PhotonStar announces controls collaboration with Lutron

PhotonStar LED Ltd formally announced a collaboration with controls specialists Lutron at Lux Live 2013 in order to enable ‘seamless compatibility’ between products.

The announcement, which took place prior to show opening on Day 1, will allow PhotonStar customers to have the option of ordering many of the company’s high performance LED lighting products with a prewired Lutron Ecosystem® driver, straight from the factory.

Lutron‟s EcoSystem protocol seamlessly communicates with all Lutron EcoSystem digital controls from the recently launched Energi Tripak solution to the complete building system Quantum and all systems in between. 

PhotonStar‟s Marketing Director Fenella Frost commented: “Adding seamless Lutron EcoSystem protocol compatibility as an option on our products is in line with our mission to provide the most reliable and workable control and lighting solutions to our customers. We intend to further deliver on this aim through collaboration with many respected industry leaders.” 

http://www.photonstarlighting.co.uk/news/photonstar_announce_partnership_with_ambx_to_develop_immersive_experience_l

PhotonStar Board Changes

PhotonStar LED Group plc (AIM: PSL, "PhotonStar" or "the Group"), the British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions, has appointed Philip Marshall as a non-executive director with immediate effect.

Philip most recently served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at GE Lighting EMEA, the $600 million turnover division of General Electric specializing in lighting solutions. In this role, he led the infrastructure development across the entire region for GE's Lighting business, which included transitioning the business to an energy solutions provider, encompassing LED technologies. 

Prior to this, he served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at GE Industrial (low voltage) Systems & Consumer Products EMEA, a division of GE integrating the GE Industrial Systems and GE Appliances & GE Lighting ("Consumer Products") groups in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Philip holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Thames Valley University, and is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant

Also, PhotonStar’s Chief Financial Officer, Russell Banks, who joined the Group in April 2013, has been appointed to the board with immediate effect.

James McKenzie, Group Chief Executive, commented:
"We are very pleased to welcome Philip to the Board. He has a strong industry background and brings valuable experience in technology commercialisation and strategy at an exciting time for our business.”

Disclosures required pursuant to paragraph (g) of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules:
Philip Antony Marshall (aged 43) currently holds, and has during the last five years immediately 
preceding the date of this announcement held, the following directorships or partnerships:

About PhotonStar LED Group PLC

PhotonStar LED Group PLC (“PhotonStar” or the “Group”) is a British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions. The Group’s proprietary technology seamlessly integrates LEDs, sensors and controls to provide intelligent lighting for commercial and architectural applications which benefit from greater CO2 reduction, lower cost of ownership & improved functionality compared to other available light sources. PhotonStar’s lighting products have won numerous awards for performance, innovation and reliability, and are unique in the industry for the use of recycled, and recyclable materials, which means they have 90% less embodied CO2 than equivalent products providing the same levels of illumination.

PhotonStar comprises two divisions: LED Lighting Fixtures which works with lighting designers, architects, house builders, facilities management companies and sustainability consultants to provide intelligent, high-end LED lighting solutions for the commercial and architectural market, and LED Light Engines which provides LED lighting solutions for specialist applications such as film & television production lighting, UV curing and medical applications.

PhotonStar is based in Romsey, Hampshire with manufacturing in Wales. The Company was admitted to AIM in December 2010.

PhotonStarLighting.co.uk

Study shows benefits of better lighting for the visually impaired

Brighter lighting improves quality of life for the elderly and can reduce the number of falls, according to a study commissioned the Thomas Pocklington Trust, a charity for blind and partially sighted people.

The study looked into the needs of nine visually impaired people. It found evidence that, after lighting was improved at their homes, their standard of living was raised.

Adaptations were made in their homes, with particular attention paid to the kitchen, where all nine homes were altered. Lighting was improved by installing fluorescent strip lighting, with triple tubes replacing single or double tubes to increase the light levels. In some of the homes, spotlights were added to focus light on specific problem areas, such as the cooker.

Sarah Buchannan, research director at Thomas Pocklington Trust, believes the research is significant. ‘Our research into lighting continues to show dramatic improvements for older people’s independence and quality of life,’ she said. ‘But we believe the costs of care and support, particularly following falls, might also be cut if older people’s lighting was improved.’

However, a review by the University of Cambridge found a substantial lack of data on falls and lighting. It called for more research to establish the wider value of improving lighting for older people, to see whether taxpayer money could be saved if improved lighting reduced the risk of falls.

The study found that currently available data contains too many uncertainties and assumptions to make a calculation about the savings for the NHS if lighting in the homes of elderly people were improved.

