Welcome to the LEDs Magazine News & Insights newsletter for Dec. 1, 2021. I’m stepping in for chief editor Maury Wright on some upcoming newsletter columns. Just typing out “Dec.” makes me pause and wonder how another year has gone by so quickly. It seems like such a short time ago we were making 2021 content plans, and already I am preparing to share with you our top features and news stories of the year later this month.
I’m expecting a few key things to cement their presence among our top content of 2022, germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) technology being one of the key drivers this year. As a whole, lighting for wellbeing content generates plenty of interest. Of course, circadian lighting studies also continue and I was pleased to have a chance to speak with Dr. Mariana Figueiro and Jennifer Brons of the Light and Health Research Center established through Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. The research team has a lot on their plate, but they continue to strive for ways to demonstrate the role that light can play in regulating circadian health with multidisciplinary approaches and a whole healthcare environment as their new “lab.”
Speaking of circadian lighting, we have an excellent webcast coming up next Thursday, Dec. 9. Technical solutions manager Brandon Brooks and LED solutions head of marketing Willem Sillevis-Smitt of Lumileds are preparing to discuss how organizations can streamline their approach to development of products for circadian lighting applications. As you probably heard, Lumileds won a 2021 LEDs Magazine Sapphire Award in the Circadian Lighting Technologies category for Luxeon SkyBlue LEDs that leverage a 490-nm wavelength supported by BIOS Lighting research to provide peak circadian stimulation. Register and join us for the free webcast, which will provide insights into the market opportunity, standards and efficacy expectations, and a path to market that may mitigate supply-chain pain points.
In other research-related coverage, our Mark Halper has reported on a new online venture from Signify that is intended to aid growers in Singapore by building a better knowledge base for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) operations. Given that the island city-state currently imports a significant amount of its food, its government aim to produce 30% of nutritional needs via sustainable methods by 2030 is assertive yet admirable.
While we’re on the subject of horticulture, I’d draw your attention to a compelling industry commentary piece contributed by California Lightworks CEO George Mekhtarian. As an LED grow light manufacturing executive based in — you guessed it — California, Mekhtarian is familiar with the needs of legalized cannabis grow operations, and the challenges they have been facing in equipping their facilities. Note that with the heavy environmental regulations in the state of California, he is also well aware of the impact energy-hungry cannabis grows are having. Mekhtarian explains why current economic policies need to change in order to support these profitable businesses while reducing their carbon footprint.
You’ll find more of interest in the body of today’s newsletter. Please keep in touch about content we post or to pitch a contributed article.
- Carrie Meadows, (603) 891-9382, [email protected]