Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Available with Company's Advanced PixelView(TM) Camera Motion Control System

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. - Matching commercial demand with sustainable LED lighting design, Lighting Science Group (OTCBB: LSCG) announced today the launch of its Forefront(TM) product line. A full family of architectural luminaires, the Forefront is available in area, flood, highbay, pedestrian and wall - each of which individually blends into the architectural landscape it illuminates. Valued for its versatility, coordinated form and unparalleled performance, the line also debuts Lighting Science Group's new benchmark for outdoor control, its occupancy sensing technology PixelView.

"Lighting Science Group engineers designed Forefront with designers in mind," said Jim Haworth, chairman and chief executive officer. "As a cohesive family of products, the line offers infinite options and combinations to meet - and enhance - any space's lighting requirements. Couple Forefront's adaptability with LED lighting's ability to maximize energy savings, performance and thermal management, architectural designers now have a go-to source for all their illumination projects."

Each of the Forefront products - area, flood, highbay, pedestrian and wall - pairs power with performance. Forefront area offers six optical distributions and delivers up to 32,000 lumens, making it the perfect one-for-one replacement of HID fixtures from 100-750 watts at approximately half the energy usage. Forefront flood features four unique optical distribution modules, with output ranges up to 23,000 lumens, providing focused lighting solutions for facade, sign, landscape and architectural highlighting. Forefront highbay suits a wide range of industrial applications - including warehousing, schools, cold storage and manufacturing facilities - with three sizes and optical packages. Forefront pedestrian enhances visibility in scale applications such as parks, building entrances and streetscapes with outputs over 5,500 lumens. Forefront wall - available in two sizes, each providing performance of a 400 watt HID system at less than half the energy usage - optimizes the LED source while preserving the module's flexibility to outfit complex applications and diverse settings.

Going beyond just coordinated appearance, Lighting Science Group's world-class team of scientists and engineers provided for the option of integrating the Company's new PixelView occupancy control system directly into the product's luminaires. Whereas typical exterior occupancy controls using Passive Infrared (PIR) technology to detect motion can be severely diminished in hot or cold environments, the PixelView Occupancy Control system relies on image sensing and video processing. As such, Forefront's ability to detect and characterize motion is unaffected by ambient conditions. Requiring no costly secondary wiring of sensors outside of the luminaire or any remote software monitoring, PixelView comes factory installed with the luminaire in standard offerings that will allow it to dim to either 30% or 50% of its wattage in an unoccupied setting. Furthermore, the PixelView control system provides an exceptional 360-degree coverage zone of 4L X 3W mounting heights in applications up to 40 feet.

The new product line joins the Company's suite of products that have found applications ranging from use in NASA outer space ventures to artistic designs that span skyscraper silhouettes to everyday practical implementations for American homes and businesses that save families and business owners significant amounts of money on electricity bills. On the global stage, Lighting Science Group has become synonymous with the ultra-efficient lighting revolution, and at home the Company is most commonly viewed as the fulfillment of America's clean technology promise.

For more information on Lighting Science Group's Forefront line and other lighting products visit: http://www.lsgc.com. Visit the Forefront family at the Company's booth (#215) at LightFair International -- May 9-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

About Lighting Science Group

Lighting Science Group Corporation (OTCBB: LSCG) designs, develops, manufactures and markets LED lighting solutions that are environmentally friendlier and more energy efficient than traditional lighting products. Lighting Science Group offers retrofit LED lamps in form factors that match those of traditional lamps or bulbs and LED luminaires designed for a range of applications including public and private infrastructure for both indoor and outdoor use. Lighting Science Group's Advanced Projects Group business unit designs, develops and manufactures custom LED lighting solutions for architectural and artistic projects. Lighting Science Group is headquartered in Satellite Beach, Florida; the Company's European operations are based in Middelburg, The Netherlands; and the Company has a sales office in Sydney, Australia. Lighting Science Group employs approximately 1000 workers building lighting products from domestic and imported parts. Lighting Science Group is a Pegasus Capital Advisors portfolio company. More information about Lighting Science Group is available at http://www.lsgc.com.

