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October 11, 2011

Masters of Landscape Lighting – Bernie Granier, StarShine of Texas

Award-winning landscape lighting design by Bernie Granier

Award-winning landscape lighting design by Bernie Granier

Winning a lighting design award is a great achievement. Winning four awards in the same competition is outstanding! This is what Bernie Granier, of StarShine of Texas, did in the 2011 AOLP (Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals)  annual outdoor lighting design competition.

Janet Moyer, the world-renowned landscape lighting designer, was among the judges. She has been instrumental in helping the AOLP develop their training programs and attracting the natural talents of designers like Bernie.

Unlike many lighting firms, Bernie Granier (based near Houston, TX) is a master in finding the perfect blend of architectural lighting and landscape lighting. The result is an exuberant nighttime experience  that embraces the totality of the property.

Exceptional architectural lighting, as shown here, requires an artistic eye and complete mastery of lighting tools.

Exceptional architectural lighting, as shown here, requires an artistic eye and complete mastery of lighting tools.

Using only the best landscape lighting products (CAST among them), Bernie also takes care to ensure that the lights will survive the outdoor environment and continue to provide exceptional lighting year after year.

Our hats off to Bernie and StarShine of Texas for elevating the art of landscape lighting in the Lone Star State. Homeowners looking for exceptional lighting customized to their property, their homes, and their lives should contact Bernie. He’s a master of light and is fully capable of transforming your nighttime experience. We are proud to include Bernie among the CAST Lighting Masters of Landscape Lighting.

Filed under: Featured Outdoor Lighting Projects, Landscape Lighting Business, Landscape Lighting Design, Landscape Lighting Installation Tips & Tricks, Outdoor Lighting Products — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 6:07 pm

March 17, 2011

CAST Lighting Awarded with Constant Contact All-Star Award

CAST Lighting communication award from Constant Contact

CAST Lighting communication award from Constant Contact

CAST Lighting’s outstanding communication efforts have been acknowledged with receipt of the Constant Contact All-Star Award. The criteria for this achievement include:

  • Communicate with customers for all four quarters of the year
  • Update mailing lists often and obtain permission from all their subscribers to contact them
  • Have high open and click-through rates, and low bounce rates
  • Use reports to gain insights about their contact list and online marketing activities
  • Make effective use of social media tools

CAST Lighting has been using this online marketing tool for the past ten years. It enables us to maintain appropriate ongoing communication with our distributors, manufacturer representatives, contractors, and homeowners.

CAST goes beyond the usual promotional intention of newsletters to share industry information and articles on the business, technology, and artistry of low voltage landscape lighting.

Newsletter recipients often comment that they highly appreciate the communication, and that it keeps them up-to-date regarding the latest in landscape lighting. CAST is also conscious of the flood of email communications and releases newsletters only when new information arises. Because of this, CAST newsletters are rarely reported as spam, and very few recipients unsubscribe from the publication.

Steve Parrott, Communication and Marketing Director of CAST Lighting, comments, “Constant Contact has been a valuable partner and enables us to feed valuable information to our subscribers in a professional and effective manner. The landscape lighting industry is hungry for knowledge and there are very few venues for professionals to gain access to useful information. For this reason, in addition to promoting our products, we strive to contribute to the landscape lighting knowledge base.”

We encourage all readers to subscribe to the CAST Lighting newsletter.

Filed under: Landscape Lighting Business, Landscape Lighting Design — Tags: , , , — admin @ 12:19 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

August 12, 2010

Masters of Landscape Lighting – Steve Middleton, Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting

 
Steve Middleton adds a compelling nighttime dimension to water features.
Steve Middleton adds a compelling nighttime dimension to water features.

Landscape Lighting is a profession that hosts a wide variety of individuals – with a wide range of talents. This fact complicates the selection of a landscape lighting designer. How does a homeowner know who’s good, who’s bad, and who’s truly exceptional? Like all complicated decisions, the best answers come from knowledge – preferably knowledge based on evidence.