Buchannan stressed the importance of lighting knowledge, saying that retail customers have very little awareness of the vast range of products available. 'There is so much information, and people can be nervous about electrical products. There is a real gap in getting people aware of what works. LEDs are not visible enough in the market,' she said.

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

Awarded Department of Energy and Climate Change grant

PhotonStar LED Group plc (AIM: PSL, "PhotonStar" or “the Group”), the British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions, has been awarded a grant by the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for up to £372,269.

The grant has been awarded by the DECC Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and will be used to develop further PhotonStar’s ChromaWhite smart circadian retrofit LED lighting solutions, particularly the ChromaWhite smart lamp, a standard lamp form factor, with full wireless control. The grant will be paid in instalments on the completion of development certain milestones in the 
current financial year.

ChromaWhite is the Group’s next generation light engine technology, which allows microprocessor controlled colour tuning and superior light quality, at an extremely competitive price-point.

The Group displayed its first ChromaWhite smart lamp prototype at London’s Ecobuild exhibition in March 2013. 

James Mckenzie, CEO of PhotonStar, commented:

“This grant is a great endorsement of our energy-efficient ChromaWhite technology and will enable us to accelerate the development of our exciting product range. We are already making good progress with ChromaWhite and are on track to have both new installation and retrofit products available for the market in 2014.”

For further information:

PhotonStar LED Group PLC (“PhotonStar” or the “Group”) is a British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions. The Group’s proprietary technology seamlessly integrates LEDs, sensors and controls to provide intelligent lighting for commercial and architectural applications which benefit from greater CO2 reduction, lower cost of ownership & improved functionality compared to other available light sources. Photonstar’s lighting products have won numerous awards for performance, innovation and reliability, and are unique in the industry for the use of recycled, and recyclable materials, which means they have 90% less embodied CO2 than equivalent products providing the same levels of illumination. PhotonStar comprises two divisions: LED Lighting Fixtures which works with lighting designers, architects, house builders, facilities management companies and sustainability consultants to provide intelligent, high-end LED lighting solutions for the commercial and architectural market, and LED Light Engines which provides LED lighting solutions for specialist applications such as film & television production lighting, UV curing and medical applications. PhotonStar is based in Romsey, Hampshire with manufacturing in Wales. 

PhotonStar Win Greenbuild Award with Leisure Retrofit Project Arcola Theatre

PhotonStar’s most sustainable project, the Arcola Theatre in Hackney, has been awarded the Leisure Retrofit award in the 2013 Greenbuild Awards.

  

The Arcola theatre is the forerunner in measurable sustainable practices within the arts community and is on the way to becoming the world’s first carbon neutral theatre. The theatre recently underwent complete sustainable refurbishment, a key element of which was the installation of PhotonStar LEDs throughout to improve the overall efficiency and quality. 

Arcola has a strong focus on environmental performance, regularly carrying out sustainability projects not only to increase efficiency but also to educate and inspire the community.

Aiming to celebrate true sustainability, the Greenbuild Awards recognise buildings in use that focus on actual measured performance rather than design intent or performance specifications.

The award for the best leisure retrofit project was given by a panel of distinguished industry leaders who were looking for the project that had reduced its environmental impact more effectively than its rivals.

The Arcola Theatre was revealed as the winner of this category at the award ceremony at the Midland Hotel, Manchester on the 8th May.

http://www.photonstarlighting.co.uk/news/arcola_theatre_wins_greenbuild_award

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

www.arcolatheatre.com

Government's Part L decision due by July

Changes to Part L of the building regulations, including a decision about LENI, will be announced by July, in a report from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The possible introduction in Part L of the lighting energy numerical indicator benchmark, known as LENI, as an alternative to minimum luminaire lumens per circuit watt, would be a major departure for the government.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for DCLG said: “We are expecting to make an announcement about Part L in June, or July at the latest.”

LENI is an index that describes the energy used by a lighting system over the course of a year, measured in kilowatt hours, per square meter, per year. The campaign for LENI has echoed calls from industry bodies such as the SLL, IALD, PLDA and LIA to have LENI in Part L, which takes into account consumed energy rather than installed load.  

The lighting industry had been expecting the government department to announce Part L changes in April, after positive responses to a public consultation about LENI were published at the end of last year.

Peter Raynham of the Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) said: “It’s good to know they’re back on track. We thought there would be an announcement in April. At the end of the year, politicians were talking about having a bonfire of the regulations to help the construction industry. It’s a big step forward that they’re going to take. I’ve seen positive responses to the consultation. I don’t think a red line will be put through LENI. I think it is being seriously considered.”