SOURCE Lighting Science Group

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Lighting Science Group Launches Its High-Performance Forefront(TM) Site and Area LED Lighting ...

There is no perfect house. No matter how hard you look or how many homes your real estate agent shows you, getting everything you want when buying a home -- and getting it in perfect condition -- is impossible.

Even new homes will have a feature or two you may not like and will want to change.

If you've ever toured homes for sale, or watched hard-to-please homebuyers on HGTV's "House Hunters," you know there are always kitchen cabinets that are outdated, pink walls to be repainted or bathroom wallpaper that looks like it is 100 years old.

After shopping around for the lowest mortgage rates, you don't want to walk away from a house you like because it needs a few minor repairs, real estate experts say. The repair's price should be factored into what you're paying for the home, and mortgage lenders can help you pull money out of a home sale. For example, sellers may contribute to the repair bills, and some mortgages, like an FHA 203(k) loan, factor repair costs into the overall loan amount.

Sep Niakan, a real estate broker in Miami, says he's had clients walk away from homes because they can't see past minor flaws.

"Many buyers want to see an end product. They don't have a vision for what it could be with just a couple of tweaks," Niakan says.

So before you decide to cross a house off your list, here eight minor home flaws that shouldn't deter you from buying a home:

No. 1: Unappealing paint. This is one of the easiest and cheapest fixes, especially if you do it yourself. Don't let someone's poor taste in paint colors convince you not to buy. Most buyers who Niakan has worked with would rather pay a premium for a house that doesn't need fixes than take the time and money to do the repairs themselves. That's true even when the changes will cost less than a "perfect" house, he says. Even buyers of premium homes that don't need many changes still alter the home after they move in, Niakan says, and painting is often the first change.

"It's very, very rare for a buyer to buy a house and not personalize it in some way," he says.

Read: Go green when renovating: Choose deconstruction over demolition

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Homebuyers: It's OK to overlook these 8 flaws

DALLAS, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Home Systems, Inc. (USHS) today announced that Murray Gross, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will participate in the Benchmark Company, LLC One-on One Investor Conference on Thursday, May 31, 2012 at The Pfister Hotel, 424 East Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. The conference has a one-on-one format for meetings arranged by Benchmark with investors. Investors planning to attend the conference should contact their Benchmark representative to arrange a meeting.

About The Benchmark Company, LLCHeadquartered in New York City, The Benchmark Company, LLC is an institutional brokerage firm with a strong sales/trading presence in addition to its rapidly expanding research and investment banking arms.

About U.S. Home Systems, Inc.U.S. Home Systems, Inc. (www.ushomesystems.com) manufactures or procures, designs, sells and installs custom quality specialty home improvement products. The Company's product lines include kitchen cabinet refacing products utilized in kitchen remodeling, bathroom tub liners and wall surround products utilized in bathroom remodeling, and storage organization systems for closets and garages. The Company manufactures its own cabinet refacing products and bathroom cabinetry.

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U.S. Home Systems to Participate in 3rd Annual Benchmark Company Investor Conference on May 31, 2012

The recently appointed Town Hall Building Committee agreed to send two requests for proposals for architectural firms Perkins Eastman and KSQ Architects Tuesday night. The RFPs will be for architectural designs on a renovated Town Hall and tiered parking structure at Locust Avenue. Both firms are familiar with the town and its planning projects as KSQ worked on the 2008 Downtown Study and Perkins Eastman recently finished work on the master plan for the Long Range Planning Committee.

"I concur with the original sense of the committee, that working with the two firms that we have worked with in the past is the right way forward for this group," committee member Kathleen Corbet said.

The committee will finalize what exactly they hope to request officially in the RFP by their next meeting May 29 so the firms have a good idea of what the town is looking for when it comes to a new town hall and Locust Avenue lot.

Most of what the panel focused on included flexible space for offices and meeting, historical preservation and costs.

