Everything about the Olympics is a big deal. This isn’t just true about the competitors but also for the behind the scenes works such as commercial lighting.

For the last four days I’ve done nothing but watch the Olympics. Day and night, the Olympics have dominated the television in my house. Get together’s have been canceled, dinners have been rearranged and my DVR has been cleaned out for the events that I miss. There is just something about the pageantry of it, and, more impressively for me, the entire massiveness of it. Just the commercial lighting that has to be utilized to light over a dozen venues for the fans is amazing. I know, I know, here are Olympic athletes giving there all for the chance at gold and I’m focusing on something as small as the “lighting”, but if you think about it its small stuff like this that has to be meticulously considered to put these games on.

Imagine that it’s your job to figure out how to light a venue at the Olympics. Sounds easy enough, but for anyone who has had to work on commercial lighting before (and I have, maybe that’s where this interest comes from) knows that there is a lot to consider when lighting something as important as an Olympic venue. Take, for example, the Richmond Olympic Oval, home of the Speed Skating events for the games. Whenever you’re dealing with ice you have to be careful with the lights you use. If it’s too bright or put at the wrong angle you could be dealing with massive glare off the ice. The trick is, though, you have to be able to light the venue for television while being considerate of the skaters. How do you do this? I don’t really know, I guess that’s why they are professionals and I’m just a blogger.

The Opening Ceremonies of the games was one of the most amazing lighting jobs I’ve ever seen. The director of the ceremonies (who has previously directed the Opening Ceremonies for the Sydney games in 2000) used over 70 projectors to create stunning visual moments that helped bring people an up-close look at Canadian Culture. One of the most striking moments were a pod of projected orca whales moving across the stadium floor. In all, by using the projection lighting, the director was able to make a lot out of a little. Very rarely were live props used, but instead by using the lighting projected onto white objects it looked as it the arena was covered in water or leaves or snow. It was definitely a sight to behold.

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Just like commercial lighting, concert lighting can run the gambit from simple white lights to complex colored lighting which can bring out the subtleties in a venue.

Lighting is one of the true unsung heroes of any concert performance. Just like commercial lighting, concert lighting can take many forms and can be used to bring out subtleties on stage. It’s not just about the spotlights anymore; lighting has taken a big step forward in the concert industry in recent years.

There are two concerts in recent years where lighting has stuck out to me. The first was Nine Inch Nails in 1999. While supporting their double album “The Fragile”, Nine Inch Nails took off for a North American tour visiting, in their words, “hockey arenas”. What made the lighting on this show so incredible was the fact that the band utilized LCD screens for their main lighting. These large screens were attached to machinery that allowed them to shift during the concert and take their place either above or behind the band. These screens could show either images or just color, which made them the primary lighting source for the band. This was the first time a major band had utilized LCD screens for their key lighting on tour, something that has been copied in recent years by some of the biggest bands in the world like U2 and Radiohead.

The second concert that stuck out in my mind in regards to lighting was a 2003 performance by a Long Island band named Brand New. What made this concert stand out was the fact that the band was entirely back lit for their performance. I had never seen a band do this before. Frankly, it was eye opening. There were no lights either above or in front of the band, just behind it. Because Brand New’s music is moody and, at points, intense, this lighting set up was perfect for the band and thoroughly enhanced their performance. I actually recently saw Brand New again recently and they had an entirely new set up featuring bright white lights were used in conjunction with black and white video.

I consider myself a bit of a concert nut. As someone who attends concerts as much as once a week, you tend to notice concert lighting a bit more than the average concert goer. You realize how lighting can really accent a bands performance. On two opposing ends of the spectrum are bands like U2 and a southern Florida band named Against Me! U2 has been crafting giant stage setups for 20 years and always find new and ingenious ways to light their performance may it be car headlights or giant spaceship like stages. On the other hand you have Brand New who have a tendency to have one lighting set up per show without ever changing it. I once saw a performance where the lighting guy went to his controls and brought up these intense bright white lights which never dimmed at all during the performance. It was intense, but matched the performance perfectly. That’s all you can ask for in a live show.

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Commercial lighting systems are often much more complicated than they appear at face value. A significant number of factors influence the selection of equipment, placement of fixtures, and levels of illumination appropriate to structures, terrain, and activity. Most companies in today’s recession fear the costs associated with a commercial lighting system and seek to reduce overhead with generic equipment. This creates more problems than it solves. Cheap fixtures and poor design creates blinding spots of glare that cast shadows, creating both an eyesore and a number of safety and security hazards.

Commercial Interior Lighting

Choosing interior lights for commercial systems is simple and cost effective when a few basic factors are considered with each purchase. First, what room or building will the fixture illuminate? How many employees will be in this room, and what will they be doing there? How important is high color rendering to safe and productive labor? Will the lights be on continuously, or will they be on only when workers enter for a few minutes at a time?

