Illumination in Focus top 20 stories of 2014: Lamps dominate reader statistics

Year end is clearly in sight, and that means that it is time to look at the most trafficked of our posted articles for 2014. Again we offer our top 20 articles based on your interest as determined by page views, and 2014 reveals that LED-based retrofit lamps are of greatest interest despite the limitations of the bulb or tube form factor. Still, we’d expect innovative luminaires to become predominant not too far down the road, and we had a good representation of different types of solid-state lighting (SSL) projects on the list as well.

Retrofit lamps were even more prevalent than on our top 20 list that we posted a year ago. Indeed, this year the lamps occupied one third of the list.

Illumination in Focus top 20 stories of 2014: Retrofit lamps dominate reader statistics

Last year, however, price was the most common theme in lamps stories. This year light quality is far more important. For instance, several stories were focused on high CRI products including the Cree announcement of new MR16 lamps. Likewise, Soraa focused on quality in its directional lamps. We saw the beginnings of the quality story emerge in the top 20 list last year.

If you want a quick look at what was hot during the year, look no further than the lighting roundtable that we published in conjunction with The LED Show 2014. Lighting executives shared their views on key developments in areas such as dimming, tunable lighting, and controls.

Looking back, it's fair to ask what disappointed in 2014. In last year's top 20 article, we speculated that we would see far more tunable lighting products emerge — both tunable white point and color. To some degree, the tunable trend is happening but not as fast as we would have guessed. It can become one of our expected trends for 2015.

That leaves us with our holiday wishes. Top on the list would be the industry-wide acceptance of a ubiquitous lighting network technology. Networks and controls are happening — but a little at a time and often in a proprietary manner. Here's hoping for better in 2015, but for now enjoy the 2014 list.

Top 20 Illumination in Focus stories of 2014:

1. Cree launches LED PAR38 lamps, T8 replacement
Cree has again expanded its presence in LED retrofit lamps with PAR38 products in varied beam spreads while also entering the market for SSL tubes intended to replace T8 fluorescents and work with existing ballasts.

2. Philips announces slim flush-mount LED downlight delivering 980 lm
The SlimSurface measures only 5/8-in thick and can be installed in most any space as a surface-mounted downlight while delivering 90-CRI performance.

3. Oakland will upgrade 30,000 street lights with GE LED fixtures
The GE Evolve LED Roadway Scalable Cobrahead fixtures are projected to deliver $1.4 million annual savings in energy and maintenance costs for the city of Oakland, CA.

4. Cree adds 100W-equivalent LED lamp, drops prices on earlier A-lamps and BR30s
Marking one year participating in the LED retrofit lamp business, Cree launched a 100W-equivalent lamp and reduced prices across its SSL retrofit lamp portfolio.

5. Soraa launches new MR16 lamps based on third-generation GaN-based LEDs
The latest directional MR16 lamps offer a 30% increase in efficiency and specifically target high-end environments such as restaurants and retail.

6. LED lamps at LFI: Controls, dimming, and durability on display
SSL manufacturers introduced a broader range of dimmable LED lamps at LightFair, including wireless-enabled and three-way products, while durability remains a key selling point.

7. Samsung delivers LED-based tubes with step dimming capability
Mimicking the operation of some advanced fluorescent products, the Samsung LED Tube can output a selection of 100%, 4-% or 15% of maximum output.

8. Lighting and LED manufacturers discuss the state of technology
Leading into The LED Show, executives from lighting and LED manufacturers discussed the latest in lighting technology including dimming, color tuning, and networked controls.

9. Lunera Lighting gains funding, launches LED lamps for CFL and MH sockets
The startup lighting company will use funding to push new replacement lamps designed to work in fixtures with existing fluorescent and metal-halide ballasts, enabling simple SSL adoption.

10. LuxLive: Ten must-see solid-state lighting products and compelling keynote program
The LuxLive event scheduled for Nov. 19–20 in London will feature the latest in LED-based lamps and luminaires along with keynotes on topics such as human-centric lighting.

11. GE Lighting delivers next-generation LED-based canopy fixtures

12. Lighting control requirements will drive building energy reduction

13. Walmart plans major LED transition in supercenter lighting globally

14. Cree enters the LED MR16 lamp market with 92-CRI offering

15. Philips launches SlimStyle BR30 lamps with mid-power LEDs

16. Wireless Environment announces battery-backed LED lamp socket for emergency lighting

17. Cree and Musco light Bay Bridge with LEDs, Musco wins sports complex project

18. Osram completes the SSL retrofit of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel

19. Cooper brings WaveStream planar technology to round LED pendant

20. The Lighting Quotient launches workstation LED fixtures with controls