Most of the discussion surrounding the historic aspect of Town Hall dealt with the preservation of the faade out front.

Preservationist Mimi Findlay cited what might be historical on the inside of the building, including the marble flooring and murals in the auditorium.

"It's the culture of the town and it shouldn't be something that's just thrown away," Findlay said.

"It really is a terrific building of craftsmanship."

She suggested that both firms should be investigated and vetted on their historical preservation expertise, something everyone on the committee supported.

"I have a feeling that if there is some extra expense and some consideration given, my guess is there are people that feel strongly enough about it that we might be able to even privately fundraise for some of these things to preserve," said First Selectman Rob Mallozzi.

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Building committee discusses historic preservation and architects

La Jolla-based architect Trip Bennett (right) and structural engineer Peter Curry received an award from the Utah Heritage Foundation for their work on the Washington School House Hotel.

The La Jolla Historical Societys interim executive director, F. H. Trip Bennett, was recognized this month for helping preserve a piece Park City, Utahs past.

Bennett, a principal at La Jolla-based Bennett + Associates Architecture + Interior Design, along with structural engineer Peter Curry, received a 2012 Heritage Award from the Utah Heritage Foundation for their work on the Washington School House Hotel.

After being gutted to the studs the iconic structure was given a complete historic renovation and restoration, reopening in January as a luxury 12-suite hotel, in time for the Sundance Film Festival.

Built in 1889, the iconic structure is one of Park Citys three original schools. It was nearly destroyed in the citys great fire of 1898, though its sturdy limestone faade remained. Since then, it has been used as a VFW hall and a bed and breakfast, which Bennett said destroyed some of the historical and architectural integrity of the interior.

The award-winning project was featured last week on The Today Show as one of Travel + Leisure magazines Top 50 Best New Hotels in the World.

Local interior designers Paul and Shannon Allen also let their expertise to the project.

For more information, visit washingtonschoolhouse.com

Pat Sherman

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Architects honored

EDMONTON - Details became clearer Wednesday on what the new home for the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers would look like.

But the question of how much it would cost and who would pay remained as fuzzy as ever.

Architects unveiled for city councillors design sketches and a conceptual video walk-through of the proposed $450-million facility in the city's downtown.

The sketches, leaked to the media weeks earlier, show a futuristic building of wavy lines and curves in zinc, masonry and lots and lots of glass.

The building's shape is meant to resemble an oil drop to honour the name of the team and the province's core industry but practical design functions leave it looking more like a bulbous, backwards letter P.

The rink would be inside the circle of the P. A grand foyer would jut out in a straight line below.

Scott Ralston, an executive with U.S.-based 360 Architecture, said the rink would represent the fluidity of oil, the speed of hockey and the wavy lines of drifting snow.

"The image of the building is really a manifestation of trying to blend all of these inspirations," Ralston said after the presentation at city hall.

"We're trying to convey an iconic landmark building in downtown Edmonton ... that will be a catalyst for future (surrounding) development."

The goal, he said, would be to integrate the rink into the community so it didn't become a shuttered barn that only came alive on hockey nights.

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Architects unveil new sketches, details on proposed arena for NHL Oilers

Tracking commentary and opinion from around Central New York, the state and nation:

Thursday's Topic:

Kirk Narburgh, a partner at King + King Architects in Syracuse, writes about architects in the Readers' Page of today's Post-Standard. Here is his letter:

A recent study by Georgetown University's Center for Education and the Workforce shows that architecture majors have the highest levels of unemployment: 14 percent among bachelor's graduates ages 22 to 26.

Surprised? Don't be. Consider this: Prior to 2008, the construction industry was roughly 10 percent of overall gross domestic product, whereas now it is less than 6 percent. That is a staggering decline, mostly due to a bad economy. But demand for architectural services will rapidly increase in the future. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is projecting a 2.1 percent increase in construction spending this year already (following several years of declines), with a jump to a 6.4 percent increase in 2013. Looking further ahead, we predict that by 2035, 75 percent of the built environment will be new construction or undergo substantial renovations.

