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A rundown on how each state representative voted on the zoning reform bill.

Myth: The Planning and Development Committees proposed bills would end our local decision making on zoning and land-use.

Fact (Spin from Democrats):This legislation empowers local communities to plan for the future.Nothing in any proposed Planning and Development Committee bill eliminates local decision making on zoning and land-use. Instead, these changes add clarity, transparency and consistency to local zoning regulations.

a. Connecticut law (8-2) gives the authority to regulate land use to the 169 towns and cities in our state.b. These bills move Connecticuts law, written almost 100 years ago, into the 21st century, providing tools and frameworks for municipalities to create their own goals, plans and processes.

The reality:

HB 6107 passed in the house and the language changed significantly (through a strike all amendment) to this one bill, which has been cobbled together with pieces from 13+ different bills raised in four-plus different committees. Some of the original bills most definitely would have ended local decision making on zoning and land use this session.

While CTs law, 8-2 may have been written almost 100 years ago, individual towns have been granted zoning powers and routinely review and update their own zoning regulations, so they are already in the 21st Century. Towns already create their own goals, plans of conservation and development and processes. Towns are already mandated to create an affordable housing plan. They are best suited to write the regs most applicable to their own unique town.

HB6107 MANDATES towns to accept ADUs as of right everywhere in the municipality and limits maximum parking requirements to two parking spaces for all units with two or more bedrooms. It does permit towns to opt out should they not want to follow these mandates by a two-thirds vote of both the local zoning board as well as the local voting body of the town.

If towns do not opt out by set date or add any additional ADU restrictions, like allowing ADUs only in certain zones within a town, the local zoning policy is made NULL AND VOID. This is a loss of local decision making.

The bill also MANDATES any developer fees must be returned to the builder and cannot charge any fee that is calculated in a different way for a developer from any other project. This may prevent the ability of towns to collect fees for seed capital to create affordable housing projects.

The bill deletes from 8-2 provisions which state: prevent overcrowding of land, avoid undue concentration of population, conserving value of buildings

The bill deletes character and replaces it with physical site characteristics and cannot deny a project unless such character is expressly articulated in regs by clear and explicit physical standards for site work and structures.

The bill allows cottage food industry & mobile manufactured homes in residential areas.

The bill requires towns to consider the impact of building on neighboring municipalities and the planning region, to address disparities in housing needs and access to educational, occupational and other opportunities and promote efficient review of proposals but does not state how, this will likely be expanded in future sessions.

The bill prohibits a maximum cap on the number of multifamily over four units, mixed use or middle housing and local towns cannot set a minimum floor area requirement.

Myth: HB 6107 would eliminate local control over accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Fact (Spin from Democrats):These bills would streamline and clarify local control over ADUs.

The current language in these bills would allow whats called as-of-right development of an ADU anywhere there is a single-family dwelling. As-of-right means that through public input to local zoning boards, regulations would be created and a local administrative review would assure compliance. Though public hearings will no longer be needed for an ADU that meets regulations (reducing the burden on a local homeowners time and cost), local boards and commissions remain in control. Towns may opt out by a two-thirds vote.

The reality:

Section 6 of the bill requires towns and cities to allow accessory apartments (also known as accessory dwelling units ADUs), as of right meaning that any home owner can build accessory apartment separate from the main home on any property by going to town hall and just getting the project signed off as written in the zoning regulations (similar to the process for a single-family home).

This bill MANDATES towns to accept ADUs as of right everywhere in the municipality. The ADUs can be attached or detached but local property coverage requirements will remain in place, with the provision that the accessory units cannot have any more restrictive provisions i.e. height, setbacks, etc. than on the main unit on the property.

With as of right, there is no longer a special permit or public hearing requirement, so any concerns or input from neighbors and the public is no longer part of the process.

It does permit towns to opt out should they not want to follow these mandates by a two-thirds vote of BOTH the local zoning board as well as the local voting body of the town. This was intentional, and may be a high bar for some towns to reach rather than a simple majority given the overwhelming two-thirds majority control Democrats hold at the state level.

If towns do not opt out by set date or add any additional ADU restrictions, like allowing ADUs only in certain zones within a town, the local zoning policy is made NULL AND VOID. This cannot be seen as anything else but a loss of local decision making.

Myth:HB 6107 would impose new, potentially costly, unfunded mandates for training and assimilating local regulations.

Fact (Spin from Democrats):These bills will result in long term savings for our communities. Towns will not be responsible for training or code development costs.

Training All communities benefit when commissions and boards are well trained on complex land use issues. State and regional groups are willing to provide training, which can be conducted online. Some groups are already offering training to commissioners, and many planning and zoning commissioners already volunteer for these trainings. Municipalities would not bear the burden of these costs.

Saving Tax-Payer Dollars A state level working group would create model codes that municipalities could CHOOSE to adopt, SAVING towns the cost and the time of creating these codes themselves. These model codes will allow for design and architectural standards that will help to address concerns residents and zoning boards sometimes have with new development.

The reality:

The amended bill changed the requirements of hours needed and in which different categories of zoning and will be provided at no additional cost to towns.

The amended bill changed the working group membership to be appointed by elected state leadership and also includes bureaucrats in the group from different commissions.

The working group membership will be critical in order to create workable form-based codes that are specifically nuanced to meet the unique needs of 169 cities, suburbs and rural communities.

Per the current language in the bill, towns may adopt any or all of the codes that will be created by the working group. Later legislative sessions may mandate the regulations.

Leaders in planning, zoning, etc from different size towns from across the state from different size townsnot expresslyincluded in the working group. They have real experience in what works and what does not work with zoning, 8-30g and the nuance needed to create sound planning and zoning policy locally.

The working group is not explicitly tasked with addressing the shortcomings of 8-30g or to make recommendations that would help create more affordability.

Other experts in soils, sanitation, conservation and environmental issues must also be appointed to the group to ensure policy will work for all sizes of towns, there is only one environmental specialist being appointed.

Myth: This bill would hurt the environment by overriding the local voice of municipalities who host waterways, open space.

Fact(Spin from Democrats):This bill offers methods for towns to help protect the environment.

The bill recognizes the need to be proactive and provide the tools for planning so we can address changes like rising sea level that will destroy parts of our community if we dont act. Specifically, there is language to protect the Long Island Sound and its main tributaries and encourage towns to promote clean energy options, including freestanding solar and wind energy, as part of development projects.

The reality:

The original bills also provided for clean energy and protected Long Island Sound. We do not recall any criticism of that part of the bill. This is a false myth.

The original zoning bills did push for significant high-density development (15+units per acre) in downtowns and main streets. This leads to greater water runoff and concerns with adequate sewer capacity.

