Lightrays Newsletter

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ALA appoints Larry Lauck as president and CEO

ALA announced the appointment of W. Lawrence (“Larry”) Lauck as the association’s next president and chief executive officer. This news comes following the decision last fall by current president and CEO Eric Jacobson to retire.

Renowned workplace strategist to present at ALA Conference

During the 2023 ALA Conference in Lake Tahoe, Calif., Sept. 10-12, author and workplace strategist Jeff Butler will present two seminars focused on successful hiring and retention of high-quality, dedicated employees.

ALA marketing campaign drives consumers to showrooms

Since launching in early February, a campaign run by the ALA Advertising and PR Program has driven nearly 7,000 consumers to the ALA showroom locator. The campaign promotes high-quality lighting and the benefits of shopping in an ALA-member showroom.

ALA’s lunch-and-learn on lighting design to take place March 8

Last month, ALA kicked off a new, two-part, lunch-and-learn series with Peter Romaniello, IALD. The online learning series takes a deep dive into lighting layouts in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Part two will take place March 8. Members can register for the live course in March and to view the recorded version of part one online.

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ALA Member News

2023 Integrated Home Competition now accepting entries

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) Integrated Home Competition is now accepting entries. The competition seeks high-performance products that deliver energy savings and automated load management while continuing to meet consumer expectations for interoperability, reliability, and simplicity.

Mike Oborny earns ALA Certified Lighting Consultant designation

Co-owner of Dallas-based Focus Design Company Mike Oborny is the latest ALA member to earn his Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC) designation. The CLC is ALA’s highest designation and requires members to complete and pass a total home blueprint lighting design exam.

ALA members earn professional accreditations

Since the beginning of the year, 22 ALA members have earned their Lighting Associate or Lighting Specialist designations. The Lighting Specialist program covers advanced knowledge of every aspect of the residential lighting industry, including trends, technology and technical developments. The Lighting Associate program covers the fundamentals of lighting design, layout and technology.

Retail + Sales + Marketing

Design trends forecast: Maximizing brick-and-mortar’s utility

Total Retail | 3 min. read

The acceleration of e-commerce, two-day shipping, and the rise of experiential design has prompted the evolution of traditional brick-and-mortar from the retailer’s central point of sale into an expression of the brand that adapts to customers’ habits and industry trends. Architects and designers strive to maximize brick-and-mortar’s potential through meaningful and enticing in-person experiences. Looking ahead, brands must consider the retail journey from the customers’ point of view — applying what's known about their audience and their shopping patterns, as well as their expectations of who the brand is embodied in the physical.

A frontier of retail innovation: How to prepare for virtual shelves

Forbes | 4 min. read

Brick-and-mortar retailers are under tremendous pressure from the e-commerce boom and ever-evolving customer expectations. But these retailers are responding with new concepts and digital innovations to transform their role from transactional outlets to experiential destinations. Interactive smart retail technologies are playing an increasing role in this journey, with a variety of tools for retailers to choose from and a broad range of benefits.

Why do you need email marketing for your retail business?

Retail Tech Innovation Hub | 3 min. read

Defining the right marketing strategy is essential for your retail business to succeed.
In that sense, email marketing can help more than you think. It has one of the highest return on investments in the world of marketing and helps to raise awareness of the company's product or service.

75% of shoppers see positive potential for AI, so retailers must be ready for an AI-driven future

Retail TouchPoints | 5 min. read

The AI revolution is here, and customers already expect to benefit from the convenience it promises to deliver. Widespread interest in and acceptance of AI in all of its forms — particularly among younger shoppers — means that it’s not a matter of when customers will accept the technology but how retailers should react to it.

Engineering + Technology

How smart lighting can level up a home

House Digest | 3 min. read

Do you have customers complaining about areas in their home that seem too dark and spaces where the light is much brighter, maybe even too bright by the time the sun comes up? If they’re purchasing and placing lamps throughout their home, they may be limiting their interior design goals. Smart lighting could be an alternative as it's a more advanced way to properly light a home to create a more cohesive, balanced look.

Why are LED lights the go-to lighting solution of the world?

Yanko Design | 5 min. read

With technological advancement in the lighting industry, LED lights are driving a lighting revolution and promising a bright future. LED lights are available in smaller sizes, have improved brightness, illuminate a larger area, and have enhanced qualities. LED lights are becoming a popular substitute for conventional systems like incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. Discover why LED lights are a smarter lighting option.

Lighting Design + Trends

Should bedrooms have ceiling lights? Experts discuss.

Homes & Gardens | 6 min. read

Interior design is full of contentious conundrums about the layout and planning of rooms, one of which is whether bedrooms should have ceiling lights. Although adding bedroom ceiling lights when planning bedroom lighting may seem like a no-brainer, some question whether these overhead fittings are essential for a cozy and relaxing space we go to unwind. Here, top interior designers debate whether bedrooms should have ceiling lights and offer their advice for you to get it right.

Brain waves: The neuroscience behind interior design

Furniture, Lighting & Decor | 9 min. read

Neuroaesthetics is emerging in the design landscape, documenting what creates inclusive, safe and joyful spaces that elevate well-being in residential and commercial environments. While beautiful spaces and how they make us feel have been a topic of study for some time, today, scientific evidence is emerging as to how our surroundings can impact our well-being. As it turns out, it’s significant.

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