Thursday, November 2, 2006; 11:30 a.m.
Thomas J. Murphey, Senior Sales Representative for Lutron Electronics, arrived at MHAworks to set up for his presentation entitled ‘Manage Daylight with Window Systems’ using Lutron Electronics’ products. He was scheduled to arrive around 11:15 a.m. in order to set up his demonstration for the presentation to begin at 12:00 p.m., however, Mr. Murphey was a bit behind scheduled and was not ready to begin until about 12:15 p.m.
What is ‘Lunch-and-Learn’ you ask?
MHAworks is an architectural firm for those of you unaware. Architects are required to complete 18 hours of continuing education each year in order to keep their license. Most architects attend day-long seminars or four to five hour long lectures to fulfill their requirements, although often, companies, such as Lutron Electronics or other suppliers of furnishings targeted towards building components, will call and offer to come and make an hour long presentation on their products while providing lunch.
Lecture Begins
After each of the eight attendees, which included myself, grabbed their boxed lunch from Bear Rock Cafe and found a comfy seat in our small conference room, Mr. Murphey began his presentation, dimming the lights and finally figuring out how to take the lense off of the projector in order for everyone to actually see his presentation. (giggles)
He told us a little background info on Lutron Electronics, hereforth referred to as LE, including interesting facts such as the business has been operating for over 50 years and the owner invented the rotary dimmer. (oooo…)
His PowerPoint’s first slide discussed the characteristics of natural light and what kinds of light were available for use within the design of building. Architects must assess different lighting issues throughout their design process. The types of lighting available included:
- direct light
- indirect light
- reflector light
- diffused light
These types of natural light can be a product of weather conditions or seasonal changes. All of these types of light must be ‘harnessed’ in such a way to make a space comfortable. If these types of light are not harnessed they can make for a very uncomfortable environment.
Products of comfort
Mr. Murphey explained to us the effects of lighting in the workplace using a few separate studies that were done with lighting. The studies that were done included measurements of the amount of light in a workplace area including the reflection of light off computer screens and other reflective objects, the amount of heat produced from the light shining through windows as well as the glare from this light. He explained that the studies that have been done proved that the glare, heat and reflection that poor lighting causes can affect productivity in the work place leaving employees exhausted, and over heated, and cause headaches and body aches. This study proved that lighting must be a priorty in a workplace environment in order to increase or maintain productivity.
This was quite interesting for me as I thought about my own work station and how I felt at the end of each work day, often tired with a headache. Look up directly over my head and you will see the problem-a nice big open skylight with bright rays of sunshine beaming directly onto my computer screen and keeping me nice and toasty. Maybe I should educated my boss on the increase in productivity with correctly harnessing lighting, but wait…he is an architect. Shouldn’t he already be aware of this?
What does this all mean?
Natural light produced by each season or weather can produce reflection, glare and increased temperature in a building.
If this natural light is harnessed, the occupants of the building will be much more comfortable and productive.
Happy employees—–>happy profits.
So what do we do to ‘harness’ this light?
Well, we use Lutron Electronics’ window systems of course! Lutron makes window shades made of different fabrics to cover windows. Of these different fabrics and types of shades available, each allows for different amounts of light to enter a room, if at all.
These window systems are powered three ways, depending on how cost effective an owner would like to be:
- AC powered, tubular motor
- battery powered
- low voltage powered (most cost effective)
It was at this point where Mr. Murphey inserted a short blurb commending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on their advancements with the use of new technologies including Lutron Electronics’ window systems within their classrooms. Nice connection.
UNC uses Lutron’s newest window system (of course) with a black-out shade for lecture halls and is powered by, none other than the most cost and energy effective source, low voltage. Props to UNC.
My own thoughts
Even though I am not an architect this presentation helped me to understand yet another issue an architect must deal with when designing a building. This lunch-and-learn experience has taught me a little about why I often leave work with a headache and why I am sluggish and tired and need to take frequent breaks. The turkey sandwich was great and I know that UNC will always be ahead of the game.
JOMC 711: Writing for Digital Media 