As the U.S. economy recovers, pent-up demand will create the need for design expertise in the construction of new buildings. Existing buildings will be adapted to serve new functions and, most importantly, to meet critical new environmental standards. It is well known that our public spaces and infrastructure, in large cities and small towns, need renovation and modernization. Global demand for innovative design remains strong. When the economy recovers, we need the right people doing the right work. If we don't, the ramifications will affect more than just the architecture profession - everyone will lose out on the missed opportunity to improve our communities and aging infrastructure.

So while headlines in The Washington Post like, ''Want a Job? Go to College and Don't Major in Architecture'' make for good copy and increase page views, they are also reactive and shortsighted. Consider what life would be like without architects. Who is directly involved at the ground level of rebuilding efforts following natural disasters? Who would you want designing a hospital where you or a loved one stays after surgery, or designing an educational building for our future leaders?

Architects are vital to the health and well-being of our neighborhoods, cities and communities. During the recession of the early 1990s, which severely affected the real estate industry, so many young architects left the profession because of bleak job prospects that they became known as the ''Lost Generation.'' This left a gaping void of young talent in the design and construction sector once conditions improved. If this happens again, it will hamper the global competitiveness not only of U.S. design and construction firms, but of other industries that look to architects to help them grow and flourish.

Given the challenges that many of our cities and regions currently face, we should be encouraging students to engage in architectural practice and related design disciplines. The worst thing that could come out of this survey's findings would be for a student interested in and passionate about architecture to abandon his or her career plans simply because the industry has been adversely and disproportionately affected by the overall recent economic woes.

Talented individuals have selected architecture as a career for generations, based on the desire to improve the built environment, not just for the money or for the short-term rewards. This is still the case and it is important to note how many dedicated young people still select the profession and work hard, patiently waiting for the appropriate position and compensation, and the opportunity to contribute to improving the architecture of our country and others around the globe.

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Opinion today: Architects matter because they improve communities from the ground up

These renderings depict what the Vine Street corridor between UTC and downtown Chattanooga could look like if a proposal from a local group of urban designers was developed. The project features mixed-use, high-density residential development where parking lots currently stand, and a new parking garage with a park on top

A group of architects on Tuesday proposed sweeping changes for the Vine Street corridor between Georgia Avenue and Douglas Street.

Students currently use the term "dead zone" to refer to the vast expanse of parking lot blacktop on the street's north side.

But urban designers unveiled a $60 million plan to convert the urban desert into what they hope will be an outdoor living room, populated chiefly by pedestrians instead of the occasional passing car.

The fifth in a series of Urban Design Challenges events sponsored by nonprofit developer River City Co., the presentation at Central Church of Christ focused primarily on connecting the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to Market Street.

"We're hoping to establish a connection that for a long time has frankly been disappointing," said Matt Greenwell, an art teacher at UTC.

Under the plan, the endless sea of motionless vehicles would disappear into a new, 900-parking space parking garage, complete with retail on the ground floor.

On top of the garage, architects envision a 4,000-seat soccer stadium and recreational field that would draw residents from throughout the area.

Mixed-use housing targeted at graduates, empty-nesters and students would lead back toward the university proper, connected by a new shuttle between Georgia Avenue and UTC's properties at Central Avenue.

The most daring part of the plan, however, centers on Fountain Square, a virtually unused monument to firefighters who lost their lives in the city's great fire of 1887.

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Architects propose reviving dead zone on Chattanooga's Vine Street

EPM Architects announced today that it will be the exclusive Platinum level sponsor at this years annual PMI Conference & Expo.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) May 15, 2012

The conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Houston from June 4-6, 2012, and will host over 3,000 members across various industries.

The conference will feature breakout sessions on Professional Management Development, various workshops and speaking engagements, as well as a job fair.

