LEDCO in Hospodárske noviny – professional retail lighting as early as 2011
Light is not merely a technical component of a space. It can influence its atmosphere, how we perceive displayed products, colour fidelity and the customer’s overall experience. At LEDCO, we were discussing these topics at a time when professional LED technology was only beginning its major development.
One example is the Hospodárske noviny article “The right lighting makes products more attractive”, published in 2011, in which Milan Kovačič of LEDCO was invited to comment as one of the lighting experts.
The article remains interesting to us even years later. It shows that the topics we focus on today – light quality, energy efficiency, lighting design and selecting suitable luminaires for the character of a space – were already part of our work during the early expansion of LED technology.
Light as a sales tool
The Hospodárske noviny article focused mainly on lighting in retail spaces.
Well-designed shop lighting is not only about providing enough light for orientation. Its role is also to create the right atmosphere, guide customer attention and highlight the qualities of displayed products.
The difference between good and poor lighting can affect the perception of:
- the colours of textiles and materials,
- product gloss and surface finishes,
- the contrast between products and their surroundings,
- the atmosphere of the store,
- customer visual comfort,
- and the attractiveness of the displayed goods themselves.
The combination of general and accent lighting was therefore one of the key themes of the article.
Today, this principle is a natural part of professional retail lighting design. In 2011, however, LED technology was only beginning to gain stronger ground in commercial applications.
LED technology and energy savings
One of the topics Milan Kovačič of LEDCO addressed in the article was energy efficiency.
Even then, we were pointing out the potential of replacing energy-intensive light sources with LED technology.
LED technology has developed enormously since 2011. Luminous efficacy, light quality, service life and control options have all improved. Technology prices, energy costs and the economics of individual projects have changed as well.
Historical figures for percentage savings or investment payback therefore should not be applied automatically to today’s projects.
The principle remains the same: a quality lighting design must assess not only luminaire wattage, but the entire system – required illuminance, optics, light distribution, efficiency, control strategy and actual operating hours.
We were already discussing CRI and colour fidelity in 2011
Another topic in the article was colour rendering quality.
Hospodárske noviny also quoted LEDCO in connection with CRI – the Color Rendering Index.
In fashion, textile, furniture, food or materials retail, the spectral quality of light can have a major impact on how customers perceive a product.
That is still highly relevant today.
Modern lighting design therefore does not stop at W and lm. In a professional project we also assess parameters such as:
- CRI and colour rendering quality,
- correlated colour temperature,
- colour consistency,
- optics and beam angle,
- glare,
- required illuminance,
- lighting contrast,
- lighting control and regulation,
- energy efficiency.
Selecting a quality luminaire is always the result of assessing several parameters, not a single number on a data sheet.
Not every light has the same role
One idea from the Hospodárske noviny article remains especially relevant today: lighting should be selected according to what it needs to achieve in the space.
A supermarket requires a different type of lighting from a fashion store, showroom, jewellery shop, office or production hall.
In retail spaces, the objective may include:
- highlighting specific products,
- creating a hierarchy within the space,
- accurate colour rendering,
- high visual comfort,
- flexibility when the layout changes,
- or reducing energy consumption.
The ability to connect luminaire parameters with the real use of a space is what distinguishes a lighting project from simply placing fixtures on a floor plan.
Technology has changed since 2011. The principles of good lighting have not.
The LED technology we used fifteen years ago is barely comparable with today’s products.
Today we have significantly more efficient LED sources, better optics, more accurate colour rendering, digital control, DALI, Casambi and other intelligent systems, advanced dimming and automatic regulation based on daylight and occupancy.
Despite this technological progress, the foundation remains the same:
good lighting is created through the right combination of lighting design, quality components, knowledge of the space and practical experience.
This is the principle LEDCO still works by today.
More than fifteen years of experience in professional lighting
When we look back at the 2011 Hospodárske noviny article today, we do not see it simply as a historical media mention.
It is one of many milestones in LEDCO’s journey in professional lighting.
Over the years, we have progressed from the early days of professional LED technology through lighting design and implementation to comprehensive lighting projects, intelligent control, electrical installations and our own solutions.
The common denominator remains light – and the effort to design it so that it makes sense in the specific space.
Original article
Hospodárske noviny / HNonline
Vhodné osvetlenie zaatraktívni tovar
Year of publication: 2011
The original article is still available in the Hospodárske noviny online archive.
LEDCO s.r.o.
Professional lighting • lighting design • intelligent control • implementation
If you are planning the lighting of a shop, showroom, office, production facility or another professional space, we can develop the solution from lighting design through supply and implementation.