Read more about the Part L compliance for lighting.

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

Turn your lamps down low...

The incompatibility of legacy dimming systems originally designed for use with incandescent lamps is causing headaches for lighting designers when they use them with LEDs. Nick Martindale reports and collects some best practice tipsOver the past few years LEDs have emerged as a viable means of enabling clients to save energy while giving lighting designers flexibility and the scope for greater creativity. Yet for many designers and customers there is a flaw: the thorny issue of dimming, particularly when attempting to retrofit LED lamps or luminaires into existing mains-dimmable systems.

For Peter Veale, co-director of Firefly Lighting Design, this has become an issue of late. “When a manufacturer comes in to show us their wares my first question is to ask whether they dim,” he says. “They say we can have any dimming we want, and that used to reassure me.“But, after a particular project last year, where the LEDs weren’t dimming as much as we or the client had hoped, we now have to go a bit further and ask if we can have a sample of the driver we would get if we specified it, so that we can test it,” he adds. “A lot of clients have been in the halogen world and are now using LEDs and expect them to dim in a halogen way. But that’s not necessarily the case.”
James McKenzie, chief executive of LED solutions provider Photonstar, says the whole industry has made heavy weather of the dimming issue by attempting to support legacy systems such as trailing and leading edge that were originally designed for incandescent lighting. One problem is that of minimum load – the point where legacy dimmers cannot cope with the low power required by LEDs – while the quality of the dimmers themselves can also cause problems in an LED world.

Minimum load

“LED drivers are having to get incredibly sophisticated in a bid to guess what dimmer you’re going to use with the system,” he says. “It’s not just the dimmer that’s the problem, either. The wiring can create extra rings that the dimmer manufacturer doesn’t have a clue about. You have to ask why we’re trying to dim LEDs using an incandescent dimmer.”

The issue of minimum load is a particular problem with LED lamps, which often have an integrated driver and electronics combined with the LEDs themselves, says Peter van der Kolk, business development director at controls manufacturer Helvar UK.“In many cases these LED lamps use phase-cut dimmable technology, which was originally optimised for conventional light sources, such as tungsten and halogen,” he says.

Alan Hayllar, engineering director at Mode Lighting (UK), says the problem has been made worse by the failure of LED manufacturers and distributors to confirm which products will dim, and to what extent. “Many of the LED manufacturers claim dimmability, sometimes with certain caveats, but many products do not fully live up to that claim,” he says. “If they stated they could be dimmed but also specified any limitation, it would enhance the reputation of LED products in the market.”

Fred Bass, managing director of Neonlite International – the brand owner of Megaman – suggests that only the “more serious industry players” are prepared to put in the legwork and provide accurate compatibility lists, but also points to the lack of a standard for phase-cut dimming.

“When making a lamp, because there is no standard for the dimming circuit it is going to run on, the only way to know if it will dim correctly on a circuit is to put it into a luminaire and see if it works,” he says. “In the worst cases, the lamp won’t work at all, but more commonly you may get unstable operation at lower dimming levels.”

As a partial solution, designers are sometimes advised to install resistors or even phantom loads to ensure transformers are able to detect the LEDs.

“We’ve talked to lighting controls people who have suggested putting in a ghost load, like a bulb in the ceiling, but that seems a bit detrimental if we’re trying to be energy-efficient,” says Veale. “I might suggest it as a last resort but I’d hope we could get transformers that could take a very low load.”

Compatibility issues

The issues of minimum load and lack of compatibility are not confined to lamps.

“Despite luminaires and downlighter fittings having more room for the electronic driver, they appear to be just as difficult to dim,” says Julian Kay, managing director of controls firm Danlers. “The only way to determine whether any lamp, dimmer and ballast combination will be successful is to carry out detailed analysis of the electrical waveforms.”Guy Simmonds, head of sustainable solutions (Europe) at Lutron, warns that compatibility can be a significant factor in the overall performance of an installed scheme.

“One of the complexities is that there are two factors to consider: the compatibility between the LED driver and the control, but also between the driver and the lamp,” he says. “Everything needs to be working together in order to maximise performance for the designer and end-user.”

Controls protocols

The use of controls protocols such as DALI, DMX, DSI and 1-10V goes some way to alleviating these issues, with the dimming carried out by the ballast itself and the dimmer only acting as a controller, particularly in new installations.

“The use of controls protocols allows the employed electronics – drivers and ballasts – to control the lighting in an optimal manner for efficiency, long life and performance, whereas mains phase dimming compromises the ability of the electronics,” says Jason Ford, project manager for lighting management systems at Osram.