With Steve Middleton (owner of Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting in Hobe Sound, FL), the evidence of his exceptional work can be seen every night along the sleepy roads of Florida’s Treasure Coast.  Because of Steve, countless homes shine as though the walls themselves are glowing; tropical vegetation emerges from the darkness as though the moon itself had been captured and put to the task. But the most compelling evidence is found on the faces of Steve’s customers – expressions that range from gratitude, to delight, to serenity, to pride. Clearly, the evidence of Steve Middleton’s skill is overwhelming.

What sets Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting above their many competitors in the region?  The reasons are set out in the company’s website (Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting). Primary among them, is Steve’s absolute expertise in tropical vegetation and its illumination. He is widely recognized as the nations leading expert on the subject, and was featured in an article on the topic (Palm Lighting Particulars) in Landscape Contractor National.

Landscape lighting creates nighttime depth and mystery through the juxtaposition of illuminated architectural and plant elements.

Landscape lighting creates nighttime depth and mystery through the juxtaposition of illuminated architectural and plant elements.

Some may wonder, “What’s there to know; you put a light in the ground and shine it onto a tree?” The truth is much more complex and involves three main factors:

  1. Understanding how lighting fixtures coexist with plant systems
  2. Understanding how illumination affects the visual appearance of various types of plant materials
  3. Understanding how lighting fixtures are affected by environmental factors

The first point is not even considered by the great majority of lighting installers. Tropical vegetation (especially palm trees) have the fastest and most aggressive root systems of any plant type in the world. A lighting fixture staked in the ground at the base of a palm tree will, in a few months, become completely entrapped by the roots. This will not only immobilize the lighting fixture (note: fixture locations need to be adjusted as the tree grows), the roots may also grab the wire and pull it away from the light socket. Many Floridian properties are littered with lighting fixtures that have been destroyed in this way.

Years ago, Steve recognized this problem and devised ways to insert lighting fixtures and their wires so roots would not entangle them. He also learned how the various types of palms differ in their root growth, and applies specific techniques appropriate to each specific tree.

To appreciate the second point, one needs to understand the dynamic nature of light. Depending on the angle of illumination, its brightness, its beam spread, determines how a surface appears. As children, we all shone flshlights from under our chins to create a monstrous appearance. In the same way, illuminated trees and structures can look garish or charming, scary or welcoming, unsightly or beautiful – it all depends on the hard-earned talent of a lighting designer like Steve Middleton.

Finally, many underestimate the extremely aggressive nature of the Florida environment, and its affect on outdoor lighting fixtures. Only the most corrosion-resistant materials can withstand coastal regions. That’s why Steve Middleton primarily uses CAST Lighting fixtures (composed of solid bronze), CAST No-Ox Marine-Grade Landscape Lighting Wire (tin-coated), and CAST stainless steel low voltage transformers.

Steve Middleton, of Treasure Coast Landscape Lighting, can be contacted at (561) 222-1077 or by email.

Filed under: Featured Outdoor Lighting Projects, Landscape Lighting Business, Landscape Lighting Design — Tags: , , — admin @ 10:29 am

June 23, 2010

Low Prices for Landscape Lighting?

Landscape lights with coated finishes tend to chip and peel.

Landscape lights with coated finishes tend to chip and peel.

No problem

Just do a Google search for landscape lighting. You’ll find lighting fixtures that cost less than a movie, less than a haircut, less than a meal at McDonalds.

Unfortunately, just like these other consumables, low price lights are purchased then quickly lose their value. Bright and shiny when you buy them, in a few months they are broken, bent, chipped, and may not work at all. Maybe you’ll spend a few more dollars for “premium” fixtures – these may last a full year. In the end, all that remains are bad memories. You might as well have spent the money on a good movie.

Even the Pro’s are Seduced by Low Prices

You would think a landscape lighting professional would be smart enough to avoid throw-away lights. Sadly, many fail to realize that their reputation depends upon the value they deliver. Landscape Lighting Design is an awesome craft that takes years to master and the results are breath-taking – even life-changing – for the homeowner. When a professional designer uses cheap lights, it is not only bad for business; it does the homeowner a huge disservice.

Low cost lights often have flimsy stems that bend and break.

Low cost lights often have flimsy stems that bend and break.