Provisions from other previous bills to increases to the alternative sewer capacity from 5,000 gallons per day to 7,500 or 10,000 that were removed from HB6107 bill. Those provisions would have had potential environmental impacts.

In addition, the original bills included significant increases in as of right development beyond just ADUs to multi-family and mixed use, which would have removed public hearings on individual projects, where hyperlocal environmental impacts to neighboring properties would have no longer been allowed.

Myth: This bill will take away our control over traffic flow and parking.

Fact(Spin from Democrats):This bill enhances our ability to plan accurately and efficiently.

The reality:

In evaluating traffic studies required for projects, the original versions of bills replaced level of service calculation of traffic for the substandard vehicle miles travelled in order to all for much higher density development.

HB6107 allows for vehicle miles traveled as well as level of service method.Local zoning officials may decide which method they prefer to use.

This allowance for either method of traffic study can be taken away in the future through recommendations by the appointed working group for the one that allows greater density development.

This bill MANDATES the maximum parking allowed to two parking spaces for all units with two or more bedrooms everywhere in a town.

It does permit towns to opt out of the parking requirement should they not want to follow these mandates by a two-thirds vote of both the local zoning board as well as the local voting body of the town. This may be a high bar for some towns to overcome given the dominance of Democrats at the state level may also exist in many municipalities as well.

While parking is a significant cost to development, it must be appropriately considered on a local basis as there as towns with local roads that may not be wide enough to accommodate on street parking that would come with higher density development in downtowns and transit areas.

Many towns lack jobs, goods and services residents might need, which would necessitate owning a vehicle(s) to access those items and their employment. Many towns also lack adequate public transportation to neighboring towns. There are issues with frequency of service and cost as well.

If developers do not have to build adequate parking, that burden falls on municipalities and the private sector to create parking lots to accommodate excess vehicles needing parking, which will end up being an additional cost burden to those residents and the towns.

Myth: This bill will drive up residency at a rate which outpaces the local resources and services such as police and fire, and schools.

Fact (Spin from Democrats): This bill will help Connecticut plan how we grow. The latest census numbers show that Connecticut had the fourth smallest gain in population in the US over the past decade. This slow growth is hurting our economy. The pandemic has reversed that trend giving us a new opportunity. The influx of new homeowners and residents is good for our economy. At the same time this influx threatens to drive longtime residents, our parents and our children, out of our town. This bill will help local leaders plan how our town grows, so we can meet the needs of people already here and the new residents we hope will continue to choose Connecticut as their home. Requirements for as-of-right multi-family housing around transit stations and main street / commercial corridors were removed from the bills.

The reality:

The as of right TOD/Main Streets/Commercial corridor was indeed removed from the bills the exponential market value overdevelopment in those bills (SB1024 & Fair Share bill) would have in fact overwhelmed local infrastructure, resources and services.

Towns already have a process to create their own Plan of Conservation and Development to help strategically plan for growth.

The reason Connecticut had the smallest population gain is due to the poor economic public policy of the Democrats that have an almost 2/3 majority in both the State House and Senate that is driving businesses and their good paying jobs out of our state. (The Democrats allow few if any bills by the minority party to be raised for a public hearing.)

The new jobs that were created in the state are paying less than the jobs that are being lost. When high paying jobs leave the state and replacement new jobs coming in pay less, living in Connecticut becomes less affordable for all. That is real reason the economy has lagged the rest of the country.

There has not been significant new housing development in most of the state by builders due to the lagging economy. If there was significant demand and a vibrant economy, there would have been more development in the last decade.

In general, for every homeowner buying in the state, one is selling, and this trend may not be sustainable long term as the pandemic recedes and taxes are increased.

The original zoning bills focused on flooding the state with market value housing supply, to deflate property values, which would not depress values enough to create true affordability. NOTE: HB 6107 deletes the provision: conserving the value of buildings.

The only sustainable way to improve affordability is through better public policy to create a more vibrant economy that brings new businesses with better jobs and more opportunity into Connecticut.

Southwestern Connecticut, with its proximity to the economic engine that is the NY Metro area, has helped to sustain Connecticut. The significant revenues the state garners from these residents that commute 2.5 hours+ daily to NYC to their highly technical jobs which command higher salaries that has helped to sustain the state. In contrast, Connecticuts business base has contracted and the rest of the state has been slower to recover.

The majority party focuses on inventing new taxes, user fees as the States revenue source which burdens corporations, local businesses and residents. This is not a sustainable model for a vibrant economy in Connecticut.

The majority partys focus on increasing tax burden on the higher income earners and keeping the inheritance and estate taxes has shown that those higher earners are most able to leave the state and have done so for other states with more favorable tax policy.

Myth: This bill will overburden the public water and sewer infrastructure.

Fact (Spin from Democrats):This bill will help us grow our infrastructure responsibly.

This legislation will give towns tools and guidance to plan strategically for the future, so communities can decide where they allow development and what type. A vital part of planning is infrastructure. If we dont address septic and sewer capacity in our state, the only places that will be able to grow are where there is existing infrastructure. The Committee will work with DEEP, DPH, environmental advocates and others to assure health, safety and environmental concerns are taken into account before making any changes to regulations.

The reality:

The original zoning bills as SB 1024 and SB961 would have changed procedure for alternative sewer systems without first having careful and deliberate study of the expansion, adequate staffing with the proper technical experience to create the regulations and for proper enforcement of such alternative sewer treatment systems.

The original zoning bills would have encouraged exponential development, which easily could have overburdened existing infrastructure, including town water and sewer. For example, the required Fair Share units would have required significant expansion of sewers and town water for virtually every town as most towns would have had to double their current number of units to meet the threshold mandated fair shares.

We welcome a new working group that will properly evaluate alternative sewer systems prior to expanding the daily gallons of waste permitted.

The new Working Group detailed in HB6017 still lacks adequate representation of soils, sanitation, wetlands and conservation experts/specialists to create sound planning and zoning policy.

The allowance of ADUs as of right in entire towns can potentially have an impact on the capacity of public water and sewer, should the towns not opt out of permitting them throughout the town.

Areas in lower Fairfield County already lack adequate water capacity, which will need to be pulled from further into central Connecticut to meet the existing need. Considering most plans were looking to double the size of towns, water capacity will continue to become an issue.

Myth:This bill strengthens the hands of developers who have been exploiting the states affordable housing statute, 8-30g, to override local zoning laws.

Fact (Spin from Democrats):Zoning reform will clarify and make more equitable the process by which the state sets its housing goals, and give towns guidance and tools to achieve those goals.

