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Lighting
November 2008
5 Minutes with…
Eric Loader,
Director of Sales, Elation Professional Lighting
By Kevin Rogers Cobus
TFWM: How does Elation’s approach to the HOW market differ from other markets?
Eric Loader: In many cases, the products used by a HOW and a theatre are quite similar, but the HOW products are used more to engender a feeling, create an environment and paint a picture, a cross between entertainment and architectural lighting.
Where the HOW market differs, is in the importance placed on the aesthetics of the fixture design. In a church or other house of worship, lighting fixtures are typically in plain direct view of the congregation. This means that the appearance of a fixture is critically important at all times, whether it’s being used or not. Noise is also a primary factor in the HOW market. You do not want the buzz of a light fixture to distract from religious services.
TFWM: Is there a common mistake or misconception that you see in the HOW market regarding the application of lighting or the expectations placed on lighting?
Loader: I’m surprised by the amount of conventional dimming that is still being used in the HOW market today.
Conventional lighting fixtures fill a need and require a lower upfront investment equipment cost-wise. However they also come with built-in inefficiencies, as well as hidden costs such as your electrical installation and monthly electric bills. It simply isn’t very efficient to have lighting fixtures with 300-hour lamps and racks of dimmers that you have to house in a separate air-conditioned room just to keep them from overheating. You can easily replace 30-40 conventional fixtures with 8-12 intelligent lighting fixtures, and save a lot of money through lower installation, utility and maintenance costs.
Also, LED lighting technology is advancing rapidly and I am surprised more HOW venues have not grabbed faster onto this technology. It cannot be ignored and again while the up front cost is heavier, the long term savings and benefits are substantial.
Finally, all three lighting technologies can be used very well together to make up a complete system. A great example of this is a recent installation by one of our dealers in a HOW in Sarasota FL - Church of Hope -- where they used a combination of Conventional, Automated and LED lighting to create a complete lighting solution for the entire venue.
TFWM: What are some of the programs you have to help educate the HOW market on lighting applications?
Loader: We are currently running our Elation Roadshow. This year we covered over 12 major cities in the US. This is directed to our dealers primarily, but what we are finding out is the majority of our dealers have quickly expanded their services to the HOW market, which is often their largest area of growth. So educating them on our products and services results in indirect benefits for the HOW market.
Also, in 2006 we launched our E3 Program - Elation Educational Experience, which is intended for young students and lighting designers with an orientation to the HOW market. The idea is to provide young people with a better idea of lighting’s role in enhancing religious services. Last year, the winners of the E3 contest received an all-expense paid trip to the LDI Show. This year, they received one to the WFX show. The contest, or “E3 Challenge,” requires entrants to light a youth ministry facility for a “typical” HOW where special events are to be held. More information can be found about this on our web site - http://www.elationlighting.com/presstitle.asp
TFWM: Is there one aspect of Elation that you would like houses of worship to note that they may not know about?
Loader: Technology is changing fast and there are so many options out there in the market it can be a very confusing decision for a HOW on what products to purchase and how to make the best decision and get the best overall value for their facilities. I would strongly urge the HOW to find a dealer who has experience in the HOW market and knows what works and what doesn’t, and is able to give you a narrowed set of options which will give you a long term solution.
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