Even this is not without problems, however. Darren Orrow, director of lighting design consultancy Into, points out that on 1-10V with a good driver, LED and controller combination it should be possible to achieve minimum dim levels of 2-5 per cent of maximum brightness.

However, some combinations may only allow an LED to dim to 10 per cent of its maximum level, and this will need to be borne in mind at specification stage.

“DMX, DALI and mains dimming where remote drivers are used will allow you to dim lower, to 0-3 per cent of the maximum level, depending on the combination, but there are different costs associated with such dimming systems and compatible drivers,” he says.

But, on mains dimming where the driver is integral to the LED lamp dim, levels below 5 per cent are sometimes not achievable without instability, he adds.

The whole area has become such a headache that his firm has had to employ a full-time technical manager whose job it is to ensure compatibility.

Test samples

For now, the best designers and specifiers can do is to ask manufacturers for accurate information on compatibility or request samples of equipment so they can run their own tests before they make any purchase.

For McKenzie, though, there’s also a role to play in educating clients, possibly steering them away from dimming altogether.

“People mostly dim to save energy and they’re already doing that by installing LEDs,” he says.

In the longer term, he adds, the easy retrofit might be to replace the switch plate with something that could talk wirelessly to the fittings, thereby bringing down the cost of the more expensive protocols by making them less difficult to install.

In the short term, though, lighting specifiers will have to make the best of a bad situation.

“LED dimming compatibility is only likely to get worse on existing installations using phase cut dimmers, as more people transfer their incandescent lamps to LEDs,” says Bass. “In the long term, the only way that people are going to overcome this will be to replace their existing dimmer with a more LED-compatible model if they want the best of both worlds: energy-efficient lighting from LEDs and dimming.”

LED DIMMING POINTERS:

Because there are so many variables in LED dimming, it is difficult to produce a definitive checklist for lighting specifiers. So Lighting teamed up with the specialists quoted in this feature to highlight five tips which apply across the board:

•  Manufacturer advice on compatibility is not exhaustive. Request a sample and test it yourself. 

• Remember that with luminaires or downlighters you will need compatibility between the driver and the lamp, as well as dimmer and the driver. 

• Consider the use of controls protocols such as 1-10V, DMX or DALI in new builds or large refurbishments. 

• Be conscious that certain systems will not dim all the way down. If you want complete dimming, use DMX, mains or DALI with the correct drivers. 

• Ask clients if they really need to dim. If it’s for energy- efficiency reasons, point out they will use far less energy than before, even without dimming. 

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

www.photonstartechnology.com/learn/control_protocols/

ChromaWhite, Colour Tunable LED Light Source

ChromaWhite™ advanced colour mix technology takes LED to the next level of creativity, reliability and possible applications. It is the first widely colour tunable light source to provide exceptional colour rendering (including the challenging R9/reds), suited to the most demanding applications such as retail, medical and art.

Chip on board technology with active feedback using a direct measurement of key parameters offers ultimate control and performance. 

• Lumenloc™ - Active luminous flux stability and control
• CRIloc™ - Active colour quality, monitoring and control
• Thermaloc™ - Active thermal monitoring and protection
• Colourloc™ -Active colour stability and control
• Innovate™ - High thermal performance "Chip on Board" technology    

ChromaWhite, High CRI (Colour Rendering Index)

ChromaWhite™ advanced colour mix technology delivers a peak colour rendering or Ra97, but never below Ra90 across the white tuning range*, providing superior colour.

Superior colour rendering

ChromaWhite™ advanced colour mix technology delivers a peak colour rendering of Ra97, but never falling below Ra90 across the white tuning range*, providing superior colour perception. Chromawhite™ colour mix technology achieves a CRI of >Ra 90 across the tuning range*, compared to a typical CRI of Ra over 80 for high quality fixed white LED products. Typically the colour rendering index evaluates only the first 8 colour reference samples of the conventional CIE test method for CRI. ChromaWhite™ is optimised to deliver excellent results for the more saturated and skin colour samples of the CRI reference set. For the deep red R9 reference sample, a value of >92 is achieved at 3000K, 4000K and 5000K in all versions. These results are on a par with tungsten halogen lamps and outperform other conventional LED solutions as well as compact fluorescent and metal halide lamps.   

