Episode 19: The Tsunami of Maintenance: How Lighting Designers Are Preparing Clients

"A 50,000-hour fixture, if it's on 24/7, like in many municipal buildings or hospitals…it won't even last six years." - Anne Kustner-Haser 
 
Anne Kustner Haser, President of AKLD Lighting Design joins hosts Lisa Reed and Avi Mor to tackle the urgent challenge of lighting maintainability in an industry where "lifetime" LEDs often fail within years. Drawing from three decades of experience designing for hospitality, retail, and high-end residential projects, Anne challenges manufacturers' assumptions about fixture longevity while advocating for serviceable components. "How sustainable is a fixture if you throw it away in seven years because you can't maintain it?" she asks, highlighting the disconnect between energy savings and total lifecycle costs. 

The conversation delves into practical strategies for project longevity, from remoting drivers to specifying spare fixtures. When a Wisconsin seminary expects lighting to last 65 years while tech companies expect the same from their buildings, how do we design accordingly? Avi, Lisa, and Anne explore maintainability ratings, controls ownership, and stocking strategies that keep spaces illuminated for decades instead of years. For professionals who want lighting that works as long as the spaces they illuminate, this episode offers crucial insights into the industry's looming "tsunami of maintenance."  

In This Episode:  

• (00:00) Introduction to Anne Kustner Haser of AKLD Lighting Design and episode sponsor Lumenpulse 

• (05:40) Anne's journey into lighting design - from fine arts background to engineering firm experience and starting her own business 

• (12:55) The concept of maintainability in lighting - moving beyond basic sustainability to address fixture longevity and serviceability 

• (20:10) Research findings - manufacturer survey results on driver lifespan and maintainability considerations 

• (25:20) Evolution of lighting fixtures - from replaceable components to integrated systems and the challenges with serviceability 

• (30:10) The critical importance of lensing, remote drivers, and thinking through maintenance access in various installation scenarios 

• (37:35) Driver technology challenges - potential improvements with DC input and the need for longer-lasting components 

• (42:25) Strategies for spare parts - programmed drivers, fixture replacement versus component replacement approaches 

• (48:39) Real-world challenges with replacement lamps - discontinuation issues and the need for future-proofing specifications 

• (54:29) Solutions for maintainability - hiring lighting designers, asking the right questions, and understanding lifecycle expectations 

• (57:42) Lumenpulse sponsor message highlighting their interior lighting solutions with focus on maintainability features 

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About the show:  

Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcas