Rob Hayes: Recent Episodes
Michael Colligan
Recognizing a need in the lighting industry to forum together and discuss subjects & issues in our industry, the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast was born. Get A Grip brings on industry experts to talk about real issues and focused on that subject matter. If there’s something to be said on the subject, Get A Grip will go there.
Get A Grip On Lighting Podcasts are hosted by Michael Colligan and Greg Ehrich, who have over 30 years of combined experience in the lighting industry. Michael Colligan is an entrepreneur and inventor. He’s a subject matter expert in commercial and industrial lighting supply, lighting retrofits, and finding recycling streams for hard-to-recycle waste. Greg Ehrich, LC is the former President of the National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD) and owner of a progressive lighting distributorship.
Anytime there’s a hole in the ceiling with a light fixture in place and you want to mess with it, make sure you understand what you are getting into. In addition to learning that Canadians call recessed can lights “pot lights”, in this deep dive you will learn everything you need to know when you are upgrading recessed cans to LED.
Highbays, Lowbays who cares what you call them just make them LED! We invited Jason Hendren of ILP to dive into the deep end of highbay lighting with us. We discuss everything you need to consider when you are looking at highbay lighting to come out of the water with the best solution for your application.
It’s time to take another deep dive! In this episode we discussed everything you need to take into consideration when you are looking to upgrade an exterior light fixture. There are many different types of exterior fixtures, but you can use the guidelines set out in this episode for all of them. Take notes and enjoy.
Connected lighting is a term used loosely in the lighting industry. It can mean a variety of things, but what should it mean? In today’s podcast, we talked with Robert Lee and Sree Venkit of Signify about the future of connected lighting. Where is it heading, what are the benefits and is it a niche market? These questions and more were answered during the show, but the common theme throughout is that connected lighting should be about connecting lighting to the people using the lighting. Enjoy!
There is one lighting application found all over the world that has a legitimate case for “connected” LED lighting - Sports Fields. On today’s show we talk to Shahil Amin of Hylite LED about the ins and outs of lighting sports fields, a majority of which are still lit by HID light sources. With the advancement of connected LED lighting there is a huge opportunity to gain business in this market.
We talk all the time about lamps, ballasts, drivers, bulbs, fixtures, sockets, but we often neglect one of the most important components of a quality light fixture – the lens or diffuser. Diffusers come in all shapes and sizes and have a dramatic effect on the illumination of a light fixture. It’s time to give the lens a little love.
In today’s episode of the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Mike and Greg share tips and the complete checklist you should follow when you’re deciding whether to replace or retrofit your troffers to LED. LED lighting offers greater lighting performance and higher energy efficiency which is what most commercial spaces need.
In this episode of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Greg and Michael acknowledge and call out ALL the biases that happen in the lighting industry. This is an excellent reminder for leaders, business owners, and influencers in the field, especially now that we just entered a new year.
Discover the different types of biases that we encounter: group bias, conviction bias, confirmation bias, and superiority bias. Whenever possible, we should try to overcome them. It’s high time to take a quick check so that we stay in business and, more importantly, stay valuable to our customers.
At the end of the episode, Michael also gives book recommendations for all of you so make sure to tune in!
What’s coming next for the lighting industry?
Our guest, Randy Reid from Edison Report, is confident that it’s going to be LiFi. With just light, which can be found almost everywhere, people are able to connect with wireless data. It’s quick, convenient, and hassle-free.
So, in today’s episode of the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg pay a visit to Randy’s office in Tennessee to get the most updated information and news you need to know about LiFi.
Discover also the similarities and difference between LiFi and WiFi. Can these two technologies co-exist? How does LiFi’s security features compare with WiFi’s? What kind of users does the LiFi tech really cater on?
This episode offers a good introduction for companies who want to jump in this latest tech. Lighting companies might be having doubts whether LiFi can be suitable for retrofitting. Randy presents good points on how LiFi can be valuable not just to the lighting industry but the other sectors as well so tune in to start learning.
Lighting geeks and lighting nerds, are you ready to hear from the expert?
In this episode of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Greg and Michael talk to Ellis Yan, the founder and CEO of TCP International Holdings Ltd. to speak about the current developments and challenges in the lighting industry.