ChromaWhite™ Versions

Software within the controller enables ChromaWhite™ to behave in many ways, creating different versions suited to a variety of applications:  

• ChromaWhite™ VCCT - White colour tunable "Compact LED Light Engine"
• ChromaWhite™ Tungsten H - High CRI - Warms when dimmed - Active colour control

Proven in challenging applications

The Chromawhite™ colour mix technology has been thoroughly proven in the challenging film and tv environment where the sensitivity of cameras requires CRI>Ra98 and benefits from a tuneable source. This same technology has now been developed further for use in architectural lighting, winning EoN Light Source of the Year, Light Association Light Source of the Year (x2) and visitors choice at the ARC Innovation awards.


Read more about the ChromaWhite technology here.

PhotonStar LED Ltd. Light Scandic Grand Central Hotel in Stockholm.

The Scandic Grand Central, Stockholm’s most talked about hotel, opened in November 2011 following a large redesign on the Grand City Palace. 


The impressive renovation featured the complete replacement of the buildings existing lighting with state-of-the-art LEDs.

The redesign on the building fully met its brief and overcame any challenges concerning the lighting design.

The lighting succeeded in highlighting the vintage appearance and cultural décor of the hotel, whilst achieving a cosy atmosphere.

The lighting installed was energy efficient, benefiting the hotel not only because of it’s round the clock availability but also because of Sweden’s natural lack of daylight; the lighting could be used constantly without exhausting huge amounts of energy.

Read the full case study 

Visit the Scandic Grand Central Hotel's Website


PhotonStar's Website

EcoStar - British LED fixtures that comply to new building regulations

EcoStar provide award-winning British LED fixtures that are; energy saving, Part L compliant, and used in both domestic and commercial applications they also comply to the new building regulations.

EcoStar are part of PhotonStar LED Ltd. PhotonStar are a British based solid state lighting designer and manufacturer. We use the latest manufacturing approaches coupled with cutting edge optical designs to produce the brightest and the most cost effective LED modules for use in general lighting.


LEDs are the environmentally friendly, energy saving replacement technology for less efficient technologies, such as the light bulb and fluorescent tubes.

LEDs can last as long as 100,000 hrs and can be up to 20 times as efficient as ordinary light bulbs.

Read more information and view the products from EcoStar 

British LED Manufacturing

CEO James McKenzie wins Entrepreneur of the Year Award

22 March 2013

PhotonStar LED Group plc (AIM: PSL, "PhotonStar" or “the Group”), the British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions, announces that CEO, Dr James McKenzie, has been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2013 New Energy and Cleantech Awards.

James co-founded PhotonStar in 2007 and has led the Group’s continued growth and expansion from its first product range, to listing on AIM in 2010 and the launch of its flagship ChromaWhite technology in 2011. PhotonStar now has an established reputation worldwide for innovative, energy efficient and sustainable LED solutions.

Now in its sixth year, the New Energy & Cleantech Awards aim to celebrate the trailblazers and key individuals who play a pivotal role in developing the process and shaping the future of the new energy, renewable and cleantech industries.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award is given in recognition of pioneering products, sales and profit growth, and market penetration, with the winner considered to be a successful innovator in the clean energy and cleantech space who has effectively advanced their business.

James McKenzie, CEO of PhotonStar LED Group PLC, commented
“This award is a real honour. It is great to receive recognition within the new energy and cleantech industry for all the progress we have made at PhotonStar. It reflects the success and dedication of the whole team.”

For further information:

PhotonStar LED Group plc (www.photonstarled.com)
James McKenzie – Group Chief Executive
+44 (0)2381 230381

College Hill
Adrian Duffield/Rozi Morris
+44 (0)20 7457 2020

Note to editors:

PhotonStar LED Group PLC (“PhotonStar” or the “Group”) is a British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions. The Group’s proprietary technology seamlessly integrates LEDs, sensors and controls to provide intelligent lighting for commercial and architectural applications which benefit from greater CO2 reduction, lower cost of ownership & improved functionality compared to other available light sources.

Photonstar’s lighting products have won numerous awards for performance, innovation and reliability, and are unique in the industry for the use of recycled and recyclable materials, which means they have 90% less embodied CO2 than equivalent products providing the same levels of illumination.

PhotonStar comprises two divisions: LED Lighting Fixtures which works with lighting designers, architects, house builders, facilities management companies and sustainability consultants to provide intelligent, high-end LED lighting solutions for the commercial and architectural market, and LED Light Engines which provides LED lighting solutions for specialist applications such as film & television production lighting, UV curing and medical applications.

PhotonStar is based in Romsey, Hampshire with manufacturing in Wales.

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

Health and Safety Benefits of Replacing Kerosene Candles with Solar Lamps

In rural Africa, more and more families are switching on solar powered lamps to light their homes. Here's why: 


Increased education opportunities 

... Children have the opportunity to do better at school because they can study after dark. This means more opportunities as they grow up. And by using a solar light, teachers in rural areas can prepare lesson plans and mark homework. 

