“Illuminating the Future” of Lighting Design

Last week, Metropolis and Humanscale gathered a room full of designers and industry players to discuss one of the most important issues facing interior office and residential design: how to efficiently use light. “Ways to deliver light have grown in number,” said Jennifer Veitch, Principal Research Officer at the National Research Council of Canada and a panelist for the Illuminating the Future event. But with these new options, she added, “there are many more good and bad ways to deliver light.” Veitch’s words set the agenda for the night, what turned out to be a lively discussion about emerging lighting technologies.

Together with Jim Benya, Principal and Partner at Benya Burnett Consultancy and Metropolis editor in chief Susan S. Szenasy, Veitch dove into the rapidly evolving science, design, and business of cutting-edge lighting. She elaborated on the importance and effect of the chromatic quality of light over brightness, describing the negative impacts of light that too closely matches natural spectrums which can disrupt our own circadian rhythms. Benya, for his part, introduced certain sustainability aspects of new lighting strategies, noting how micro-grid technology, for example, promotes the use of direct current (DC) over alternating current (AC) as a means to streamline lighting and electrical systems in buildings. Szenasy reaffirmed how advances in lighting must consider sustainable technology and use.

See photos of the event below. 

Jennifer Veitch, Principal Research Officer, National Research Council of Canada, provides insight on the effects of natural lighting.

Panelists Jim Benya (left) and Jennifer Veitch (right) catch up with Humanscale founder and CEO Robert King (center).

From left to right: Jim Benya, Principal and Partner at Benya Burnett Consultancy; Metropolis Editor in Chief Susan S. Szenasy, Humanscale founder and CEO Robert King, and Jennifer Veitch.

The audience at last week’s event.