The affordable housing appeals process within 8-30g is not being amended within these proposals. Zoning and housing are definitely intertwined, and these bills actually give towns greater control over how we grow.They do not eliminate the 8-30g requirements. This bill gives towns additional tools and support in reaching an 8-30g moratorium if they have not achieved 10% affordable housing in their communities.

The reality:

Many, if not most, accessory apartments, could be rented at a market value rate that would be considered affordable throughout most of the state, yet this units will not be counted as part of the 10% affordable housing as per 8-30g requirements unless they are registered as Deed Restricted.

The reality is that few, if any homeowners would want to impact the value of their homes by adding a permanent or 30-year deed restriction to their personal property.

Yet again, towns will not be given credit for any existing naturally affordable housing that is already available (and the new units that will be available through the allowance of accessory apartments) since they will not be counted (in the numerator) towards the 10% 8-30g affordable threshold.

On a positive note, the additional accessory apartments will not count against towns as total housing units either (not in the denominator in the 10% calculation.)

Mandating as of right accessory apartments and two or less parking spaces per housing unit may lead to additional density development at lower costs and this is a clear benefit to developers. There is no guarantee that those units will actually be considered affordable. While towns may opt out, meeting the 2/3 majority in both the local P&Z and the voting body of many towns could be challenging threshold to reach.

The Working group is not specifically tasked with addressing the shortcomings of 8-30g, why not?

Why are affordable housing chairs from towns of different sizes not included on the working group to discuss why 8-30g is not achieving the intended goals of affordability and overriding local zoning regulations while not creating needed affordability.

Towns may reserve sewer capacity allocations for multifamily would also be a benefit to developers who would create higher density developments. The may could change to must in future legislative sessions.

The working group is specifically tasked with looking into expanding alternative sewer systems capacity, which would also be a benefit to developers, allowing higher density development.

Limiting the fees that may be charged to developers for larger projects and having to return excess fees may prevent municipalities from collecting seed funds for affordable housing development. This is a benefit to developers.

Builders can use vehicle miles traveled if a town chooses to use that method in a traffic study, which would lead to higher density development.

Alexis Harrison represents CT 169 Strong

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Excerpt from:
The HB 6107 zoning bill myths vs 'facts' vs the reality - The CT Mirror

Neil Coppinger and Colleen OHara

Signify, a world leader in lighting technology, has expanded its horticulture team in North America to support business development efforts in the region. Neil Coppinger and Colleen OHara have joined the U.S. team as Key Account Managers and will be responsible for developing new business opportunities and driving sales growth of Philips LED horticulture grow lights across all customer segments.

Coppinger will support sales efforts in the Central U.S. and Southeast, OHara will support sales efforts in the Northeast. Both bring extensive knowledge and experience in the application of horticulture LED lighting technology.

Coppinger comes to Signify with 13 years of agriculture and horticulture technology sales experience. He most recently served as National Sales Director at BIOS Lighting, where he worked with greenhouse and indoor growers to adopt and integrate horticultural lighting solutions. Prior to that, Coppinger held roles at Motorleaf, a company specializing in artificial intelligence for greenhouse production, and at LED grow lighting manufacturers Heliospectra and Lumigrow.

OHara, based in southern New Jersey, brings extensive horticulture knowledge and experience to Signify, most recently as Commercial Sales Manager for the Mid-Atlantic region at Hawthorne Gardening. Prior to joining Hawthorne, she was the East Coast Regional Business Development Manager for BIOS Lighting with an emphasis on providing lighting solutions for cannabis cultivators. Before joining BIOS, she served as Director of Sales for HiFarm, a craft cannabis cultivator in Portland, OR.

Signify Key Account Managers are responsible for developing new business and driving sales growth across customer segments including greenhouse food, floriculture, vertical farms, medicinal cannabis, and research institutes and universities. Key Account Managers collaborate closely with Signify Plant Specialists and Project Application Engineers to facilitate co-creation with growers and develop tailored lighting solutions to meet their needs.

Brian Sparks is senior editor of Greenhouse Grower and editor of Greenhouse Grower Technology. See all author stories here.

Read more here:
Signify Adds Expertise to Its Horticulture Lighting Team - Greenhouse Grower

Anonym Studio has designed a stunning 1,080 sq. meter home in Bangkok, Thailand, that comes with a full rock climbing wall and a gradient brick facade that allows dazzling patterns of light to shine in.

Dubbed Sailom House, the project is a four-story home that accommodates three families. The complex, designed in 2020, is meant to replicate a serviced apartment with functional spaces on each floor that all members can use.

On the first floor, common areas like the kitchen and living room have been laid out for communal use. Above that, each upper floor houses the residents bedrooms, along with additional living areas and pantries. Each story is linked together via two internal courtyards that open up into a space between the ground and fourth floor.

Notably, the house features an intricate climbing wall, an add-on requested by the owner who is an avid climber. The court hosts a walkway on each floor meant to overlap and combine spaces. The roof is elevated at the upper part of the court, creating a void that best facilitates airflow and natural lighting. The outdoor and indoor spaces meld together intentionally, allowing wind and light to obscure elements that exist inside and outside of the home.

The highlight of the home is the slotted brick facade that offers natural ventilation and a variety of dynamic patterns. The designers say that the brick materials were affordable, accommodate airflow and allow for heightened safety. The facade provides refuge to areas of the home that are exposed to excessive amounts of sunlight and has varying patterns that allow for more or less privacy, depending on where theyre placed. For the top parts of the house, the bricks become more perforated and airier, whereas the lower areas have tighter brick clusters.

The space between the home and the facade has been fashioned into a veranda dotted with potted plants, creating a greener living space. The buildings architects say the bricks used in the facade were styled without making any cuts, so calculating the ranges between each block, beam and lintel was done with intention.

There is this element of craft to it as well, said Phongphat Ueasangkhomse, one of the homes architects.

The beams above the brick facade were left deliberately exposed, as were the air conditioning pipes in the living room, leading to a rustic and industrial feel. I like this house because it isnt about the crisp and polished details. We did everything the way it could and should be done. I wasnt too serious or trying too hard about making everything flawless, and thats what I love most about it, added Phongphat.

In other news, Sothebys International Realty listed a home in Houston, Texas, nicknamed The Darth Vader House due to its angular design. Check it out here.

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This Home in Thailand Features a Rock Climbing Wall and Light-Filled Brick Facade - HYPEBEAST

The global lighting contactor market is projected to reach USD 1,111.0 million by 2023, at a CAGR of 8.53%, during the forecast period.