Save (and create) money

... Money previously spent on kerosene and candles can be invested elsewhere and the extra 'light time' means adults can be more productive (for example running a small enterprise in the evening).

 Improved health with clean light

... People become healthier as fewer households are polluted by the smoke from kerosene lanterns. This also means a reduced risk of burns.

 Reduced carbon emissions

.... A single kerosene lamp emits one tonne of carbon dioxide over five years; that's the equivalent of driving your car from London to Moscow and back. We estimate every three solar lamps means at least one less kerosene lamp in use. 



 


SolarAid:

What they do:

SolarAid sell affordable solar lights to rural communities in Africa. Just £6 covers the delivery costs of an individual light, enabling a family to light their home. Brilliant. Share A Light now.

 

Their strategy:

SolarAid sell solar lights through SunnyMoney, By catalysing the market and ensuring the availability of quality solar lights, they can replace kerosene lamps with clean, safe, affordable alternatives. And by partnering with others they can spread the model across Africa. Simple.

Their Impact:

The challenge they face. Only 14.2% of people in rural sub-saharan Africa have access to electricity*.

They've found that quality solar lights increase people’s income by an average 20% per month, cut carbon emissions, improve education and better health. Together, they are lighting homes, schools and health clinics with clean and affordable light from the sun.

 *IEA, World Energy Outlook 2011

 How do we all know all this? Visit their Impact page to find out! 


 Did you know?

Using kerosene for light is cripplingly expensive, burning through, on average, 20% of a household’s income each month! And that's not to mention the pollution, burns and effect on climate change that these small tin lamps have.  


 

DONATE TO SOLARAID NOW!

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

Why Choose LED Lighting?

It's all well and good to offer such a wide and varied selection of LED related goods, but unless you are already aware of the potential benefits of LED fittings over regular, traditional forms of lighting, you might be a little reluctant to give this concept further thought. So, in order to clear up any potential queries you may have with regard to LED lighting and related products, here are five rather impressive reasons to check out this format in a little more detail and, as a result, reap the benefits.

Safety
Whilst this might not be something you have considered in too great a detail, LED lighting is actually far safer than other, more traditional forms of lighting and the related bulbs. LED fittings manage to provide you with a long lasting and impressive level of lighting whilst also maintaining the unique stance of being able to completely avoid harmful chemicals such as Mercury. Traditionally speaking, many bulbs contained a range of less than wonderful chemicals but with an LED fitting, such issues are avoided.

Efficiency
Now, this is something which will no doubt be on everybody's mind where lighting needs are concerned as, put simply, nobody wants to have to be constantly replacing faulty bulbs or stocking up for exactly this kind of eventuality. Thankfully, an LED fitting is the kind of item which has been proven to possess a much, much greater life span than other types of bulb and the levels of efficiency are certainly worth shouting about. LED fittings are also efficient in another way. Those traditional, incandescent light bulbs which we all remember have a tendency to utilise just 20% of the electric current it uses for production of light. This means that a very sizeable 80% of the energy is wasted as heat. LED fittings on the other hand do not have this problem, which leads us on to point three.


Environmental Benefits
It is perhaps something which you are sick of hearing about, but reducing the amount of energy you use can of course have some rather beneficial repercussions, environmentally speaking. LED fittings use much less energy than traditional bulbs and as such, by making use of such a concept, you can reduce your carbon footprint and make savings at the same time.

Reduced Costs
Pretty self explanatory this one; reduced energy consumption doesn't just benefit mother nature, it can also impress your bank manager to boot as long term savings are guaranteed.

Choice
This might not be something which you have thought about too frequently, but what if you suddenly decide that a room or space of yours needs a brand new edge? Is it really that easy to get hold of different coloured bulbs? Well, in terms of LEDs, it couldn't be easier as there really is magnificent scope out there in terms of colour and style.

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

How LED lighting could help cut food waste

Changing the light bulbs could help supermarkets reduce the estimated 300,000 tonnes of food waste they produce each year, according to one lighting company.

Welsh firm Sedna LED reckons illuminating fresh produce with light bulbs that emit heat causes food to sweat in its packaging, contributing to the food waste mountain that costs retailers millions of pounds each year.

As a result, the company is arguing that in addition to cutting energy bills, LED lights could also help keep food fresh.

"Unlike conventional lighting, LED lighting does not emit heat or any UV or IR rays, so food stays fresher for longer," the company said in a statement. "LED light sources can be placed in close vicinity to food for an enhanced aesthetic effect, but with no danger of premature food deterioration."