TCP is one of the big companies that manufacture light bulbs. Ellis has always been welcoming with emerging techs and innovations. Learn from Ellis himself how TCP managed to stay strong during the transitioning period of CFLs to LEDs and still remain persistent in educating and providing the people with the best quality lighting available out there. He also shares how they manage to be competitive in the lighting market and be one of the top providers of LED.
Michael, Greg, and Ellis also talk about the pressing issues right now – from the US-China trade war to consolidations to automation. Ellis has some interesting forecasts and insights about the future of the lighting industry so make sure to listen in.
There’s still so much to know on how to retrofit your lighting so let’s not waste time and start watching the second part of the How Would Your Retrofit That? Special of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast. And, if you’ve missed the first part (Episode #54), make sure to check it out on www.getagriponlighting.com or our YouTube Channel.
For today, Michael and Greg continue to provide solutions for your retrofitting problems. If you’re in doubt of what to do, their tips will definitely help so you could come up with the best option for your lighting. Upping your retrofitting game is the way to go besides, saving time, energy, and money is all we want. A lot of types of lighting fixtures were covered in this episode – from strip fixtures to troffers to wall sconces and many more – so start listening in.
It isn’t solely about illumination now. The lighting industry is gradually integrating new techs and going beyond its initial standard functions. So, how are the companies keeping up?
Today on the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg talk to Randy Reid, the Editor for Edison Report, about the pressing issue of how lighting companies are handling disruptive innovations like AI controls, LiFi, etc. They emphasize that there’s a noted increase of consolidation activity of companies in the past years.
Michael, Greg, and Randy also talk about the issues that are still being faced despite the astonishing developments. As they foresee, the future for the lighting industry is quite promising for those who continue to learn and provide value to their customers. Learn also great tips on what you should be looking for when contacting your lighting providers. Lighting is not one-size-fits-all. Remember that you can customize it based on your needs and liking.
When you’re about to do upgrades or retrofits, knowing the specifications of a lighting fixture is just the start. So, what are other things to consider when retrofitting?
In this episode of Get A Grip Of Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg share their insights on the retrofit strategies you should do depending on a lighting fixture's technical specifications. Everything is covered since a lot of different lighting fixtures are highlighted today. They emphasize that there are times when doing upgrades or retrofits are not suggested, and instead, replacement is the best step to go.
Discover the other external factors that should be considered aside from a lighting fixture's type. Is it still cost-efficient to avail the same kind of bulb? Does it already cause flicker or glare? Is it placed indoors or outdoors? For outdoor lighting fixtures, Michael & Greg suggest getting new fixtures instead of retrofitting.
In this episode of the show, Michael sits down with Wes, a self-proclaimed LED Tinkerer. Wes wandered into Michael's store in Toronto, Canada, and asked to speak to the owner. Michael, seizing the opportunity to create content, threw Wes into the studio and asked him to explain his tinkering.
Wes has taken the driver out of an LED fixture and connected it directly to DC current, and then tested the connection to show the LED chip's power consumption is only 1/4 of a Watt. Michael asks questions for details of what makes it work before giving Wes another project to tackle in the form of illuminating an LED tube.
Will Wes return with the project tackled? Hopefully we will see in a future episode.
Today on the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg walk down the memory lane of the lighting, design, and tech industry!
Discover what changed and what stayed throughout the years. We focus on the evolving applications, technicalities, & demographics in modern lighting. Michael and Greg share their experiences in how lighting designers, distributors, and consumers have changed their choices because of the growing options in lighting.
Learn what has improved in terms of aesthetics and performance for lighting fixtures. They also talk about the problematic shift in how people perceive ‘good’ lighting. Should consumers prioritize on high energy savings or on the good light output quality it offers? Michael believes that energy efficiency and lighting rebates, which came with the boom of LEDs, are just too questionable in how companies are offering them. Make sure to tune in to know more!
Energy Efficiency is the answer to sustainability in the future. And if you’re about to make the shift, make sure you know what’s the best utility incentive programs for you.
In this episode of Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast, Michael and Greg chat with Dan Mellinger, Senior Consultant at Energy Futures Group, about energy efficiency and everything about rebate programs. EFG has been providing energy-related expertise to clients across North America – governments, utilities, and environmental organizations for years now.