EPM Architects will be hosting three breakout sessions:

1st Session Title: Cross-Project Dependencies and Program Schedule Integration with Microsoft Project Server Date / Time: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 / 8:00 AM to 9:15 AM

2nd Session Title: Skills-Based Resource Planning in Microsoft Project Server 2010 Date / Time: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 / 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM

3rd Session Title: Project Cost Tracking and the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) in Microsoft Project Date / Time: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 / 2:30 PM to 3:45 PM

4th Session Title: Microsoft Project Scheduling Tips and Best Practices Date / Time: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 / 11:00 AM to 12:15 AM

5th Session Title: Managing Resource Supply and Demand with Microsoft Project Server 2010 Date / Time: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 / 2:30 PM to 3:45 PM

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EPM Architects to be the Platinum Sponsor at the PMI Conference & Expo 2012

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Addressing the needs of architects seeking more energy efficiency and flexibility in HVAC solutions, LG Electronics is highlighting its award-winning variable refrigerant flow VRF product line, as well as new high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rated (SEER) models for residential and light commercial applications at this week's American Institute of Architects National Convention & Design Expo (booth # 4126).

Catering to LEED*-focused architects, these commercial climate control products from the worldwide HVAC solutions provider deliver aesthetic versatility and energy-saving technologies for a quicker return on investment, according to Kevin McNamara, vice president of Commercial Air Conditioning, LG Electronics USA.

"The architecture and design community is an important audience for LG Electronics, and the AIA Convention presents an ideal forum for demonstrating LG's ongoing partnership with, and product innovations developed for, this influential group," said McNamara. "Today's architects and design experts are setting the pace for more energy efficient, cost-effective and creative commercial and residential dwelling solutions. As evidenced by the products showcased at AIA this year, LG's new HVAC solutions are designed to both meet and exceed these needs."

Multi V IIIHarnessing the power of the next-generation of VRF technology has enabled Multi V III to achieve a breakthrough with energy efficiency standards in both Heat Pump and Heat Recovery models with an increase in condenser heat transfer surface area and a new compressor. The Multi V III Heat Pump allows occupants to choose either to air-condition or heat all zones in use, while the Heat Recovery model allows for synchronous cooling and heating in different zones at the same time. Units are available from 6-36 tons and 208-230V or 460V. Multi V III is LG's flagship commercial HVAC system as demand for energy-saving HVAC technology continues to grow.

Multi V III's key benefits for building owners include:

Compact Footprint: Multi V III supports more indoor zones and takes up less outdoor space than previous models. When space or access is at a premium, this equates to significant cost advantages for the owner on large projects.

Newest Addition to the Art Cool FamilyLG's new High SEER Art Cool wall-mounted models have increased Art Cool's already high SEER ratings vastly. The 12K BTU/h offers SEER up to 26 and the 9K model offers up to 28, a rating currently unmatched by competitors. The new product offers many unparalleled features for those needing a duct-free system:

In addition to the newest member of the Art Cool family, popular LG Art Cool Mirror wall mounted units have style to fit any decor are also on display. Similar to the standard wall mounted unit, the Art Cool Mirror hangs on an easily installed factory supplied wall bracket, making installation simple. Energy efficiency for the Art Cool Mirror units range from 18.9 SEER to 20 SEER. Also on display this week, LG's Art Cool Gallery model provides a three dimensional air flow system with the look and feel of a stylish photo frame.

Expanded Product LineAlso highlighted at the AIA Convention this week is LG's expanded product line, including the new Multi V Water II, a new high-efficiency inverter water source heat pump that enables capacity to vary based on load fluctuation. This eco-friendly heating and cooling system can also be used in geothermal applications.

LG's Multi V Mini is a two pipe heat pump system that is available in capacities of 3, 4 and 4.4 tons. This system is best suited for applications with up to 9 zones that require either heating or cooling with indoor units totalling up to 5.7 tons of capacity. Multi V Mini outdoor units are available in 208/230V single phase which suits small buildings and residences.

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LG Electronics Brings New, Innovative Energy-Efficient Commercial HVAC Solutions To LEED-Focused Architects