According to the new market research report Lighting Contactor Market by End-User (Smart Residential Complexes, Commercial, Industrial, and Municipal), Type (Electrically Held and Mechanically Held), Application (Indoor and Outdoor), and Region Global Forecast to 2023, The lighting contactor market is expected to grow USD 1,111.0 million by 2023, at a CAGR of 8.53% during forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing adoption of energy-efficient lighting, growing demand for smart controls in lighting systems, and increasing adoption of IoT in the lighting industry.

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Commercial segment is expected to hold the largest share of the lighting contactor market, by end-user, during the forecast period.

Lighting contactors are used widely in commercial setups such as corporate offices, healthcare and retail complexes, hotels, restaurants, and educational institutes. Increasing need for energy efficiency is the major objective for governments, organizations, building owners, and other stakeholders. The governments in different countries are adopting LEDs to increase energy efficiency as it can directly reduce the maintenance and utilization cost. Lighting control systems reduce the energy consumption by optimizing ambient light levels to suit the users needs, thereby reducing the overall demand for lighting energy. Lighting control systems require lighting contactors for controlling lights, which require frequent on and off operation. Thus, the increase in the adoption of energy-efficient lighting is likely to boost the lighting contactor market.

Electrically held segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the lighting contactor market, by type, during the forecast period.

The electrically held segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate in the lighting contactor market during the forecast period. These contactors require an uninterrupted flow of power for continuous operation. If the power is lost, the contactors isolate the light from the circuit. A constant current flow is required to keep the contactor energized. These contactors are noiseless and consume less amount of control power than other contactors. They are mainly used in smart residential complexes and commercial and industrial segments. Thus, the adoption of electrically held contactors is more than mechanically held contactors.

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Europe: the leading market for lighting contactors

In this report, the lighting contactor market has been analyzed on the basis of 5 regions, namely, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East & Africa. The market in Europe is expected to lead the global lighting contactor market in 2018 and is projected to have the largest market share by 2023. The growing demand for lighting control systems in Europe makes it a potentially growing market for lighting contactor providers. The drive for green city projects has brought into the focus on energy efficiency in most of the EU countries. This has created a market opportunity for the manufacturers of LED and energy-efficient lighting control systems and solutions. Moreover, historical buildings, architectural sites, and hospitality businesses contribute to the increased demand for innovative lighting solutions. Thus, the demand for lighting control systems in commercial, residential, and industrial sectors is increasing which is likely to drive the lighting contactor market.

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the lighting contactor market. The key players in the market include ABB (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), Schneider Electric (France), Rockwell Automation (US), and Eaton (Republic of Ireland). The leading players are trying to expand in developing economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market shares.

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Lighting Contactor Market to Witness Steady Growth through 2023 | ABB, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, Eaton - Digital Journal

MANITOWOC, Wis., June 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orion Energy Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: OESX) (Orion Lighting), a provider of energy-efficient LED lighting, controls and IoT systems, including turnkey project implementation, program management and system maintenance, today reported results for its fiscal 2021 fourth quarter (Q421) and year ended March 31, 2021 (FY 2021). Orion will hold an investor call today at 4:30 p.m. ET details below.

Financial Highlights

CEO CommentaryMike Altschaefl, Orions CEO and Board Chair, commented, The Orion team achieved solid FY 2021 financial results despite very challenging first half business conditions due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our full year performance benefitted from a significant rebound in our business in the second half as many customers returned to pre-COVID-19 levels of activity. We achieved profitability and positive cash flow from operations in Q421 and FY 2021 while also building our pipeline of project opportunities for FY 2022 and beyond. I extend our Board and management team's sincere appreciation and thanks to our team and our business partners for their dedication and perseverance through a very challenging period.

In FY 2021, we continued to expand the breadth and diversity of our customer base across several sectors, including retail, warehousing and logistics, automotive OEMs, healthcare and the public sector. We also further enhanced our product line with continued investment in product development, enabling the introduction of our new Starline high-bay LED fixtures, a new line of exterior lighting products, and next generation linear LED fixtures. These new products provide efficient, cost-effective design and enhanced energy efficiency to support our customers' environmental and business goals, and they have been well received in the market.

We also recently launched our new ISON PureMotionproduct line, expanding our business into airflow solutions to create healthier indoor spaces. The line includes ISON PureMotion Air; ISON PureMotion Light; and ISON PureMotion UVC, which uses UVC light rays in a sealed chamber to kill bacteria, fungi, mold and viruses to create a safer and healthier work environment.

Our FY 2022 is poised to benefit from a growing and more diverse group of large national account customers and projects. These customers recognize the value of Orions innovative, energy efficient products and our unique, customized, turnkey LED lighting design-build-install capabilities and strong customer service. We have a proven track record executing large national retrofit installation programs with efficient, high-quality and customized products and excellent, on-schedule service.

Reflecting the national scope of our service capabilities, during FY 2021 Orion launched a lighting, electrical and other maintenance services business that we believe can grow into an important longer-term recurring service revenue opportunity.

Given the compelling benefits our solutions provide, ranging from improved illumination, enhanced work environments, greater safety, and environmental and cost benefits, we are very optimistic regarding Orions outlook for FY 2022 and beyond.

Underscoring our optimism is the enormous untapped market for LED lighting and controls upgrades at facilities that have yet to be updated. Based on a U.S. Department of Energy study, the domestic LED retrofit opportunity in Orions key markets is estimated to be in excess of $20B today and growing to over $80B by 2035. To pursue this substantial market potential, Orions Board and management team have updated the Companys strategic plan to help guide our organic and inorganic growth initiatives, with a long-term target of building Orion to a company generating up to $500M in annual revenue in approximately five years. To achieve this long-term target, our plan envisions organic growth of at least 10% per year, augmented by external growth initiatives including the active pursuit of strategic acquisitions and business partnerships. We set these financial goals to provide our stakeholders with a vision of what we believe Orion can become."

Business OutlookOrion currently expects to achieve FY 2022 revenue of $150M to $155M, representing growth of at least 28% over FY 2021, excluding any recurrence of COVID-19 business impacts. This outlook is based on further progress in diversifying Orion's customer base and revenue sources and is supported by the following opportunities:

Orion cautions investors that its financial outlook is subject to a range of factors that are difficult to predict, including but not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic and possible business and other economic impacts.

Tax ProvisionAs a result of the valuation allowance release at the close of FY 2021, Orion expects its financial results to reflect a GAAP tax provision in future periods that is more in line with statutory tax rates. However, based upon current tax laws and the Companys federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $69M at 3/31/21, Orion does not expect to pay meaningful cash taxes for several years.

