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January 27, 2012

LED Landscape Lighting Webinar for Landscape and Lighting Professionals

Intensive Online LED Learning Event to Educate Installers, Designers, and Architects

REGISTER TODAY – LINKS BELOW

As a landscape or lighting professional, you are undoubtably confronted with clients who insist on LED’s and expect you to be the expert. That’s a tall task since understanding LED’s (especially as installed in an outdoor environment) requires some intensive study.

To jump-start your education, we’ve created a fact-filled online learning event. This hour-long webinar will cover the following:

  • New opportunities for LED upgrades and new installations
  • New challenges dealing with semi-conductor-based lighting
  • A primer on LED science, including driver electronics, color, heat management, LED life, voltage loss calculations (power factor) 
  • CAST LED product features
  • LED installation techniques
  • Sales and marketing strategies

This webinar is an excellent introduction into the world of LED’s as they function in the landscape.

Since you’re probably busy, we’ll be holding this webinar 8 times over the next two weeks! 

Presenters:

- David Beausoleil, Founder and President of CAST Lighting
- Steve Parrott, CAST Lighting Communication & Marketing Director

To register – click on one of the dates and times below!
You can access the webinar from a PC or Mac; audio is available through your computer or via phone (long distance charges through your phone carrier may apply) 
The webinar is a full-hour with time for questions at the end.

All times are EST.

Attending this event live is preferred, but the webinar recording will be available to all who attend and those who cannot attend. 

 Questions? Contact Stephanie at 973-423-2303 or email.
CAST Lighting LED Landscape Lighting Webinar

One-hour intensive LED webinar aimed at landscape lighting professionals.

LED voltage loss calculations require use of "Power Factor". LED voltage loss calculations require use of “Power Factor”.

CAST Lighting Led landscape Lighting Webinar

CAST LED landscape lights have many advanced features that require some explanation.
Filed under: Commercial Outdoor Lighting, LED, Landscape Lighting Business, Landscape Lighting Design, Landscape Lighting Installation Tips & Tricks, Outdoor Lighting Products — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:36 pm

January 7, 2011

CAST Landscape Lighting Transformers Re-Engineered for Greater Reliabililty

CAST 1,500W Master Series Landscape Lighting Transformer

CAST 1,500W Master Series Landscape Lighting Transformer

Low voltage transformers are at the heart of every landscape lighting installation. Their job is fairly simple – to convert 120 volts to the voltage required to power a 12-volt lighting system. Not so simple, is the engineering that goes into the construction of these power supplies.

CAST Lighting produces transformers that range in capacity from 300 watts to 1,500 watts (the largest in the industry); and that range in output from 12 volts to 22 volts. Throughout the past ten years, CAST engineers have modified the components and design of these transformers – to improve their functionality and reliability.

The larger transformers (900 watts and above) presented the greatest engineering challenges. These transformers carry a high current load that stress the unit’s electronic components. Additional stresses are applied due to the occaisional presence of “Inrush Current” – a powerful surge that floods the unit upon start-up. After all these modifications, CAST is confident that their transformers are now the most rugged and reliable in the industry.

CAST Lighting Transformer Features

  • Highly efficient resin-sealed torroidal cores (the best in the industry)
  • Double inrush protection (on models 900 watts and above) – using two simple and robust thermistors
  • Extra-rugged Power Bypass Relays – to protect sensitive time clocks and photocells
  • “Full-Load Commons Configuration”  (Master Series only) – enables full use of  transformer capacity
  • Extra-large terminal blocks and wiring compartment
  • PVC wire conduit (Master Series only)
  • More features. . .

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Filed under: Landscape Lighting Transformers, Outdoor Lighting Products — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:42 pm

January 5, 2011

Quality Lighting and the Landscape

(For complete text of this article, click here.)

Our first priority in lighting the landscape is to provide the basic illumination that enables our vision. From there, we expand our designer’s skill to include several other goals – some obvious, others more subtle. The following article not only elucidates these goals, it sets them in relation to each other. It is the relationship of lighting goals that defines lighting quality. Lighting quality is the value we bring as professional landscape lighting designers.

In the complete article, each bullet point is discussed in detail.

What is Lighting Quality?

CAST Lighting - Landscape Lighting QualityQuality is a nebulous word and largely subjective. One person loves the lighting, another hates it, and another is indifferent. With such a range of opinion, how is it possible to define and achieve this quality? The answer can be found by considering a host of factors including human needs, economics, energy efficiency, environmental issues, and considerations of architecture and plant material. The next time a homeowner asks why she should hire you to do the lighting, you will explain lighting quality and how you achieve it.