Mistakes Some Landscape Lighting Professionals Make:

  • They spend way too much time trying to save a few dollars on lights, instead of selecting a high-quality brand and sticking to it. Many do this by selecting discount online retailers that offer nothing but low prices and mediocre quality.
  • They are not suspicious when confronted by the oxymoron, “High Quality – Low Price”. They forget that “You get what you pay for” is, and always will be, true.
  • They think they can only succeed if they offer their service at the lowest possible price – lower than everyone else. They will use cheap materials, take shortcuts, and do anything to bring the price down.
  • They fail to see value in their work, their craftsmanship, their experience; and consequently devalue their service to the point where they make little or no money on jobs – a downward spiral that forces them to compromise on the products they sell and the service they deliver.
  • They fail to see that the success of their business depends on their reputations. If their businesses are associated with low quality lights, then their reputation reflects that.
  • They waste time trying to sell professional systems to homeowners who can’t afford (or appreciate) a quality lighting design.
Poorly designed lights may have exposed filaments (light bombs) that hurt the eyes. CAST Lights have fully concealed lamps with no direct glare.

Poorly designed lights may have exposed filaments (light bombs) that hurt the eyes. CAST Lights have fully concealed lamps with no direct glare.

Mistakes Some Homeowners Make:

  • They hire professionals who make the above mistakes.
  • They fail to recognize how a professionally designed lighting system beautifies their property, makes it safer, more secure, and enables them to enjoy their nighttime activities.
  • They underestimate the skill, experience, and artistry required to produce an exceptional lighting design. They spend way too much time in Home Depot browsing through the outdoor lighting section.
  • When evaluating bids for landscape lighting, they focus too much on price, and not enough on other values like training, experience, product quality and professionalism.
  • They are offended when the landscape lighting professional refuses to budge on price.
  • After they get bids on projects, they rush to the Internet to look for product prices to see if they are getting ripped off. They don’t know that the best lighting brands (like CAST Lighting) can’t be purchased through the Internet.
  • They try to do it themselves.
Professionally designed and installed CAST Lighting. These fixtures will never break, bend, chip, or peel - lifetime warranty.

Professionally designed and installed CAST Lighting. These fixtures will never break, bend, chip, or peel - lifetime warranty.

How to Do It Right

Homeowners should find a fully trained, experienced, landscape lighting professional who uses only the highest quality products. They should not try to do it themselves (not if they want a lighting system that will perform for years in the future).

Landscape lighting professionals should select a high-quality brand and stick to it. They should also work on increasing the value of their businesses, build their reputations, and set prices that truly reflect those values.

What CAST Lighting Offers

CAST Lighting manufacturers solid bronze outdoor lighting fixtures that carry a lifetime warranty. We also offer low voltage transformers, tin-coated marine-grade wire and other lighting system components. To ensure that our products are installed correctly, we offer extensive training programs and certification. Homeowners can get CAST-Certified Designer referrals from their local CAST distributors.

Filed under: Landscape Lighting Business, Landscape Lighting Design, Landscape Lighting Installation Tips & Tricks, Outdoor Lighting Products — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 1:59 pm

October 14, 2009

Masters of Landscape Lighting – Michael Gotowala, Preferred Properties

Landscape Lighting, a specific type of outdoor lighting using low voltage lighting fixtures, is both an art and a science. It is a profession born out of the marriage between lighting design and landscape design. For this reason, many of the most talented landscape lighting designers are also landscape professionals. Such is the case with Michael Gotowala, President of Preferred Properties Landscaping and Masonry (based in Cheshire, CT). We feature Michael here (our first installment in a series) because his lighting talent is so exceptional.

CAST Landscape lighting with Michael Gotowala of Preferred Properties Landscaping and Masonry.

CAST Landscape lighting with Michael Gotowala of Preferred Properties Landscaping and Masonry.

While Michael’s company offers a full range of residential design build, landscaping, nursery, and masonry services; landscape lighting is Michael’s most consuming passion. His extensive knowledge of plants and landscape design enables him to see the beauty inherent in the landscape and to visualize how this beauty is best revealed in nighttime illumination. While many landscape lighting installers place lights in obvious locations, Michael excels at finding optimal (often hidden) locations for lights. In this way, he builds lighting designs that are both subtle and dramatic – designs that call attention to the illuminated objects and not the illumination itself.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate Michael’s talent is to examine one of his projects in detail (see photo). This upscale Connecticut home features a colonial-style wrap-around porch with square columns and a gently curving stone walkway to the entrance. This project is an excellent example of masterful landscape lighting. It was featured in several trade magazines and won Michael an Award of Distinction from the Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP).

The first impression of the lighting design is the illumination of the columns. This architectural feature should always be illuminated. Columns are dynamic elements in architecture, they take take the eye in a vertical direction, giving an impression of a structure that is both lifted and supported. They also take the eye horizontally emphasizing the breadth and symmetry of the structure. The illumination is therefore critical. You will notice that Michael took care to light all columns evenly from top to bottom and to ensure that all columns are equally bright (note: it was not possible to light the right-hand column because of the intrusive shrub). The fixtures used to light the columns are CAST Solid Bronze MR-16 Bullets.

The interior of the porch shows an even illumination due to two light sources – ceiling fixtures (set at low levels) and light reflecting off the underside of the eaves (from the column lighting). This reflected light also illuminates the planting bed adjacent to the porch. The use of reflected light from eaves, sidings and trees is often employed to provide a very subtle low-level illumination to reveal areas that would otherwise be in shadow.

The next important element in the lighting design is the path leading from the driveway. This is a feature that needs to be illuminated primarily for safety and secondarily for beauty. To ensure safe passage, the steps need to have a fairly uniform illumination with special attention given to revealing changes in elevation. It is also important that the lighting fixtures not exhibit direct glare (shining into the viewers eyes). All these needs were accomplished by Michael’s use of CAST Solid Bronze Savannah Path Lights.

Another important element of any lighting design is cohesion. This refers to an illuminated scene where the various illuminated elements are tied together in a way that looks visually complete and pleasing. Michael accomplished excellent cohesion in this project by selectively illuminating various plants and trees on the property. If he had not done this, these areas would have been in complete darkness – such darkness distorts the impression of the property, exaggerates the impact of areas that are illuminated, and compromises security of the premises. There is a delicate balance between employing too much light (starts to resemble daylight) and using too little light (creates a dark mood); Michael achieves this balance through the careful placement and direction  of CAST Solid Bronze MR-16 Bullets to illuminate the plant material. 

To conclude, Michael Gotowala is a landscape lighting designer who creates exceptional illumination by drawing upon his knowledge of the art and science of both landscape and lighting design.

Visit the Preferred Properties Landscaping and Masonry website.

Learn more about Landscape Lighting Design.

Filed under: Featured Outdoor Lighting Projects, Landscape Lighting Design, Landscape Lighting Installation Tips & Tricks, Outdoor Lighting Products — Tags: , , , — admin @ 11:12 am

September 28, 2009

Renowned British Lighting Designer Relocates to Florida

Oval Road Tunnel - a BPA lighting projectBrendan Pollard of BPA Lighting in London visited Florida and was so inspired by the architecture and landscape, that he decided to relocate his lighting business to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Much of Pollard’s past work was in the commercial sector, lighting churches, bridges, tunnels and industrial landscapes. His primary focus in Florida will be with residential landscape lighting.

Explaining his shift of focus, Pollard said, “Upon my first visit to Florida several years ago, I fell in love with the uniquely Floridian architecture – a blend of Spanish, Latin-American, and modern styles. At the same time, I was shocked at the preponderance of bad lighting. In a culture where residents spend so many nighttime hours relaxing under the stars, you would think they would want their lighting to appear natural and to better set a romantic mood.”

Pollard clarifies the types of clients he wants to serve, “Just because I come to this country with a wealth of experience doesn’t mean that I only work with the wealthy. Every home is a castle and every business offers value; I am open to projects of any size and scope. My greatest rewards come from seeing the faces of my satisfied clients. For this reason, I keep my rates competitive for the market.”

When setting up his new business, Pollard contacted CAST Lighting because he wanted to exclusively use landscape lighting products that were rugged and durable as well as high-performing. Pollard explains, “My landscape lighting requires fixtures that will endure the harsh tropical climate as well as give me the professional tools to achieve high quality lighting designs.”

Filed under: Commercial Outdoor Lighting, Landscape Lighting Design — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:26 pm