Financial ResultsOrions Q421 revenue rose 37.0% or $9.6M to $35.5M from $25.9M in Q420, due to strong national account retrofit activity as business rebounded from COVID-19 related disruptions earlier in FY 2021. Q421 benefitted from several large national retrofit projects, including for a large national retail customer and a specialty retailer. FY 2021 revenue was $116.8M compared to $150.8M in FY 2020, principally due to pandemic related work stoppages and project delays during the first half of the year.

Gross profit rose 59.7% or $3.4M to $9.2M in Q421 from $5.8M in Q420. FY 2021 full year gross profit was $30.1M compared to $37.1M in FY 2020, primarily due to lower revenue, partially offset by an increase in gross profit percentage. The gross profit percentage increased 120 bps to 25.8% in FY 2021 from 24.6% in FY 2020, mainly due to improved product margins and managing supply chain and input costs, more than offsetting increases in raw material and component prices.

Total operating expenses were $23.3M in FY 2021 vs. $24.0M in FY 2020 but increased as a percentage of sales to 19.9% from 15.9%, year-over-year, primarily due to the impact of lower business volume. Q421 operating expenses improved to 18.8% of sales from 23.7% in Q420, principally reflecting the benefit of fixed cost absorption from higher business volume in Q421.

Orion generated EBITDA of $2.9M in Q421 versus $0.0M in Q420. FY 2021 EBITDA was $8.4M versus $14.7M in FY 2020, reflecting the pandemics impact on FY 2021 revenue.

Q421 and FY 2021 results included a non-cash tax benefit of $20.9M, or $0.67 and $0.66 per diluted share, respectively, resulting from the release of the valuation allowance previously recorded against Orions deferred tax assets. As a result, Orions reported net income and earnings per share are not representative of its operating results and comparisons to prior and future periods will not be meaningful without adjusting for such tax benefit.

Q421 net income excluding the tax benefit improved to $1.2M, or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of ($0.5M), or ($0.02) per basic share, in Q420, reflecting higher revenue and gross profit. FY 2021 net income excluding the tax benefit was $5.2M, or $0.17 per diluted share, compared to net income of $12.5M, or $0.40 per diluted share, in FY 2020, principally reflecting higher revenue in FY 2020.

Cash Flow & Balance SheetOrion generated $7.4M of cash from operating activities in Q421 as compared to $6.1M in Q420. The increase was due to higher net income and favorable working capital changes. Orion generated $1.7M of cash from operating activities in FY 2021, versus $20.3M in FY 2020, with the difference attributable to lower net income plus working capital investments.

As of March 31, 2021, Orions net working capital balance was $26.2M, compared to $27.8M at March 31, 2020. Working capital at March 31, 2020 included $10.0M drawn from the Companys revolving line of credit in response to pandemic uncertainties. In December 2020, Orion secured a new five-year$25.0M revolving credit facility. The facility provides a 25% increase in financing capacity and liquidity to support the Companys strategic growth plans. As of March 31, 2021, Orion had no balance outstanding on its revolving credit facility, $19.4M of cash and cash equivalents and $25M of availability on its credit facility.

About Orion Energy SystemsOrion provides innovative LED lighting systems and turnkey project implementation including installation and commissioning of fixtures, controls and IoT systems, as well as ongoing system maintenance and program management. We help our customers achieve energy savings with healthy, safe and sustainable solutions, enabling them to reduce their carbon footprint and digitize their business.

Non-GAAP MeasuresIn addition to the GAAP results included in this presentation, Orion has also included the non-GAAP measures, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), net income excluding the tax benefit and diluted earnings per share excluding the tax benefit. The Company has provided these non-GAAP measures to help investors better understand its core operating performance, enhance comparisons of core operating performance from period to period and allow better comparisons of operating performance to its competitors. Among other things, management uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate performance of the business and believes this measurement enables it to make better period-to-period evaluations of the financial performance of core business operations. The non-GAAP measurements are intended only as a supplement to the comparable GAAP measurements and Orion compensates for the limitations inherent in the use of non-GAAP measurements by using GAAP measures in conjunction with the non-GAAP measurement. As a result, investors should consider these non-GAAP measurements in addition to, and not in substitution for or as superior to, measurements of financial performance prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Consistent with Regulation G under the U.S. federal securities laws, the non-GAAP measures in this press release have been reconciled to the nearest GAAP measures, and this reconciliation is located under the heading Unaudited EBITDA Reconciliation and Unaudited Earnings Per Share Reconciliation following the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows included in this press release.

COVID-19 ImpactsThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted business, trade, commerce, financial and credit markets, in the U.S. and globally. Orions business has been materially adversely impacted by measures taken by government entities and others to control the spread of the virus. As part of the Companys recent response to the impacts of the COVID-19, management has taken a number of cost reduction and cash conservation measures. While restrictions have begun to lessen in certain jurisdictions, stay-at-home, face mask, and lockdown orders remain in effect in others, with employees asked to work remotely if possible. Many customers and projects require Orion employees to travel to customers and project locations. Some customers and projects are in areas where travel restrictions have been imposed, certain customers have either closed or reduced on-site activities, and timelines for the completion of multiple projects have been delayed, suspended, or extended. As of the date of this release, it is not possible to predict the overall impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the Company's business, liquidity, capital resources or financial results.

