Rita Catinella Orrell was previously products editor at Architectural Record and the founding editor of Snap, a quarterly building products magazine. she launched DesignyThings.com, a curated list of gifts, gadgets, and gear for consumers, in 2011, and Architects-Toybox.com, a resource for architects and designers looking for the latest building products, in 2013. This post originally appeared on Architects-Toybox.com.
LIGHTFAIR International recently took place in New York City’s Javits Center, and although I can’t compare it to recent years, the busy show floor seemed to be a good indicator of a healthy lighting market. The Cree booth in particular was full of designers eager to learn about several new product launches, from their new TrueWhite LEDs — which deliver greater than 90 CRI at more than 140 lumens-per-watt efficacy in a small 19mm light-emitting surface — to complete fixtures for applications from the office to the garage.
LN Series by Cree.
LN Series by Cree. The occupancy sensors are those small domes visible on the front end and center of the fixture.
Cree claims that the company’s new WaveMax Technology is an “optical breakthrough” that features DiamondFacet optical elements to achieve up to 90% optical efficiency and precise optical control. The first interior LED luminaire to feature WaveMax is the Cree LN Series of suspended indirect/direct luminaires for both new and existing commercial building interiors. The LN Series delivers up to 110 LPW at 90+ CRI with 3,400 lumens at both 3,500K and 4,000K with 0–10V dimming or Cree SmartCast Technology controls. Looking up at the fixture, there was no glare, just soft light. It was a pleasure after having so many other fixtures leave their mark on my poor retinas.
What was more surprising, however, was Cree’s integration of this technology into a really beautiful parking garage fixture. The IG Series parking garage fixture can deliver more than 80% energy savings and quick payback in less than two years with 24-hour-a-day usage compared to outdated metal-halide lighting. Light from Cree LEDs are distributed along four luminous surfaces made of a polymer medium engineered with DiamondFacet optical elements, creating a soft and even distribution. The IG Series is available in 33 watts and 65 watts and two lumen packages are offered to satisfy IESNA RP20-14 Basic and IESNA Security Zone G-1-03 requirements for environments seeking higher light levels for improved safety and security.
IG Series by Cree.
Detail of acrylic lens on IG Series.
Next year’s LFI will take place from April 26–28, 2016, at the San Diego Convention Center.
This article originally appeared on Architects-Toybox.com. You can follow Rita at RitaOrrell on Twitter, designythings on Instagram, architectstoybox on Facebook, and designythings on Pinterest.