Supermarkets have made strides in tackling the problem through initiatives such as improving storage advice, trialling packaging that keeps food fresher for longer, and using old food for energy rather than sending it to landfill.

But campaigners have continued to highlight a problem that costs the economy billions of pounds and leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

In related news, the hospitality sector has this week become the latest industry to announce a new initiative to halve the amount of food waste it sends to landfill each year.

A study by the Hospitality Carbon Reduction Forum blamed a lack of anaerobic digestive (AD) capacity along with inconsistent nationwide waste contractor coverage for the fact that over 50 per cent of the food waste generated by its 12,000 restaurants and pubs is currently going to landfill.

The Forum is now evaluating options to help reduce its impact, which could include building a dedicated new AD plant for Hospitality Forum members or transporting food waste to existing AD plants.

There are currently around 200 AD plants in the UK providing roughly 170MW of capacity, around one per cent of the capacity found in Germany.

Proponents say the technology is a sustainable way of generating both electricity and biogas, which could generate up to 10 per cent of the UK's domestic gas demand as a cheap and secure alternative to natural gas imports.

However, the industry has warned the subsidies available to the technology are not sufficient to drive widespread take up.

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

Romsey Dental Care

Romsey Dental Care, situated on Station Road, is an award-winning, ultra-modern dental practice and cosmetic studio. With an ethos about providing exceptional customer service, the practice gained recognition of their high standards in 2009 with the British Dental Association (BDA) Good Practice Award; and more awards followed.


In keeping with the ultra-modern theme, the practice replaced all of their previous fittings with PhotonStar luminaires. The PhotonStar fixtures not only supported the commitment to minimising the environmental impact of the business but provided the benefit of low glare to increase patient comfort and satisfaction.
The luminaires installed require zero maintenance and provide a reduction in energy usage compared to the previous CFL fittings whilst offering better quality of light.

To visit the Romsey Dental Care website, please click here.

The case study is coming soon and can be viewed here.

PhotonStar at Embedded World 2013

PhotonStar's ChromaWhite is a colour tunable LED light source controlled through a mobile module for applications in medical, art, and retail. Built with an ARM Cortex-M3.

http://www.photonstarlighting.co.uk/technology/

http://www.facebook.com/PhotonstarLed

Ecobuild Seminar Programme 2013

The "Evolution of Light" in association with PhotonStar

Housed inside three giant domes, visitors will enter the feature and experience a journey through the evolution of lighting, learning the new metrics, benefits and possibilities along the way. This educational feature will also provide the knowledge needed to specify, procure and install lighting solutions that truly deliver their aims in a reliable and cost effective way.


6 “Ask the Expert” pods are sited on the feature and visitors may have one-to-one sessions with a rotating list of experts in:

• Dimming
• Sustainable Design
• LED Luminaires
• Installing & Commissioning
• Off Grid & DC systems (Renewables)
• Light & Health
• Lighting Design
• Intelligent Lighting & The Internet of Things
• Controls

• And more.....

SEMINAR PROGRAMME:

TUESDAY:

11:30 - 12:00  Off Grid and Off Peak  Solutions 

12:15 - 12:40  Sustainable Lighting – How do I know?

12:45 - 13:15  Lighting and the Green Deal

13:30 - 14:00  LED Basics – Understanding Equivalence, Efficiency and lifetime claims

14:00 - 14:30  LED Essentials – Colour Quality, Colour Shift and Colour Consistency 

14:30 - 15:00  Turn it off! – Lighting controls for sustainable and creative solutions 

15:00 - 15:45  Light & Health – Lighting for  Human performance, efficiency and lifetime

16:00 - 16:45  LED Installers Bootcamp


 

WEDNESDAY:

10:30 - 11:00 Off Grid and Off Peak  Solutions 

11:15 - 11:45 LED Basics – Understanding Equivalence, Efficiency and lifetime claims

12:00 - 12:30 How to Specify LEDs

12:30 - 13:00 Lighting and the Internet of Things

13:00 – 13:30 Turn it off! – Lighting controls for sustainable and creative solutions 

13:30 - 14:00 Right Light, Right Place, Right Time

14:00 - 14:45 Light & Health – Lighting for  Human performance, efficiency and lifetime

14:40 - 15:00 Sustainable Lighting – How do I know?

15:00 – 15:30  Lighting and the Green Deal

16:15 - 16:45  Why Use a Lighting Designer?