Safe Harbor Statement Certain matters discussed in this press release, including under the headings Financial Highlights, CEO Commentary, and "Business Outlook" are "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may generally be identified as such because the context of such statements will include words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those expected, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) our ability to manage general economic, business and geopolitical conditions, including the impacts of natural disasters, pandemics and outbreaks of contagious diseases and other adverse public health developments, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) the deterioration of market conditions, including our dependence on customers' capital budgets for sales of products and services, and adverse impacts on costs and the demand for our products as a result of factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of tariffs; (iii) our ability to successfully launch, manage and maintain our refocused business strategy to successfully bring to market new and innovative product and service offerings; (iv) our recent and continued reliance on significant revenue to be generated in fiscal 2022 from the lighting and controls retrofit projects for two major global logistics companies; (v) our dependence on a limited number of key customers, and the potential consequences of the loss of one or more key customers or suppliers, including key contacts at such customers; (vi) our ability to identify and successfully complete transactions with suitable acquisition candidates in the future as part of our growth strategy; (vii) the availability of additional debt financing and/or equity capital to pursue our evolving strategy and sustain our growth initiatives; (viii) our risk of potential loss related to single or focused exposure within the current customer base and product offerings; (ix) our ability to sustain our profitability and positive cash flows; (x) our ability to differentiate our products in a highly competitive and converging market, expand our customer base and gain market share; (xi) our ability to manage and mitigate downward pressure on the average selling prices of our products as a result of competitive pressures in the light emitting diode ("LED") market; (xii) our ability to manage our inventory and avoid inventory obsolescence in a rapidly evolving LED market; (xiii) our increasing reliance on third parties for the manufacture and development of products, product components, as well as the provision of certain services; (xix) our increasing emphasis on selling more of our products through third party distributors and sales agents, including our ability to attract and retain effective third party distributors and sales agents to execute our sales model; (xx) our ability to develop and participate in new product and technology offerings or applications in a cost effective and timely manner; (xxi) our ability to maintain safe and secure information technology systems; (xxii) our failure to comply with the covenants in our credit agreement; (xxiii) our ability to recruit, hire and retain talented individuals in all disciplines of our company; (xxiv)our ability to balance customer demand and production capacity; (xxv) our ability to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting; (xxvi) price fluctuations (including as a result of tariffs), shortages or interruptions of component supplies and raw materials used to manufacture our products; (xxvii) our ability to defend our patent portfolio and license technology from third parties; (xxviii) a reduction in the price of electricity; (xxix) the reduction or elimination of investments in, or incentives to adopt, LED lighting or the elimination of, or changes in, policies, incentives or rebates in certain states or countries that encourage the use of LEDs over some traditional lighting technologies; (xxx) the cost to comply with, and the effects of, any current and future industry and government regulations, laws and policies; (xxxi) potential warranty claims in excess of our reserve estimates, and (xxxii) the other risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are made only as of the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. More detailed information about factors that may affect our performance may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at http://www.sec.gov or at http://investor.oriones.com/ in the Investor Relations section of our Website.

Twitter: @OrionLighting and @OrionLightingIRStockTwits: @Orion_LED_IR

See more here:
Orion Q4'21 Revenue Rose 37% to $35.5M on Strong LED Lighting Retrofit Activity - GlobeNewswire

Product prices across the overall lighting LED market are expected to increase by about 0.3%-2.3% QoQ in 2Q21, according toTrendForces latest investigations. This price hike can primarily be attributed to the fact that overall demand in the LED lighting market has been rebounding since 1Q21 and remaining in an uptrend since 2Q21. Furthermore, the industry-wide shortage of LED components in the upstream supply chain, caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, has yet to be addressed, thereby compelling lighting product manufacturers to ramp up their procurement activities this year in order to avoid a component shortage, which they suffered last year. TrendForce hence expects this bullish trend in the LED supply chain to result in a US$6.709 billion yearly revenue for the lighting LED market in 2021, a 3.43% growth YoY.

TrendForce further indicates that major suppliers of lighting LED packages, including Samsung LED, ams/OSRAM, CREE LED, Lumileds, Seoul Semiconductor, MLS, and Lightning Optoelectronic, have since 1Q21 seen soaring revenues, which are expected to persist through 2Q21, thanks to a swift rise in demand for HCL (human centric lighting), smart lighting, horticultural lighting, and niche lighting (such as lighting for nuclear power stations, pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, and metal fabrication plants).

With regards to the specific LED packages that will experience a continued price hike, these products include mid- and low-power, indoor lighting LED products with under (not including) 1 watt in power consumption, such as 2835 LED, 3030 LED, and 5630 LED. Prices of these products are expected to increase by 0.3%-2.3% QoQ in 2Q21. On the other hand, a 1.3%-1.8% QoQ increase in prices for the same period can be expected for outdoor, industrial high-power lighting LED products with at least 1 watt in power consumption, such as LED with ceramic substrates and 7070 LED.

Companies are releasing products aimed at post-pandemic applications to secure their market shares in anticipation of high upcoming demand in the LED lighting market.

With regard to the movement of lighting LED product prices from the perspective of the LED supply chain, the pandemic caused a price hike across various materials, such as metals and LED chips required for lighting LED manufacturing last year. Faced with the upward pressure of prices in their upstream supply chains, certain suppliers of lighting LED products were subsequently forced to maintain their bottom lines by raising prices accordingly on lighting LED products, which had been sold at excessively low retail prices. On the whole, however, despite the price hike across various upstream components, suppliers of lighting LED products are still actively improving their products performances, including luminous efficacy and color saturation, and releasing products that fulfill the demand of post-pandemic applications in order to secure their market shares and competitiveness. Some examples include outdoor atmospheric lighting LED products from OSRAM and Lumileds, as well as horticultural LED products from CREE LED for indoor horticulture and plant factories.

Read more:
Price Hike of LED Lighting Products May Boost Revenue - Novus Light Today - Novus Light Technologies Today

Four years ago, the vertical farming startup Bowery opened what it called the first post-organic farm, growing pesticide-free leafy greens inside a warehouse in New Jersey. Now its products are in 850 stores, and the company just announced a new $300 million round of funding. Has indoor farming reached a tipping point?

The business model is feasible now, says venture capitalist Hans Tung, a managing partner at GGV Capital, one of the investors in the new round and an early investor in the startup. Lighting is one of the biggest expenses for indoor farming, but the cost of ultra-efficient LED lights has fallen steeply over the past decade. Automation has advanced enough that its cost-effective to do much of the work inside an indoor farm with robots. Software to manage complicated growing systems has also advanced. A combination of software, hardware, and the price of key inputs [can] make it affordable, he says. Otherwise, its too expensive.

[Photo: courtesy Bowery Farming]Growing food in a warehouse has some advantages over traditional agriculture. With crops in stacked trays or planted on vertical walls, many more plants can fit in the same footprint. LED lights tuned to shades of pink or purple help plants grow faster and can be tweaked to change the nutrition or taste. Because the plants are in a controlled environment, no pesticides are needed, and with no limitations from the seasons or weather, crops can grow year-round. Instead of growing greens in drought-prone states like California and Arizona and then shipping them to the East Coast, its possible to use a hydroponic system with 95% less water and deliver produce the same day its picked. (The system also has some disadvantages, including the energy needed for lights instead of sunshine, though its possible for indoor farms to use renewable electricity.)

[Photo: courtesy Bowery Farming]Other companies in the space are also growing. Gotham Greens, for example, which has a different farming model with greenhouses that use natural light, recently raised an additional $87 million to continue its expansion. Bowery isnt the only company in the space to get a huge infusion of cashSoftbank led a $200 million investment in Plenty, a Bay Area-based startup, in 2017. Both Plenty and Bowery use complex, expensive robotics and AI to run their farms; neither will share financial details about how challenging it is to profitably sell spinach with such a capital-intensive approach. But Tung says it can work. Based on their productivity and efficiency, we definitely see a path of being profitable, he says. (Right now, Bowery charges a price it says is comparable to organic greens grown in the field, though it aims to eventually compete with conventionally grown produce.)