Discover today what’s working and what’s not with the available rebate programs for residential, commercial or industrial customers. Dan also discusses how EFG ensures energy efficiency & cost-effectiveness and how they package a good rebate program design for their customer. Challenges in energy monitoring and the implementation of rebate programs happen, so to make sure you make the best choice, Dan delves deeper into these topics. Aside from these, know also what’s the ethics behind rebate programs and what place do they hold in the future of the lighting industry.
It’s the 50th episode of the Get A Grip on Lighting Podcast and so far, it has been amazing! Let’s celebrate today by making it fun and laid back. Michael and Greg chat with some of their buddies from NAILD over a couple of beers talking about anything under the sun related to the lighting industry. It doesn’t really matter if you’re a lighting distributor, manufacturer, salesperson, or a customer, you sure are gonna learn as they share their own opinions and perceptions.
Our guests today are as follows: • Spencer Miles, Vice President of Pacific Lamp and Supply Company • Cory Schneider, LC, CEO at Lighting Unlimited • Brian Huff, President of Adventure Lighting • Josh Brown, Vice President for National Distributor Sales of the Keystone Technologies, LLC
They’ve talked about a lot of the pressing issues in lighting like the rebate programs in different states, the concept of ‘future-proofing’, the threat of online marketplaces, the unwritten rules of staffing in the lighting industry, and many more. Discover also how they manage when they’re faced with the difficulty of choosing the best lighting product: Should they prioritize customer’s best interest or prioritize what fits in their rebate scheme?
The entire episode should be a good basis if you want to be in the know of the latest happening in the lighting industry so make sure to tune in!
Don’t just settle on flipping those lighting textbooks. Be more impactful in the lighting industry by learning and collaborating more with lighting professionals, mentors, influencers, and peers.
This episode of the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast might give you that push you need to start building your network straight from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Executive Director himself, Timothy Licitra. The IES, which was established in 1906, is the recognized technical and educational lighting authority and has over 8000 members worldwide.
So, is IES the right fit for you? Find out from Tim himself how IES is stepping up their game to bring more value to it's members and to the lighting industry in general. They’re looking into improving their systems, adding more membership benefits, and increasing strategic partnerships. One of the key highlights also from the discussion is how eager IES is on making educational lighting tools and other resources easily accessible online.
Aside from these, Michael, Greg, and Tim talk how fast the rate of innovation is in the lighting industry (i.e. IoT-based lighting). Are IES and other organizations keeping up? Let’s find out as we watch this episode!
It was just 5 years ago when LED tubes were introduced and since then many commercial spaces have switched to LED tubes due to it's energy efficiency and environmental impact. However, in this short amount of time a lot of changes in LED tubes occurred.
In today’s episode of the Get a Grip on Lighting Podcast, Greg and Michael talk to Dr. Matthew Maa, the Vice President for Sales & Marketing at Aleddra LED Lighting. The focus of the show is some solid “lighting dork” stuff: the history of LED Tubes, recent developments, and the place it holds in the future of the lighting industry.
Discover what similarities and differences the various generations of LED tubes have. Dr. Maa also gives an overview of the issues that need to be addressed with the current generation of LED tubes. And, if you’re also curious about the features of the 5th generation of LED tubes, and the future of LED tubes in general, then make sure to listen to this episode.
Today, we draw a fine line between the facts and myths of lighting’s effect on our behavior and health. It’s time to tell the consumers what’s true and what’s not.
Joining Michael and Greg in this episode of the Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast is Dr. Jennifer Veitch, the Principal Research Officer at National Research Council of Canada. Dr. Veitch has long been doing research studies about lighting’s impact on health – what are it's effects and how can it be improved.
One of the best takeaways from the discussion is that the best and healthy lighting for you depends on so many factors including the light’s spectrum, duration, intensity, color temperature, and your pattern of exposure. Incorporating each in your decision-making could get you the most sustainable lighting design for your place.
Discover also how important it is for lighting companies to choose the right technologies and why they should always communicate the technical side of lighting to customers. There are also some lighting misconceptions out there that Dr. Veitch clears up from the difference between electric lighting and delighting to the difference of color fidelity and color rendering so make sure to tune in.