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The 05:21 Waterloo train was prompt out of Sherborne yesterday morning, taking me up to town for my first live conference since . . . well, you know what comes next. I knew it was going to be good; I just hadn’t realised quite how good it was going to be. And for those of you who didn’t believe me, well, = you missed an absolute treat!
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Full disclosure: for those who may have missed, them, the Cavendish Conference Centre, just round the corner from the BBC in Portland Place, was the home for the one-day specialist conferences organised by the Lux team ( of blessed memory). So I was looking forward forward to getting back on that stage and meeting the Cavendish crew. And with Ray Molony steering the ship, I knew we were i safe hands.
Recolight has been at the forefront of promoting circular design and getting us out of the habit of thinking that ‘recycling’ is a good idea. There’s a new attitude towards waste and its called The Waste Hierarchy and Nigel Harvey, Recolight CEO reminded us what it that’s all about. for those who missed the memo, it goes something like this:
The intention behind the Waste Hierarchy is to shift the collective mindset from ‘waste’ that has no value, towards ‘non-waste’, materials that retain monetary value and stay active within the cycle of production, rather than being reprocessed, at some energy expenditure. And at root, that’s what we were talking about all day. Always keep this idea in mind; perhaps there’s no such thing as ‘waste’.
The day started with a keynote presentation from outside the lighting silo – a refreshing start. This came from John McRae, director at architectural practice ORMS. John reminded us that the construction world is bigger than a lighting specification; we’re part of it and we can learn a lot from it. But if there was one idea that stuck with me it was this . . .
John described the way that lifts (elevators) are maintained throughout the life of a building, which puts the lift manufacturer in pole position when any replacements are considered. Isn’t that something that the lighting sector could engage in. A kind of Lighting as a Service rather than simply selling a commodity.
Why would we want to do this? well, Circularity is only proven (or exposed as a sham) when it’s time for change. Exhausted components need to be replaced or wholesale change is needed to the original installation. And who drives that process. John calls for better Custodian Practices, where materials destined (and originally planned) for Circularity get picked up in a active collection process, controlled by a services arrangement, rather th n relying on a passive returns process – relying on a client remembering to contact the supplying company and asking if they’d like to take away their old fixtures – which, let’s facie it, will never work – because we’re talking perhaps ten years down the road, faces have changed, operating manuals have been lost around the detritus of the daily grind – and the opportunity is GONE.
Hmmm . . .Light as a Service; where have I heard that before?
But John wasn’t proposing a single manufacture lock-in. he doesn’t see why the lighting of an entire building shouldn’t be managed through its life, regardless of where those fixture originated. So how many manufacturers make up a decent-sized commercial building . . . ten? Twenty?? Fifty???
So who takes on that role of Lighting Service Manager? That sounds more like lighting supply on an agency basis, perhaps similar to the USA model. In which, case, what influence would an agency company have over specifications coming out of design houses?
excellent food for thought, but Unintended Consequences, anyone?
That idea of maintaining a positive engagement stayed with me for the rest of the morning, as we looked at regulations, existing and expected, relating to Circular Economy and Green activity in the UK and the EU (and its good to see that we still talk as though we’re still part of the EU – one day, my friends – one day!)
It was good to hear from Tom Ruddell of EGG Lighting in Glasgow. Tom and I have been sitting around the virtual working group table that is planning a new BS standard for remanufacturing, hopefully to be published next year. Picking up on the theme set by John McRae’s exhortation to take circularity seriously, Tom reminded everyone that we need a new set of skills if DE-INSTALLATION is to become a commercial activity. Every dent and scratch on a fixture that’s being removed from a building lessens the reuse value of that piece, so we need to train a new breed of electricians to make sure this is understood.
Another colleague around the BS8887 discussion table is Simon Fisher of F Mark. Simon has become the de facto expert on TM66. He’s been hosting one-day workshops for Recolight around the country, delivering a level of confidence in the TM66 process that makes us all wonder why we haven’t been doing this forever. The view from the ground floor looking up into the dizzying heights of eco-purity should always be welcome and Simon caused a reaction when he flashed up an important mantra, attributed to Larry David:
“A good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied”
A hard truth, but it comes with that scalpel-sharp edge of hard and bitter experience.
As we got into the afternoon, we were treated to a view of the world as seen by the client. Robert Lewis-Brookes, of Lloyds Banking Group reminded us, if any of us had ever forgotten, that clients probably have a different interpretation of what makes a successful installation and may be influenced by a different set of drivers than probably everyone else in the room. And Robert had the courtesy to warn that lighting designers need to be part of the solution or else they may well be seen as part of the problem – and that helps no one.
By now it was becoming clear that we – the lighting industry – may not have things our own way; that there are external forces deciding our destinies. One of my favourite movies is Jason and The Argonauts – the Ray Harryhausen classic from 1963 – and, in particular, the scene where the Olympians are deciding what tests and perils the puny humans should be faced with. Yes – maybe the lighting sector is experiencing something like that.
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We’re used to the idea of being in control of the lighting specification by dint of knowing more about how light works than anyone else and, because of that, we know what potential exists to deliver good results for our clients. But clients are now looking beyond the straightforward exercise of reducing energy usage and embracing control strategies. On my way to the conference, I read a new report from Mckinsey, published last month.
Does ESG really matter – and why is an essential read for all of us who are wrapped into producing ‘green specifications, becasue this is what the people who advise and control investment strategies are thinking.
Here’s just a couple of quotes from the article:
‘There is a trend towards more active regulation, wit increasingly granular requirements”.
In other words, this new ESG environment will be asking for more information from the specifier – information that can only be generated by the manufacturer.
‘The push has been for more accurate and robust disclosure, not fewer data points or less specificity’.
There are more word to strike a chill into the bones of every technical director who reads them. Concepts such as ‘more accuracy’, ‘robust disclosure’, ‘data points’ and ‘specificity’ sounds like ground for a whole new back-office department.
The highlight of the day for me was a tremendous presentation from Colin Ball of BDP. I’ve seen Colin’s presentations before; he puts creative design front and centre while working in an intensely technical environment to deliver projects that meet energy and sustainable criteria. And Colin was able to set the scene for the final session, addressing that very issue – can creative design survive this ‘green assault’ on lighting specification.
The answer from our panel (chaired by me, with contributors Marcus Steffen, Kristina Allison, Ruth Kelly-Waskett; Steve Meadows and Tad Trylski) is, of course, yes it will. I all likelihood, we’ll probably have to learn to say things differently and deliver specifications so that they fit bigger agendas, but – as Colin is able to demonstrate – creative lighting design is here to stay.
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Thanks to everyone involved with Circular Lighting Live 2022. if I haven’t mentioned you here its more to do with constrictions on space. Every presenter played their part in delivering a wonderfully orchestrated day of great – and vital – information. And we’re all looking forward to next year’s conference.