Can the right lighting design improve your quality of life? Join us as we explore this intriguing question with Amit Sheth, founder and CEO of Plus Light Tech, recorded live at Light Middle East 2024 in Dubai. Amit takes us through his transformative journey from retail lighting to architecture and now outdoor lighting, pinpointing the industry's critical gaps and how his company aims to address them with cutting-edge technologies. This episode promises to enlighten you on the significance of top-notch optics in achieving sustainable lighting solutions and combating light pollution.
Amit's conversation with VLDC co-founder Martin Klaasen unpacks the meticulous feasibility studies Plus Light Tech conducts before diving into new verticals, the surprising limitations they discovered in the outdoor lighting sector, and the future of smart lighting technologies.
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“Education is essential... it helps the whole industry understand the importance of sustainability, quality of light, and reducing light pollution.”
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Episode Transcript
Today we are talking about sustainability.
Today, we are talking aboutquality of life.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
And we feel that optics are the heart and if you
don't have the right optics, youcannot achieve what you, as a
designer, you are looking for.
Yeah, and that is one of thereasons we are trying to work
with some of the top-notchinstitutes in the world.
Yes, and we also see a lot oflimitations.
We've been, before enteringinto any vertical, we do a lot
(00:31):
of feasibility study.
We, we study the industry fortwo years yes, for example, for
we've been studying it for lasttwo years and we were surprised
to see the amount of limitation,what the industry has, to see
the amount of limitation, whatthe industry has.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to the Virtual Lighting Design
Community Podcast, a globalplatform that empowers, inspires
, educates and connects thelighting design community.
This podcast is brought to youby our premium supporters Aero
Hospitality Lighting, creativeLighting Asia, erco, the Signify
Lighting Academy and PhilixLighting.
Creative Lighting Asia, erco,the Signify Lighting Academy and
Philix Lighting.
Here's your regular dose oflight inspiration.
(01:11):
In today's episode, we onceagain travel back to the
beginning of the year, where weconducted an insightful
interview at Light Middle East2024 in Dubai.
Co-founder Martin Klassen spokewith Amit Sheth, founder and
CEO of Plus Light Tech, aleading exhibitor at the event.
They discussed the pivotal roleof sustainability in lighting
design, explored solutions tocombat light pollution and
(01:33):
shared insights into the futureof smart lighting technologies.
A great listen, right to theend.
For anyone wanting a visualexperience, please do check out
our YouTube channel, where youwill find the video version of
this episode, as well as manyother great interviews and
presentations by our industrythought leaders.
Our YouTube handle is atVLDcommunity.
(01:54):
And, of course, it wouldn't becomplete without mentioning our
online platform, where the magichappens.
Join us and your fellowlighting enthusiasts, where you
can gain access to the completearray of presentations,
interviews, stories, ongoingconversations, a host of
resources and much more.
So please do check that out andexplore the community.
(02:15):
Now, without further ado, let'shead straight into the episode.
Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Bye, my name is Martin Klaassen and welcome to
the virtual light designcommunity.
We're here, live at LightMiddle East in Dubai 2024.
And with me, one of theexciting new exhibitors, plus
(02:47):
Light, and I welcome Amit Seth,amit, welcome.
Thank you very much, martin,amit.
I would like to first introduceyou, I mean you introduce
yourself to our audience.
Who is Amit Seth?
What does he stand for?
What's the company doing?
So we get a better idea of whatyou're doing, thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So we have a company called Focus Lighting and
Fixtures in India.
We have offices in Singaporeand in Middle East, yeah, and we
were mainly into retaillighting.
From retail lighting, weshifted to architecture lighting
.
Now we are.
We shifted to architecturelighting.
Now we are focusing more onoutdoor.
(03:24):
The whole idea is that thereare a lot of gaps we see in all
these verticals and we aretrying to fill up those gaps,
limitations in terms oftechnology, and that's what we
are doing and that's where it'sdriving us.
It's motivating us to introducenewer technologies in this.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
What I noticed is that you have like top-notch
optics in all your lightfittings, all like Barton Buck
type of optics.
Yes, is there a specific visionbehind that?
Why you?
You're going for the best ofthe best.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
See, today we are talking about sustainability.
Today we are talking aboutquality of life and we feel that
optics are the heart, and ifyou don't have the right optics,
you cannot achieve what you, asa designer, you're looking for.
And that is one of the reasonswe are trying to work with some
(04:16):
of the top-notch institutes inthe world, and we also see a lot
of limitations.
Before entering into anyvertical, we do a lot of
feasibility study.
We study the industry for twoyears, for example, for outdoor.
We've been studying it for thelast two years and we were
surprised to see the amount oflimitation the the industry has
(04:40):
when you say limitation, what doyou mean with limitation?
If you really want to go intothe depth of it.
So we did feasibility study oftop five companies in the world
and we realized that you, as aconsultant or as an end-user
like, let's say from you, youneed a very narrow beam.
Yes, okay.
So industry does have a narrowbeam, but the amount of stray
(05:02):
light, what it has, the efficacywhat it has, yeah, so those are
the real limitations now ifyou're going with a very, very
sharp beam and if you want tocontrol, if you want to do rgbw
is not possible.
we were doing one of theinstallations and we realized
that you know, the team actuallyclimbs up and adjust the light,
the luminaires, and it's sorisky, they actually risk their
(05:25):
life and they do it.
So we were looking for asolution wherein is it possible
that you can have, as a designer, you don't have to define beam,
but you can just say that I canadjust at the side condition
from 3 degrees to 80 degreesFrom a simple iPad or a laptop.
Is it possible that way?
So those are the limitations ofwhat we saw and we have been
(05:47):
trying to work on it and we aresolving it.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
I saw you're present here with quite an impressive
booth.
Thank you very much.
This is the first time you'rehere.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
No, we are exhibiting for the second time.
Second time, okay.
We were here, I think in 2018.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
All right, so you are now post-COVID, yeah, so what
is your impression?
So you can compare pre-COVID,post-covid.
What's your impression of theshow?
This?
Speaker 1 (06:11):
year, since we've been coming after a very long
time.
I think we were highlyappreciated because a lot of
consultants who came to us theysaid that you're the only booth
where you're showing how lightbehaves.
Yes, yes.
Most of the time it's not aboutthe product, but it is the
quality of light.
You're speaking my language, soyeah, for us it was.
(06:34):
This exhibition has been very,very fruitful.
We've been appreciated.
We've got a lot of positiveresponse from the industry
Coming from India.
You know it's a very differentworld, so the psychology is that
the quality is not high andwhen they come and see us they
are really impressed and theyare really happy to meet us.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You have an impressive collection of light
fittings, absolutely, and you'regrowing very fast.
I can see I've known you for awhile and I've seen that your
range is growing and growing, socongratulations on that.
Now, this year's theme for thefair is enlightened futures,
where we have a focus oncircularity, on darkness, on
(07:17):
sustainability, on integratingsmart into lighting.
How does that reflect in yourproducts?
I think we're all looking atthe future.
What does Pluslight do and howdoes it?
Speaker 1 (07:31):
relate with this team .
This is exactly what we've beenworking on.
Sustainability dark sky.
We did one of the surveys inAustria and in Innsbruck and
where there was a lot of lightpollution, there were street
(07:52):
lights and a lot of light wasgoing inside the river.
Now the local municipalcorporation wants to change it
and that's how we got connectedand we showed some of the
systems where you can actuallyhave a very sharp cut off, you
can have a control where thelight is not going behind.
I I understand we call it asbug rating.
(08:12):
What are the bug ratings in theindustry?
Yeah, b zero, u zero, g zero isthe best thing, but if you have
b1, u1, g1 is also nice.
So we are working on those areas.
We are working very, very hardon sustainability and also on
smart.
We believe, like the great workwhat you did and, uh, you are
the first person in the industry, honestly, who was talking on
(08:33):
smart.
Yeah, yeah, honestly.
If you ask me why you needlights when between 12 to 4, or
you need lights because therewill be some amount of activity
going on here and there, but youcan always dim it.
Sensors can always help you out.
It's still a long way to go forthe industry, but there are
(08:56):
people like you who are takinginitiatives.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You also follow that.
I know you're looking at how tointegrate potential sensors in
your features etc.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
I think that's the future.
Any company who is looking intosustainability, any company who
is looking into smart or darksky issues will be successful in
the near future.
So that's the way to go.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Now we are very much talking to you also for the
educational purpose, so peopleunderstand what you can bring to
the market.
You're also aware that we havethis community, the virtual line
design community.
You've heard about it and Iwould love to hear your take on
what your thoughts are.
(09:38):
How does the virtual linedesign community help?
Speaker 1 (09:42):
But how does the virtual life and community help?
According to me, if I have tobe very honest with you, it's
one of the most important thingstoday required in the industry.
Okay, yeah, if you go to an enduser who is supporting the
industry, who is buying from us,they don't have any knowledge.
Yeah, and it's the education ofthis type of institute where
(10:06):
you guys are driving it isreally helping the whole
industry as a whole to make themunderstand that, okay, these
are the most important thingsand why there is a difference
between a good quality and a badquality.
What is sustainability?
What is a good quality of light?
How you can reduce lightpollution.
This education is not there.
(10:26):
I don't believe that a customer, at the end of the day, is not
ready if he's been educated.
If a customer knows that, knowsthat the product is sustainable
, it is recycled.
If the product is efficient, ifit can reduce the quantity, if
the product is smart, it isreducing the energy load,
(10:48):
everybody is ready to do it.
But who is educating today inthe industry?
So we really appreciate peoplelike you who are taking this in
initiative in the industry andtaking a step further well, I
can always say, uh, you have anopen invitation to join the
platform and become a supporter.
We will love to do it.
Please let us know how we cantake it further, and we love to
(11:10):
do it I mean thank you so much,thank you so much, thank you we
hope you enjoyed this episodeand you've gained some insight
or inspiration that you can takeaway or perhaps apply.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
If you enjoyed this episode, it is always
appreciated if you could take amoment to share the podcast with
your peers and friends or leavea review on your favorite
podcast app.
Consider subscribing to thepodcast and our YouTube channel
to stay up to date with ourlatest content.
Do check out our onlineplatform as well at VLDcommunity
.
If you would like more, why notgo back and listen to some of
(11:43):
our previous episodes and hearmore from our thought leaders?
Thanks for listening and wewill be back with more great
presentations or interviews verysoon.
Until next time.
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