[Photo: Chelsea Kyle/courtesy Bowery Farming]Vertically farmed greens are becoming widely available in some markets. If you pull up Instacart to order groceries from Safeway in the Bay Area and search for kale, Plenty shows up. In some East Coast cities, Bowery is in stores from Whole Foods to Walmart; the company says that it has seen 750% retail growth since January 2020. Bowery also sells in Tom Colicchios Craft restaurants (Colicchio is an investor) and plans to expand that part of its business. While vertical farming companies focus on selling greens now, theyre also preparing to sell other types of food. At Bowerys R&D farm, for example, researchers are testing strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, and multiple other crops.

[Photo: courtesy Bowery Farming]It will never be a full replacement for traditional farming, says Bowery CEO Irving Fain. Some crops, such as corn and wheat, dont make economic sense to grow indoors. But he thinks that this type of agriculture will be an increasingly important part of the system. Agriculture is the largest consumer of resources globally, he says. Seventy percent of the worlds water every year goes to agriculture. We put about a billion pounds of pesticides down just in the U.S. every year, 6 billion globally. And because of the way we farm and just the chemical intensive nature, weve lost 30% of all of our arable farmland. You juxtapose that against a growing population: Were going to have somewhere between 9 and 10 million people on the planet in the next 30 years. And you need more food to feed a growing population.

At the same time, he says, its getting harder to grow food outside as climate change makes it more likely that farms face droughts, heat waves, flooding, and other disasters. Corn and wheat and other crops that likely dont make sense to grow inside will have to find other solutionssuch as new varieties that can better resist drought, for examplebut for some foods, vertical farming could help fill a gap. How do you build a resilient and durable supply chain in the face of an increasingly dire climate crisis and a growing population? Fain says. Change is needed. There has to be a better system. That recognition is happening from consumers, that recognition is happening from retailers and other partners. And thats filtered down now, in a great way, to investors who are interested in agriculture technology in general.

Read the original:
Is indoor farming about to have a moment? - Fast Company

Indoor LED Lighting Market is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. This analysis provides an examination of various market segments that are relied upon to observe the fastest development amid the estimated forecast frame. The report encompasses market definition, currency and pricing, market segmentation, market overview, premium insights, key insights and company profile of the key market players. The persuasive Indoor LED Lighting market report also helps to know about the types of consumers, their response and views about particular products, and their thoughts for the step up of a product.

A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor diode which emits light on conducting current. It is used in indoor and outdoor lighting, electronic displays among others. In other words, light-emitting diodes are small devices that convert electrical energy into near-UV and visible wavelengths when packaged and connected to an electrical circuit.

They are made from semiconductor materials that are crystals made of two or three elements combined, for instance, gallium indium nitride (GaInN) or gallium phosphide (GaP). These unique combinations of elements have distinctive crystalline structures that can accommodate both holes (positively charged electron vacancies) and electrons (negatively charged), that are separated by a band-gap since they exist at different energy levels.

Global indoor LED lighting market is expected to register a healthy CAGR of 10.5% in the forecast period of 2019 to 2026.

Download Sample Copy of the Report to understand the structure of the complete report (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) @https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-indoor-led-lighting-market&Somesh

Indoor LED Lighting Market Scope and Segmentation:

Global indoor LED lighting market is segmented into four notable segments which are offering, installation type, wattage type and application.

Indoor LED Lighting Market Country Level Analysis

For detailed insights on Global Indoor LED Lighting Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue Share Analysis (Million USD) by Players, Revenue Market Share (%) by Players and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product differentiation, new entrants are also considered in heat map concentration.

Leading Key Players Operating in the Indoor LED Lighting Market Includes:

Some of the prominent participants operating in this market are Signify Holding, General Electric, OSRAM GmBH, Cree, INC., Eaton , Hubbell, Dialight, Zumbotel., Syska, NEPTUN LIGHT, INC, delviro energy, iGuzzini, SmartRay Inc, Bamford Lighting, Contrac Lighting, interLED, Dextra Group Plc, Astute Lighting Ltd, Sondia Lighting, Ecoled Ltd, among others.

Product Launch

New Business Strategies, Challenges & Policies are mentioned in Table of Content, Request TOC at @https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-indoor-led-lighting-market&Somesh

The Indoor LED Lighting Market research covers a comprehensive analysis of the following facts:

Table of Content:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

PART 04: INTRODUCTION

PART 05: MARKET LANDSCAPE

PART 06: MARKET SIZING

PART 07: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

PART 09: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

PART 10: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 11: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER

PART 12: REGIONAL LANDSCAPE

PART 13: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 14: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

PART 15: MARKET TRENDS

PART 16: COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

PART 17: COMPANY PROFILES

PART 18: APPENDIX

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Indoor LED Lighting Market Outlook 2027: Top Companies, Trends by Regions, Types and Applications The Manomet Current - The Manomet Current

Another formerly public Canadian company is seeking a return to the capital markets in a deal tied to efforts by Power Corp. of Canada to divest its non-financial services businesses.

LED lighting maker LMPG Inc., previously known as Lumenpulse Inc., has filed to go public on the Toronto Stock Exchange with a goal of raising $300-million. The offering, if successful, would see $125-million go to the Longueuil, Que., company and $175-million to investors Power Energy Corp. a unit of Power Corp. and Nicolas Blanger.

LMPG is targeting an offering price of between $15 and $17.50 a share, and expects to price the deal next week.

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The offering follows information technology services company Softchoice Corp.s return to the TSX last month, eight years after Birch Hill Equity Partners took it private. Its also the latest in a slew of Canadian companies to pursue public listings in one of the busiest periods for IPOs in years.

In addition, LMPG and Power Energy have entered into a private placement deal with the Quebec governments Investissement Qubec (IQ), B.C. Investment Management Corp. and the labour-sponsored investment fund, Fonds de solidarit FTQ.

Under the deal, the B.C. and two Quebec institutions will buy $225-million of stock from Power Energy, while the FTQ will buy $25-million of stock from LMPG. The deal comes with a pledge by LMPG to IQ not to move its head office outside Quebec until seven years from the transaction or if the provinces stake in LMPG falls to below 44 per cent of the stock it is buying.

The complex transaction would see Power Energy, LMPGs largest shareholder, divest more than 80 per cent of its stake, which it picked up in 2017 when it helped chief executive and founder Franois-Xavier Souvay lead a buyout of the enterprise, for $600-million.

