Research matters - Illuminating Engineering Society

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Not Enough Hours
In The Day
I just received my copy of the
March 2004 LD+A. You have created
a big problem for my allocation
of time spent reading LD+A. Usually,
I find a couple of columns and a
couple of articles that pique my
interest enough to read (as
opposed to merely scanning them).
Unfortunately, all of the articles in
this issue are a “must-read.” Where
am I going to find the time? May a
curse be cast on the lighting in your
office that every photon is mysteriously
absorbed before they leave
the luminaires.
Doug Paulin, LC
Lighting Forensics
Egg Harbor,WI
Remembering
Louis Erhardt
I was referred to Louis Erhardt
(obituary, LD+A, March 2004) at
Century Lighting in 1958 while a
graduate student at UCLA and in
need of a job. He hired me and
became my mentor. I thought I
knew something about lighting. He
gently made me aware of my inadequacies.
In the six years I worked
for him as a salesman and apprentice,
he taught me the technology
and art of stage and architectural
lighting design. He gave me opportunities
that few people ever realize.
He was a kind, gentle man who
patiently guided me until I understood
what constituted good lighting
design.
He was responsible for the rise
of Century Lighting (now Strand) in
southern California, and due to his
associations with Paul Williams,
Welton Becket, William Pereira,
Charles Luckman, Sam Hamel,
Norman Cohen and many more
important architects and electrical
engineers, was responsible for both
the theatrical and architectural
lighting in many southern California
landmarks. In 1960 he designed a
new architectural lighting product
that was used for most of the satellite
interior lighting in the design of
the Los Angeles International
Airport. It continued as a successful
product for many years after.
The cabin reading lighting that he
designed for Henry Dreyfus for the
Lockheed Electra was based on the
double flatted reflector he designed
to improve the performance of the
Century Leko, which was copied by
the entire theatrical lighting industry
and is still the basis for the reading
lights used on almost every
commercial aircraft today. Boeing
came to him for the lighting on its
never realized SST.
He redesigned the Century Leko
for injection molding techniques
that reduced the manufacturing
cost of that product in the early
1960s by over 30 percent and
introduced the theatrical lighting
equipment industry to precision
high speed manufacturing thereby
lowering costs, improving performance,
and reliability. He was a student
and teacher of lighting until his
passing. His “Views on the Visual
Environment” were an on going
attempt to improve the art and science
of lighting design. On the
occasions that I visited with him
over the past years,he continued to
enthusiastically discuss his work
and views with me. I was honored
that he would include me in these
discussions. I saw him a month
before he died. He was much
diminished in body but still alert in
mind and engaged with his life’s
work. I will miss him. He was the
best teacher and contributor I, and
the rest of the industry, ever had. A
bright light has been extinguished.
Thomas L. Pincu
Moodie, Pincu & Associates, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
Delighted By Darkness
What an unexpected delight to
read such a moving and articulate
essay, “In Defense of Darkness,” by
Edward Bartholomew (LD+A, February
2004). Mr.Bartholomew brings
a fresh perspective to the art of lighting,
and not a moment too soon.
While most of us have come to
lament the loss of the night sky as a
result of indiscriminate and excessive
PRESIDENT
Ronnie Farrar, LC
Duke Power
PAST PRESIDENT
Randy Reid
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
(President-Elect)
Craig A. Bernecker, Ph.D., FIES, LC
The Lighting Education Institute
VP-EDUCATIONAL
ACTIVITIES
Fred Oberkircher, LC
Texas Christian University
VP-TECHNICAL & RESEARCH
Ron Gibbons, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
VP-DESIGN & APPLICATION
John R. Selander, LC
The Kirlin Company
VP-MEMBER ACTIVITIES
Jeff Martin, LC
TREASURER
Boyd Corbett
Lightology
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
William Hanley, CAE
DIRECTORS
Jean Black, LC
PPL Services Corp.
Anthony J. Denami, LC
Nash Lipsey Burch, LLC
Kevin Flynn
Kiku Obata & Company
Denis Lavoie, LC
LUMEC, Inc.
Earl Print, LC
Lightolier
Joel Siegel, LC
Edison Price Lighting
2003-2004
Board of Directors
IESNA
RVP/DIRECTORS
Paul Mercier, LC
Lighting Design Innovations Ltd.
Kimberly Szinger
Erdman Anthony & Associates
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June . . . 2004 . . LD+A . . . . 6. . www.iesna.org
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .