The Lighting Research Center’s 25th Anniversary Celebration is scheduled for March 20, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. The event will include a keynote, panel discussion, LRC tours and demonstrations, followed by a cocktail reception and dinner. “We expect this to be a landmark event for lighting. We have invited special individuals who have been instrumental to the history of the LRC to celebrate with us. In addition, the event will be open to the public,” said Russ Leslie, LRC cofounder and associate director. Tickets are now available at the LRC's 25th Anniversary Celebration site.

The Value of Lighting

The topic for the 25th anniversary keynote and panel discussion is the value of lighting, also the subject of a new book by LRC Director Mark Rea, written to commemorate the LRC’s 25-year milestone. Dedicated to the notion that society undervalues light, largely because we do not properly measure its benefits, Value Metrics for Better Lighting brings together a wide range of research to illustrate how the effective use of light can benefit society and the environment. Published by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, the book is due for release January 2013 and will be available at the SPIE website.

“We often do not fully understand what lighting can do for us. We know that we need lighting, but that is as far as the thinking goes,” said Rea. “Our society undervalues light because we do not properly measure its benefits. We do a really good job of conceptualizing the costs of lighting systems because we can readily measure the costs. However, with no clear idea of benefits, there is little else that can be used in the value equation. Consequently, we unnecessarily waste our natural and capital resources.” Rea has served as Director since the LRC was established in 1988.

The Lighting Research Center’s 25th Anniversary Celebration is scheduled for March 20, 2013 in Troy, N.Y. Image Credit: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

“The LRC’s 25th anniversary keynote and panel discussion will be a starting point for thoughtful consideration, discussion, and action,” said Rea. “The mission is nothing less than to change lighting practice—to bring value to lighting, and to define and measure benefits as well as costs.”

The LRC was established in 1988 by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and since that time, has built an international reputation as the preeminent source for objective information on lighting technologies, applications, and the human response to light. From developing innovative, leading-edge lighting solutions for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner and U.S. Navy submarines, to schools, historic monuments, offices, and airports, the LRC effectively pairs advanced scientific research with dynamic design concepts to create an ideal environment for human life.

LRC Focus Areas and Recent News

• The LRC’s groundbreaking research in light and health, particularly the effects of light on circadian rhythms, is directly improving the lives of children and adolescents, night-shift nurses, submariners, and people with Alzheimer’s disease. Recent news: Exposure to Light Could Help Alzheimer's Patients Sleep Better and Light from Self-Luminous Tablet Computers Can Affect Evening Melatonin, Delaying Sleep
• The LRC leads the way in the application of solid-state lighting, bridging the gap between development of new technology and the end product. For example, when Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needed to develop innovative, efficient lighting solutions, they turned to the LRC. Recent news: Lighting Up the Aviation Industry
• LRC researchers are also improving the roadway visibility system, working to optimize the efficiency, safety, and appearance of fixed roadway lighting, lighting on vehicles, and traffic lights. Recent news: Ecoluminance: LRC Develops New Method to Light Roundabouts
• With projects on six continents, ranging from our partnership with the Swedish Energy Agency, to the development of the Regional Centre for Lighting (RCL) in Sri Lanka, to quality assurance testing for Lighting Africa, the LRC is truly a global research center. In addition, our ASSIST program brings together researchers, manufacturers, and government organizations from around the world to study and improve solid-state lighting. Recent news: LS13: Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer To Host International Symposium
• The LRC is committed to educating the next generation of leaders in lighting, encouraging a view of lighting where economic gains are balanced with ecological sustainability. At the LRC, students work side by side with world experts in lighting. Recent news: Besal Lighting Education Fund Award Recipients
• The LRC is recognized throughout the world for objective, independent, third party testing of lighting products. The LRC’s state of the art photometry lab is the only university lighting laboratory accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP Lab Code: 200480-0). At our 25th anniversary event, we will have a ribbon cutting for our brand new photometry lab. Funded in part by a grant from NYSERDA, the new lab is located on the second floor of the Gurley Building in downtown Troy, N.Y.

LRC Partners

“For the past 25 years, the Lighting Research Center has transformed science into real-world applications, while always remaining true to its mission—advancing the effective use of light for society and the environment,” said Leslie. “Only through collaboration with our Partners, could the LRC successfully advance such ambitious research goals.” Current Partners include 3M, AES Latin America, GE Lighting, New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), OSRAM SYLVANIA, Inc., Philips Lighting, Swedish Energy Agency, and Xcel Energy.

Please visit the LRC's 25th Anniversary Celebration site for more information, or to purchase tickets for the event. We will post frequent updates as the event unfolds.