Propmodo Technology

By Franco Faraudo · Mar. 27, 2024

Greetings!

An LED lighting upgrade in a California community, which triggered a public outcry over "prison lighting," showcases the challenge of balancing energy efficiency with aesthetic and comfort requirements, be it cities, buildings, or workplaces. The backlash reminds us to prioritize people's well-being when upgrading lighting, ensuring it benefits rather than harms their life and work.

This week on Propmodo Technology, we're exploring circadian lighting, designed to boost wellness in the workplace by mimicking natural light patterns. Plus, look at how networked LED systems can save energy and create better work environments.

Today's email is supported by Valcre. If you are a commercial real estate appraiser seeking a competitive advantage, and want to provide the highest-quality reports in less time, Valcre could be a great fit for you. Their software supports a wide range of property types and value scenarios including eminent domain, property tax appeal, and litigation projects. Check out their free buyer's guide.

Now, let’s go!

How a California Community Was Blindsided by LED Lighting Problems

In 1958, Flagstaff, Arizona, became the first town to enact “dark sky” legislation, aiming to encourage responsible outdoor lighting practices among its residents to minimize light pollution and safeguard the visibility of the starry night sky. This initiative marked the beginning of what would evolve into a global movement, with cities around the world adopting similar measures. But, adhering to dark sky regulations presents its challenges, eliciting a wide range of opinions from the community.

The city of Davis, California, a quiet university town nestled in the Central Valley, embarked on an ambitious project in 2013 to replace 2,600 street lights with LED bulbs. This endeavor, costing about $1.25 million after a utility rebate, promised to save the city millions in energy bills. But, as the project reached its midpoint, the city began receiving backlash with residents criticizing the new “prison lighting” and “zombie lights.”

Three main issues arose from the newly installed streetlights in Davis. First, the lack of covers resulted in glare that was uncomfortably bright for pedestrians. Second, the lighting design caused excessive light intrusion into homes, affecting even second-story bedrooms with unwelcome brightness at night. And, the emitted light color transformed the town’s nighttime ambiance, detracting from its cozy, collegiate charm.

In response, the city constructed new lighting mock-ups, soliciting community feedback to gauge preferences. A consensus emerged favoring lights with lower color temperatures, which cast a softer, more inviting yellow glow compared to the stark white light of the initial installations. Davis negotiated a contract modification with the installation contractor, stipulating that residential area streetlights would emit light at 2700K and operate at a reduced wattage. The adjustment incurred an additional cost of $350,000.

The Davis experience underscores that transitioning to LED lighting, despite its energy efficiency benefits, necessitates meticulous planning to avoid adverse effects on human comfort. A straightforward swap of incandescent or fluorescent bulbs for LEDs is insufficient. The transition demands an understanding of the emitted light quality and potential compatibility issues with existing lighting infrastructure such as switches and ballasts.

Cooler, bluer color temperatures of some LEDs, especially older ones, not only create an unwelcoming ambiance but also pose risks to human circadian rhythms, potentially affecting sleep patterns and overall well-being. This knowledge has led to technological advancements in LED lighting to offer warmer color temperatures and more versatile options.

As LED technology has advanced, the quality of light and system compatibility have improved significantly, addressing many of the initial concerns. Modern LEDs now offer a spectrum of color temperatures and are designed for seamless integration with various hardware and control systems. Achieving the ideal lighting balance—efficiency paired with comfort—often involves the expertise of lighting engineers and designers. These professionals can help make sure that LED lighting is efficient and enhances environments by balancing light quality, environmental considerations, and human well-being, potentially preventing a neighborhood revolt.

PRESENTED BY VALCRE
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Faced with extreme market volatility, the stakes have never been higher for owners and lenders to have a real-time understanding of their portfolio value, and they need a much higher volume of appraisals delivered within vastly accelerated timelines. As their trusted, third-party advisor, appraisers need to deliver the reports needed, with absolute confidence in their accuracy.

At Valcre, we believe this market presents enormous opportunity for appraisers – one where the firms who value challenging projects thoughtfully, while delivering reports quickly, will set themselves apart. How? By embracing modern appraisal software.

Want to modernize your approach but not sure how this technology can help your appraisal business? Check out our buyer’s guide for an in-depth overview of how Valcre can give you instant access to your team’s verified comp data, turnaround high-quality, accurate reports faster, and give you the big picture of team workload and billings.

Bytes

🔥 Burnt but not out: Scientists have developed a simple way to collect and recycle rare-earth metals from used fluorescent bulbs.

☀️ Legal presence: Legal firms remain committed to offices but their preference is for fewer counter offices in order to provide more natural light.

🛸 Empire statement: The Empire State Building is known for its light display but this month it has wowed onlookers with a Star Wars themed dynamic light show on its entire south-facing facade.

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