17:00 – 18:00 VIP Champagne reception – Invite only

THURSDAY:

10:15 - 10:45 Off Grid and Off Peak  Solutions 

11:00 - 12:00 Lighting Solution Forum

12:00 - 12:30 Modern challenges for Heritage Lighting

13:00 - 13:30 LED Installers Bootcamp

14:00 – 14:30 LED Basics – Understanding Equivalence, Efficiency and lifetime claims

14:30 - 15:00 LED Essentials – Colour Quality, Colour Shift and Colour Consistency 

15:00 - 15:30 Lighting and the new UK building regulations

15:30 - 16:00 Turn it off! – Lighting controls for sustainable and creative solutions 

View the full, detailed, programme of seminars here.

Get your EcoBuild ticket here.

View more about the "Evolution of Light"

UK LED Lighting Manufacture

PhotonStar LED was founded in 2007.
Our mission is to solve the cost problems and increase the efficiency of current LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) for use in general residential and commercial lighting. LEDs are the environmentally friendly, energy saving replacement technology for less efficient technologies, such as the light bulb and fluorescent tubes. LEDs can last as long as 100,000 hrs and can be up to 20 times as efficient as ordinary light bulbs. PhotonStar LED Ltd is a UK based solid state lighting designer and manufacturer. We use the latest manufacturing approaches coupled with cutting edge optical designs to produce the brightest and the most cost effective LED modules for use in general lighting.

Management and Board of Directors:
Dr James Mckenzie - CEO
Dr Majd Zoorob - Director and CTO
Robert Tuck - Business Development Director
Gethyn William - Sales Director
David Holloway - CFO
Fenella Frost - Marketing Communications Director
Steve Baxter - Operations Director



PhotonStar’s award winning formula includes a commitment to UK manufacture at a time when most LED products are manufactured in Asia. We also recognise that when it comes to reliability, it really matters how you design and assemble a product, and rigorous and complete testing is essential.


Keeping both R&D and manufacturing in house permits us to ensure quality is maintained. PhotonStar products are modular and designed to be assembled with minimal labour, keeping our products competitive without losing our quality control. We also have a UK based sales support & technical team. The breadth of technical knowledge in our facility and full in house test labs enables us to optimise designs for both performance and reliability.                  


The assembly stage is key to longevity, and PhotonStar’s production lines include a final test for every unit ensuring that the product performs as expected. A sample of luminaires are put on long term test in our photometric lab, and their performance plotted to determine lifetime of the whole product. We now have some of the longest “in luminaire” test data in the world (20,000 hours). PhotonStar’s UK based R&D team understands that efficiency, control, functionality and local intelligence are key to developing the lowest lifecycle cost, solid state lighting solutions available today.

PhotonStar Job Vacancy - Project Engineer – Romsey, Hampshire

Do you want to be part of one of the fastest growing LED lighting brands, fully committed to UK manufacture?

PhotonStar has opportunities to be part of an innovative cutting-edge team providing advanced award-winning LED solutions.

PhotonStar LED Group PLC is a designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions with a respected reputation worldwide. We are committed to UK manufacture with facilities based in Hampshire and Wales. Winners of many industrial awards including “LA Light Source of the Year” for two consecutive years, success has been as a result of a highly technical and dedicated team.

Due to our continued growth and expansion we are seeking a highly organised and motivated individual with excellent engineering and communication skills, to work as a Project Engineer within our light engines business - PhotonStar Technology Ltd (PST)). Reporting to the Product Line Director, the successful applicant will work in a multi-disciplinary team in our Romsey based production and operations centre. This role is expected to expand and grow giving opportunities for personal promotion and expanded responsibility.

Required Skills

The successful applicant will be a good communicator with a confident manner, and experience of managing complex technical projects, combined with a background in electronic and/or optical engineering, and a demonstrable aptitude for coping with multiple urgent tasks under the pressure of tight deadlines. Essential IT skills include the use of MS Word, Excel and Outlook. Your CV should demonstrate a history of delivering engineering tasks and projects on time to a high standard, dealing directly with both customers and suppliers/sub-contractors. The successful applicant must demonstrate the ability to communicate and interact effectively with all stakeholders – both technical and non-technical and both internal and external to the business – with the appropriate commercial awareness. 
Preference will be given to applicants with a good understanding of LED technology and/or the lighting industry.

Hours and Salary

40 Hours a week (Monday to Friday).
Salary: initially £28-38k dependent on experience, plus performance related bonus and benefits package.

Applications
Send CV with a covering letter stating why you feel that you would be suitable for the role and your salary expectations to careers@photonstarled.com.

www.photonstarlighting.co.uk

www.photonstartechnology.co.uk