A 2008 landmark publication by the IESNA, A Guide to Designing Quality Lighting for People and Buildings defines and illustrates quality lighting from a needs standpoint. The following points are distilled from this publication and commentary provided by CAST Lighting’s Steve Parrott.

Human Needs

  1. Task Visibility.
  2. Task Performance.
  3. Mood and Atmosphere.
  4. Visual Comfort.
  5. Aesthetic Judgement.
  6. Health, Safety, and Well-Being.
  7. Social Communication.

Summary of Quality Landscape Lighting for Human Needs

The lighting designer illuminates the landscape to serve the needs of people who live and visit there. The designer provides sufficient illumination of the right type to enable people to perform needed actions in an environment that is visible, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.

Economics and Environment

  1. Turtle-Safe Lighting - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionMaintenance.
  2. Ownership Cost.
  3. Sustainability.
  4. Lighting Control.
  5. Dark Sky.

Summary of Quality Landscape Lighting for Economic and Environmental Needs

The lighting designer selects fixtures and components that are long-lived, reasonably priced, energy-efficient, and that represent a minimal impact on environmental concerns.

Architecture

  1. Integration with Existing Architecture.
  2. Lighting Emphasis and Variation.
  3. Codes and Standards.

Summary of Quality Landscape Lighting for Architecture

The lighting designer recognizes important architectural and landscape features, and creates a design to selectively highlight these features. The designer also selects lighting fixtures that are visually appropriate to the surroundings.

Plant Materials

  1. Integration with Existing Plant Material.
  2. Plant Growth.
  3. Plant Health.
  4. Plant Aesthetics.

Summary of Landscape Lighting Quality for Plants

The lighting designer incorporates plant material into the lighting design with recognition of each plant’s distinctive qualities, and plans for lighting system changes as plant materials grow.

Conclusion

Quality lighting for the landscape is comprised of a host of factors including human needs, economics and the environment, architectural factors, and plant material considerations. The lighting designer who embraces all these factors and incorporates them into lighting plans offers great value to lighting consumers.

Search for a CAST-Trained Landscape Lighting Designer.

Filed under: Landscape Lighting Business, Landscape Lighting Design, Landscape Lighting Installation Tips & Tricks — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 5:23 pm

October 2, 2009

Green Energy and CAST Lighting

“Going Green” is a phrase we hear often – from governmental agencies, businesses, and individuals. We hear it so often that one wonders whether or not we should add green to our red, white, and blue colors.”

CAST Lighting low voltage lights used on the grounds of Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

CAST Lighting low voltage lights used on the grounds of Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Of course, the green movement is real and important. It expresses a long-overdue awareness of energy conservation and environmental protection. And, it is more than just words, it is a cascading sequence of meaningful actions backed by personal commitment and regulatory enforcement.

In the realm of lighting, the green movement focuses on lighting that is energy efficient and focused. By focused, we mean that light is directed only where it is needed, for only as long as it is needed, and with appropriate levels of brightness. To accomplish these goals, we need to consider luminaire design, lamp type, lighting controls and other system factors. Also, since sustainability and the use of renewable resources are important, we consider materials used in the construction of lighting system components.

CAST Lighting LLC., from its inception, established rigorous ‘green’ standards for its luminaires, lamps, power supplies and other system components. Installation methods were also developed with the same intent. These standards embrace the following criteria: (These points are further discussed in the whitepaper, “Green Energy and CAST Lighting“.)

  • Adherence to energy efficient low voltage (12-volt) lighting.
  • Selection of lamps with highest possible lumen efficacy (lumens/watts).
  • Selection of lamps with longest possible life.
  • Luminaire design to maximize luminaire efficiency (‘emitted lumens’ / ‘lamp lumens’).
  • Luminaire design to minimize light trespass and light pollution.
  • Selection of materials in the construction of luminaires for maximum useful life and resistance to corrosion.
  • Selection of materials in the construction of landscape lighting wire to maximize resistance to corrosion and maintenance of conductivity.
  • Selection of highly energy efficient toroidal landscape lighting transformers.
  • Establishment of landscape lighting installation methods that maximize energy efficiency of the lighting system and preserve this efficiency for an extended time.

CAST Lighting has issued a white paper explaining how its products and systems fit into the Green Energy Movement. Specific programs and organizations, such as LEED, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Progam, and International Dark Sky Association are discussed. For each group, information is provided about how CAST Lighting products fit into the associated regulations and guidelines.

Read the white paper, “Green Energy and CAST Lighting.”

Filed under: Commercial Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Lighting Products — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:58 am