’s about as ridiculous. Thanks for
making a stand.
Greg Pride, PE
HGE, Inc.
Coos Bay, OR
Did you ever have a dream where
you were standing in the middle
of the road, a bus is coming at
you, and you can’t get out of the
way That’s what it feels like as
I read LD+A month after month.
Greg Guarnaccia’s article and the
“President’s Perspective” in the
October issue, Willard Warren’s
thoughtful monthly column, and a
host of eloquent writings from other
concerned practitioners all point to
the same thing: we’re watching as
our watts are taken away.
The bus is AARP and The
Americans with Disabilities Act who
(we predict) in the coming years
will enact the full body slam of litigation
for the under-illumination of
spaces for the visually handicapped
(that would be everyone over 50).
Building owners spend millions of
dollars each year on ADA-compliant
improvements and enhancements,
even if the ramps, handrails and
large toilet stalls are never used.
Everything costs more to comply
with ADA, but not lighting. We’ve
been championing the cause of
lighting for the growing population
over 50. New research results
published by the America Society
of Photobiology also supports the
central point of more (and better)
light for people. Now we have 90.1-
2010 to look forward to. To make
matters worse, the IES continues to
base minimum recommended light
levels on the visual needs of 30-year
olds which starts the conversation
behind the curve.
Here’s what I wrote when I woke
up from my nightmare: “We design
lighting systems to meet current IES
minimum light levels, and to comply
with current ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1
standards. This does not imply or
represent that these light levels are
appropriate for, or meet the needs
of, persons over the age of 50 or the
visually impaired.” There, I’m safe
from my own practice.
It’s a privilege to get up every
day with the experience, knowledge
and motivation to use light to create
attractive, functional spaces for
people. It would be refreshing if we
didn’t have to do it with both hands
tied behind our backs by the very
PRESIDENT
John Selander, LC, LEED AP
Acuity Brands Lighting
jselander@gothamlighting.com
PAST PRESIDENT
Fred Oberkircher, LC, FIES
Texas Christian University (retired)
VICE PRESIDENT
(President-Elect)
Denis Lavoie, PE, LC
Philips-Lumec, Inc.
TREASURER
Chip Israel
Lighting Design Alliance
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
William Hanley, CAE
DIRECTORS
Nick Bleeker
Philips Day-Brite
Jeffrey J. Davis, LC
System Design Consultants
Lisa Heschong
Heschong Mahone Group
Kevin Houser, Ph.D.
The Pennsylvania State University
Terrance Kilbourne, LC
TEC, Inc.
Mark Lien, LC, LEED AP
Hubbell Lighting Inc.
Eric Lind
Lutron Electronics
Peggy Sue Meehan
Amerlux
2010-2011
Board of Directors
Chad Watters, LC, LEED AP
Lumia Light Studio
David R. Woodward, Ph.D.
Philips Lighting Company
8 www.ies.org