Check out this very nicely constructed presentation on engaging with circular economy design principles in architectural lighting projects from Mark Ridler, Head of Lighting Design at BDP, a global architecture/engineering design firm. From this year’s LpS Digital Symposium (associated with … Continue reading circular economy approaches in lighting design
A few interesting pieces relating to developing a Circular Economy: Philips hosted a expert panel debate in Brussels: In the past century, the developed world has followed a linear model of production and consumption. Goods were manufactured, sold, used and disposed. It has created immense wealth, but this model is starting to reach its limits. The circular economy aims to decouple economy growth from the use of natural resources by using resources more effectively and repeatedly, thus eliminating waste. It provides multiple benefits, including: innovation, new business models, creation of more value, reduce waste landfill and emissions, and better quality … Continue reading circular economy update
Nice article in Fast Company introducing the principles of Circular Economy strategies, mostly taken from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. A circular economy is one where goods are restored and regenerated more widely, moving from a system of virgin inputs and piles of waste to one that returns used products to a useful state. It is also an economy that minimizes resource use by moving away from individual ownership towards more leasing, renting, and sharing. The aim is to cut environmental damage and allow companies to keep control of the value in their products. Continue reading how to build a circular economy
I’m very pleased to see the recent push from Philips to highlight the importance of implementing a “Circular Economy.” I’m particularly thrilled with the comments coming directly from the top, Philips’ CEO Frans van Houten: “For a sustainable world, the … Continue reading philips endorses circular economy
Innovation is brutal. You either work for a huge, fossilized company that has plenty of resources but no tolerance for risk, or you work for a small, nimble company that has no shortage of risky ideas but no resources to … Continue reading dead projects club, part 2: the cradle-to-cradle LED pendant
A quick field report from my visit to Euroshop 2023 in Dusseldorf, Germany! Long story short: I saw tremendous innovation in lighting and digital media technologies throughout the show floor – but unfortunately with the notable exception of Hall 9 … Continue reading euroshop 2023
Introducing Lightly: A line of radically sustainable architectural linear LED lighting pendants, made from wood, wool and hemp. Lightly strips away high-carbon, toxic materials in favor of bioderived, biodegradable components with a refreshingly simple, circular-economy ready design that ultimately results … Continue reading lightly
Are we specifying, producing and installing lighting systems that we will be proud of in the decades to come? Given all that we know about the disastrous effects of global warming, resource depletion and toxic pollution, are lighting designers proud … Continue reading specifying a brighter future
I would like to thank the US Department of Energy’s Solid State Lighting team and the Guidehouse team for hosting a most interesting R&D discussion on Advanced Lighting & Manufacturing. I highly commend the US DOE team for their continued … Continue reading 2020 US DOE LED R&D Discussion Meeting – Adv Lighting & Manufacturing
welcome to the luminous ‘20s The past decade saw incredible transformation in architectural lighting. LEDs and digital controls completely disrupted decades-old technology paradigms. Yet the transformation to LED technology was so drastic, most manufacturers could barely keep up. Playing it … Continue reading six disruptive trends in architectural lighting
Taking a moment to reflect on this past year, let me review 3 major topics I put forth attempting to drive innovation in the architectural lighting industry. Ambient Communications At the start of the year I spoke at several conferences … Continue reading closing out a year of innovation
Editor’s Note: In addition to the article below, make sure to check out my presentation “The DC-Powered Building” at the 2020 Smart Buildings Conference, inline below: The forthcoming revolution of DC electrical infrastructure for commercial and residential buildings Do you know why you must lug around all those chargers for your smartphones, tablets and laptops? Why every “smart” device in your home or office requires some big, obnoxious power brick? Why the solar panels on your roof require some giant inverter box in your garage? It’s because every digital device in our modern world runs on DC (direct-current) electricity, while … Continue reading the DC powered building
I am thrilled to announce that Koerner Design has won a prestigious design competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy hosted a Manufacturing Innovator Challenge focused on the Sustainable … Continue reading koerner design wins US DOE sustainable luminaire design competition
Let’s take a look at lighting and digital media trends in athletic facilities. Let’s consider the fusion of athletics, personal health, gaming, and digital media systems for facility design. Envision a future where modern athletic centers use digital media systems … Continue reading trends in digital media for athletic facilities
Below is a complete list of Brad Koerner’s conferences, publications, professional honors, etc.: Lectures and Presentations Publications Blog and Social Media Publications Project Publications Biographical Honors Patents Continue reading conferences, publications, etc.
Six years ago I covered the efforts by decorative resin panel supplier 3Form to setup a specialty lighting studio called LightArt. Nice to see those efforts continuing, along with some really creative new pieces. I love their integration of felt into … Continue reading lightart by 3form
Today I took the time to explore Dutch Design Week, to tour the immense range of offerings scattered throughout the city of Eindhoven. A dazzling display of aesthetic, technical, and programmatic creativity, DDW showcases top creative talent from across the country, ranging from college kids in design, art, architecture, multimedia and fashion degrees, from individual artists to the powerhouse design brands. Stepping back, there were clear trends. Sustainable thinking was a huge component of the show, with countless examples of innovative uses of alternative natural materials, use of recycled man-made materials, and systemic circular economy product designs tied to innovative … Continue reading the light engine of the future
It is so nice to see Philips Lighting finally package together a series of internal sustainability programs and initiatives into one comprehensive presentation to the public. Called “Bright Lives, Better World“, the program addresses a range of issues, such as … Continue reading philips lighting: bright lives, better world program
A great article just appeared in the New Yorker comparing the history of light bulbs and the challenge of switching from an industry structure around planned obsolescence to an industry built around durable products — effectively circular economy strategies. Some notable sections … Continue reading planned obsolescence vs. LED lighting
A great article at The Verge about ewaste recycling. Stunning is the complexity and thin margins associated with recycling electronic waste. How is the lighting industry going to respond? What is the end of life scenarios for our products? I … Continue reading ewaste empire
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