Commercial lighting systems in factories and warehouses normally feature cool-burning fluorescents in these areas that require fewer bulb replacements, minimal heat, and reduce power consumption. In offices, halogen lights provide superb color rendering and glare free lighting for people working at computers, copy machines, and desks. Interior commercial light systems can be built per room, per specific task, in this fashion. One or two metal halide lights in a manager’s office is all one needs for a touch of decorative color. Fluorescents that give task light only when needed help further reduce electrical costs in bathrooms and kitchens, and the heat recycling ability of halogen lights proves itself ideal illumination in rooms where power conservation and human comfort are equally desirable conditions.

Commercial Security Lighting

Commercial lighting systems should always create a secure perimeter along the property line and provide bright lighting near and around the building. This is especially true for organizations with night crews working on loading docks, or maintenance and cleaning crews entering and exiting the building in the dark. These people need to clearly see their surroundings without being blinded by glare and without any shadows that could hide an intruder or lead to an injury in the dark.

Commercial security light systems can be very cost effective. Commercial floodlights can be controlled by timers that turn lights on at sundown and off at sunrise. Motion sensors can also be wired to these fixtures, turning them on only when a potential intruder triggers the photocell sensor. Such cost effective, but highly effective light sources help security cameras and guards can see more clearly around the edges of buildings and across the property between the building and the parking areas.

Parking Lot Lighting

Appropriate visibility in the parking lot constitutes a major factor in every commercial lighting system. Glare free parking lot lights will increase visibility between vehicles, eliminating any dark areas that car thieves and burglars can use for hiding spaces. Parking lot lights are actually regulated by the government and by law must produce a minimum of four foot candles of light. To make certain you are proposing the right poles and fixtures to your client,

Commercial Exterior Lighting

Exterior lights are critical elements in commercial lighting systems as they illuminates all sides of the building and ensure that building access points are clearly lit in a balanced level of light that dispels shadows without glare. Many Commercial Lighting designers utilize skills learned in architectural design cross training programs that enable them to link multiple buildings together in a field of natural-looking light that prevents unauthorized personnel from approaching the building without detection. We also recommend placing additional, selective lighting around driveways and signs to ensure safe after-hours access for authorized vehicles and night deliveries.

Commercial Landscape Lighting

Commercial lighting systems best serve the sense of unity between architecture and the natural landscape when they create 4 layers of illumination. While many lighting designers normally only utilize two layers to illuminate grounds and earthworks, most Commercial Lighting specialists will help any outdoor lighting contractor develop a multi-layered system using advanced photometric design tools and sophisticated specialty equipment.

It’s a common misconception that any old commercial lighting will do for any situation. This way of thinking can potentially cause OSHA issues as well as hinder productivity and accuracy.

No one ever really thinks about it when they walk into a store and they encounter a brightly lit environment that invites shoppers to look closely at each product for endless hours but the thought that went into lighting a super store is a painstaking process and a strategic process that ensures shoppers stay in the store and don’t experience shopper’s fatigue.
Any person in charge of designing a store, warehouse, office or any other environment where people will congregate should pay special attention to the lighting needs that will help to ensure the proper atmosphere for productivity, visual stimulation and regulatory needs. This can be a daunting process but there are numerous reasons why proper commercial lighting is a must.

An improperly lit environment can cause health issues to workers like headaches, migraines and mental fatigue. Not only will this hinder productivity it can have a dramatic increase on absence rates and even attrition rates. When a workspace is properly lit it allows a worker to focus clearly, be more productive and even work longer periods before rest is needed. This can have a very large affect on employee morale, production output and it can help maintain long-term employment. The end result is a slightly increased cost in lighting that is counter balanced by higher profits and employees with tenured skills and higher job satisfaction.

A second factor in the importance of proper commercial lighting is customer driven. If a customer patrons a store that has poorly lit overhead and display lighting it will make it hard to read product details listed on packaging and it will cause shopper’s fatigue. When they happens sales will decrease and that customer is likely to seek out a better retail experience. This is compounded by the fact that many products have package designed that work with lighting to enhance their attractiveness to consumers. Poor lighting will make packaging look dull and uninviting thus also driving down sales. If you have proper lighting there will be a larger sense of excitement from customer’s and product sales will be higher and more consistent.

It’s also very important to meet City, state, local and OSHA regulations. In most cases these regulations are a minimum guideline that ensure a poor lighting does not damage employee or customer’s eyes. All regulations should be met because poor lighting that does not meet regulation can put a business in a situation to suffer several fines by regulatory agencies. It can also put a business at risk of litigation from employees negatively affected by lighting conditions. In worse case it can also force a closure of a business due to failure to comply. Maintaining the proper lighting will avid these pit falls.

With the proper lighting employees are given an advantage that will open doors to improved productivity, accuracy and employee satisfaction. Customers will be ready to spend money because a properly lit environment will enhance their shopping experience.