Power Corp., under the leadership of CEO Jeffrey Orr, is in the midst of efforts to divest non-financial services assets including LMPG; electric-vehicle maker Lion Electric Co.; the parent company of Bauer and Easton sporting goods, Peak Achievement Athletics Inc.; and GP Strategies Corp., a workplace technical training company.

Following the IPO and private placement, Mr. Souvay will have 62.8-per-cent voting control of LMPG through his sole ownership of multiple voting shares. RBC Dominion Securities, Scotia Capital, National Bank Financial, Canaccord Genuity, BMO Nesbitt Burns, Desjardins Securities and TD Securities are underwriting the transactions.

LMPG sells indoor and outdoor high-performance and energy-efficient LED lighting equipment used on some of Montreals biggest landmarks including Olympic Stadium, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Jacques-Cartier and Samuel de Champlain bridges, as well as Vancouvers BC Place, the Pantheon in Rome and city halls in Boston and Cincinnati, Ohio. Most of its business is in the United States.

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The company has been hit by the pandemic, as revenues, which increased to $314-million in 2019 from $237-million the year before, fell 14.6 per cent last year as construction activity was stalled.

But thanks to cost-cutting measures dating to 2019, free cash flow more than tripled to $38.2-million last year compared with 2018 levels, while adjusted operating earnings rose to $52.5-million from $35.2-million.

The company booked a net loss of $11-million in 2019 and $6-million last year.

Revenue in the quarter ended March 31 was $55.8-million, down 11.4 per cent from the same period a year earlier, while LMPGs net loss improved to $2.4-million from $8.4-million. LMPG has invested heavily in research and development, and has 235 patents and more than 800 products.

LMPG is positioning itself as a beneficiary of expected increases in infrastructure spending, the expanding adoption of smart city and smart building technologies that reduce energy consumption, and an anticipated rise in energy efficiency regulations it believes will mandate LED usage. The company is on the hunt for acquisitions that can expand its product offerings, and paid $65-million in 2018 for Sternberg Lanterns, Inc., a Chicago-area supplier to U.S. municipalities.

Smart-LED lighting is one of the most actionable technologies that can be used in smart cities and smart buildings to accelerate our transition to a lower carbon future, while improving the quality of life and work for all constituents Mr. Souvay states in the prospectus. In a post-pandemic world, this is even more important as we look to bring life and work back to our cities.

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LMPGs previous foray as a public company was underwhelming. Lumenpulse, founded by Mr. Souvay in 2006, raised $115-million at $16 a share in April, 2014. But it often missed earnings estimates due to lumpy profits. The stock was trading below $11.50 in April, 2017, when the buyers offered investors $21.25 per share, an 86-per-cent premium, to privatize Lumenpulse.

The rest is here:
Quebec LED company hopes to light up investor interest in second attempt as public company - The Globe and Mail

Image:Unsplash

At home isnt just a place, its a feeling. Over the past year,our homes have taken centre stage in our lives. From a conference room to a kids playground, our homes have has catered to all our needs. As the monsoon arrives, we want to have some fun experiences within our homes until its safe to step out! If there is one place in our home which plays an important role in building new experiences, it is the dining space.

It is the natural gathering place for a family it's where you talk, eat, and do your gupshup!After a long day of work, we like to regroup at the dining table and share how our day went by, even if we work from a different room in the same house. So, creating a cosy and a comfortable dining experience adds the much-needed stress buster. To ensure you and your loved ones have a cosy and intimate dining experience,try these effortless, practical and cool tips from Erik Jan Middlehoven, Home Furnishing & Retail Design Manager, IKEA India.

Dining furniture is the real hard worker in your home and when its about living in a small space, we must invest in furniture that is stackable, foldable, and movable. With a few flexible pieces, such as an extendable table, or stackable stools, you will always find theres room for more. Choose foldable chairs, so you can stack them behind a cabinet and only use them while dining. Other times, this space can be used for recreational activities. Another hack would be to use a footstool which you can pile up and place in the corner and take it out during special get-togethers at home.

You can consider using a round or oval tables for a small space living environment as it accommodates more people than a square table. The round table can be used to dine and if you need more space you can invest in moving trolleys. The moveable trolley can be used to store the cutlery, glasses, or just simple garnishing for food, making more space for everybody.

Lighting can impact mood like no other. It should be balanced between mood lighting and functional lighting. Its advisable to keep the size of the table in mind before selecting the lights. Since a rectangular table can easily accommodate either two or three people on each side, you can place three lamps on the top, which shouldnt be far apart from each other, or one straight lamp with multiple bulbs integrated into it for the light to fall on the entire surface.

If you want to get it right, we advise you against cross lighting, as that will cast a shadow on the table, which will create a very dull ambience. For a round table, you will need one light point, right in the middle, it can be a chandelier, a dome or it can be multiple beams from one source of light. One can never really go wrong with the lighting around round tables cause once the light is placed in the centre.

Lets talk about creating a cosy yet cooler experience for the larger part of the dining room. If you have a side wall or a space in your dining area, you can either set up a bar with a glass cabinet with integrated lighting, the tone of which can be warmer or brighter as per your mood. A bar table just aside from your dining table adds a lot of meaning to your dining space. It can create a welcoming and interactive atmosphere. So, whether its the weekend or a lockdown birthday/anniversary, the dining space becomes even more personal with a bar table just on your side. The right amount of dim light complimenting your collection of spirits and varied kinds of cocktail glasses just adds to it.

In case you do not have space for a bar table or a bar cabinet, the moving trolley can be used to store alcohol, and that can be your mobile bar for your day-to-day celebrations. Another option is a side table with a small lamp to add an extra light spot in your dining corner.

Another quirky way to brighten up your dining space, especially during summer, is by painting one wall of the area with an ice-cream colour, while the rest of the space is neutral in colour to maintain a balance. And if painting a wall sounds too ambitious for you, you could use this time at home to be creative with your family members and create a canvas painting full of bright colours and frame it and add it to the one corner. This will not only make it a more personal and intimate experience for your family members but will also stand out as a statement piece that you can change every season.

By now you might be building your checklist for dining area, but dont forget there needs to be ample space for each of the members sitting at the dining table. You need spacious and breathable chairs, especially during summer. Try opting for smart LED bulbs which wont just save cost and energy but also create less heat in the dining area.

After everything is done, do not forget to accessorise your dining table rectangular or oval with large trays, antique vases with flowers, fruit bowls, candle holders, and your dining space with a large indoor plant in the corner to add a little bit of nature. With these hacks, you can turn everyday dining or any celebration in your dining room into an activity you look forward to.

Also Read:Create The Perfect Zen Zone For Your Home This Lockdown

Link:
Spruce Up Your Dining Space With The Right Lighting And Trendy Furniture - Femina