First Light Technologies

FLT Attending Lightfair in Philadelphia to Promote New Integrated Pathway Light (IPL)

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

First Light Technologies will be attending Lightfair International (LFI) from April 23rd to the 25th. LFI is the world's largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference, with a proven track record of bringing together top international and domestic lighting professionals. Over 500 exhibitors will also be in attendance.

At Lightfair, First Light will be promoting their line of solar LED pedestrian pathway lighting products, including their PLB and WLB bollard series, and their newly released integrated pathway light (IPL). The IPL combines all the technical advances of their bollard series including their self-learning energy management system, in a completely different but no less visually appealing form factor. The IPL is an attractive, integrated pole-mounted unit, typically mounted 10 - 15 feet high, with 4 - 5 mounting heights spacing between units.

As with all First Light's solar LED products, the same advantages apply versus grid-based pathway lights, including:

Low installed cost and minimal site impact with no trenching, cabling or wiring
Minimal ongoing costs with no electrical bills or bulbs to change
Immune to power outages
Provide a visibly green statement without recurring carbon emissions

Major pedestrian and cycling applications for the IPL include pedestrian walkways, park lighting, greenway paths, bike paths, and bike rack areas to list only a few.

For more information about Lightfair International, visit: http://www.lightfair.com/

Sea Turtles Safer with PLB Series Amber LED Option

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

First Light’s New PLB Series amber LED Option is approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for use in Sea Turtle Nesting Habitats.

Baby turtles are safer thanks to the First Light PLB amber LED and the 180 degree back light shield that provides necessary lighting for visual landscape of beachfront properties near marine turtle habitats.

PROTECTING A UNIQUE SPECIES

Each year thousands of sea turtles make their way to the sandy beaches of Florida and the Caribbean looking for a place to nest. Unfortunately over the last 10 years reports have shown a nearly 50% drop in sea turtle nesting and the rise in hatchling mortality rates. This is a direct result of ambient white lights emanating from commercial and residential areas along the coast. These white lights trick the hatchlings into thinking they are headed for the moonlit waters when in fact they are heading to certain death. Since the little turtles are unable to see the safer amber LEDs they turn their attention to the white light of the moon and make their way to where they are meant to be, the sea


	For more information about turtle-safe lighting: www.myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/lighting/ For lighting certification requirements: www.myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/lighting/certified/

Solar Lights the Way to the Rechargeable Revolution

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

An entirely new market category of LED products fueled by compact, highly efficient, rechargeable batteries is “paving the way” for new forms of pedestrian-scale lighting – and more. Today’s lighting-class LEDs require very little power, and the small size and high lumen packages allow new batteries to fit discreetly within all types of lighting products.

New generations of photovoltaics, LEDs, and batteries are coming onto the market, and this trifecta puts solar solutions in the vanguard of rechargeable illumination. This is an entirely new product category, a standalone alternative to traditional AC lighting fixtures and a class apart from cheap solar garden lights.

Not only does a fully contained lighting unit with battery technology provide a visually clean look, there are significant installation advantages with solar outdoor lighting: wiring, trenching, and environmental site disturbances are largely eliminated. Combine that with zero electrical bills, and the use of solar walkway lighting becomes a no brainer – especially in sensitive or remote areas.

Battle of the batteries

There are two current leaders in battery technology for rechargeable illumination: lead acid, which has the options of absorbed glass mat (AGM), gel and flooded, and the emerging technology, lithium ion, in particular lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). Lead acid (think car batteries) is widely available, proven, easily recyclable, and inexpensive. But lithium technologies (think electric cars and power tools) have the advantage of high power density and they can withstand repeated, deep discharges. The lithium batteries are currently more expensive and harder to recycle than lead acid.

Often when describing a battery one would define a cycle life or float life, depending on how the battery is used. A cyclic application, like solar, requires frequent charge and discharge, and for cyclic applications battery life is commonly 3 to 5 years. In float applications, such as emergency lighting, battery life can extend as much as 10 years.

Cyclic life for lead acid batteries is largely dependent upon how much the battery is discharged with each cycle. The greater the daily discharge, the shorter the life. Because lithium-based batteries can withstand frequent deep discharges, their life in a cyclic application is based mostly on temperature, with lifetime decreasing as temperature increases.

In float applications, the battery is fully charged and rarely discharged. For both lead acid and lithium batteries their useful life in float applications will be based on proper charging and ambient temperature, with temperature being the major factor. For example, every 8 degrees above room temperature cuts the float life in half!

One benefit of today’s battery technology is the ability to recycle. Some lead acid batteries allow for recovering more than 97% of the lead, and plastic makes them by far the most recyclable. “New” lead acid batteries can contain 60-80% recycled materials. It’s a closed-loop life cycle that can continue sustainably.

Rechargeable lighting today and tomorrow

Rechargeable LED light fixtures are commonly used in fixed and portable applications:

PV-powered fixtures for outdoor area lighting (cyclical), including pedestrian and street lighting.
Grid-tied emergency lighting (float) is required by the NFPA Life Safety Code for safe egress in rare emergencies. This can be a dedicated emergency lighting fixture or a regularly used luminaire with a battery backup for grid failures.
Portable fixtures such as work lights, flashlights, etc. (could be float or cyclical): compact, rechargeable, and reliable.

This third category includes solar-powered products being deployed in rural areas throughout the third world, supported by charities and NGOs. Research reports that these rechargeable lanterns have significant positive impacts on communities, such as the cost savings and improved health and safety realized by eliminating the use of candles and kerosene, and improved performance by students who are able to complete more school homework. On the downside, depleted batteries could become an issue in these regions with few, if any, recycling facilities.

Lithium battery technology is expanding our options even further. From USB-rechargeable LED bike lights by Blackburn to theatrical fixtures to the designer AlessiLux rechargeable line of desk lamps, the category is growing. