A range of new online lighting information resources are available to both the general public and lighting professionals in New York, via the newly formed New York City Lighting Council (NYCLC). Established in the fall and winter of 2009 by the New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society, the council and its website (nyclc.info/home.html) are meant to serve as “an information source and champion for issues involving the use of lighting in and about the New York Cityscape.”
The Lighting Council Coordinators and members of the IESNYC Public Outreach Committee are lighting designers Randy Sabedra of RS Lighting Design; C. Brooke Silber of Domingo Gonzalez Associates, and Michael W. Mehl of Jaros Baum & Bolles; along with Wendy Kaplan of manufacturer LightWild and Peggy Meehan of Amerlux Lighting. The purpose of the council is to establish resources that will promote lighting awareness, to advocate for good lighting practices, to engage in initiatives for lighting preservation and protection, and to support the funding of lighting for public projects.
Concurrent with the council’s efforts, a new website (lighting311.org) will be launched in June 2010. It is meant to tap into New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s communication initiative, NYC311 (launched in 2003), which provides the public with quick, easy access to all New York City government services and information. For the lighting professional, the Lighting 311 site will provide information on topics ranging from codes to city policies to energy and sustainability issues. For the public, the website is a place where they can ask lighting professionals about topics such as energy-efficient lamp choices and lamp recycling. For additional information, contact the council at info@NYCLC.info.
