San Francisco show promises illumination

With more than 400 exhibitors occupying 1,150 booths, Lightfair 2002 expects to draw more than 17,000 design professionals from around the globe to San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center, June 2-5.

Many of the conference's lectures will discuss trends in energy-efficient lighting and sustainable design, topics that have recently become a high priority to industry professionals.

"In terms of energy efficiency, you need to know a lot of details to squeeze those watts," says James Benya, a principal with Benya Lighting Design, West Linn, Ore. "Good design is energy-efficient, but it also provides an aesthetic and a quality to the building that is hard to put in words; but you know it when you see it."

Benya, a Lightfair management committee member, will be giving two pre-conference workshops on creating energy-efficient projects. He sees that as a theme this year, noting that Lightfair will tackle the issue of green design in many lectures, responding to attendees' stated desire to hear more about environmental issues that affect their industry.

A wide variety of sessions will discuss other emerging trends, such as the cost-effective relighting of existing facilities. "This industry wants to relight," says Benya. "It requires buildings to live up to the technology of the rest of the infrastructure," Benya says.

For the first time, Lightfair will provide International Facility Management Association certification maintenance points for many of its sessions.

Lightfair's New Product Showcase will begin June 3, featuring a preview of the show's best entries. A panel of lighting professionals will serve as judges and will select award winners for design excellence, energy-efficiency and technical innovation.

Visit www.lightfair.com for details.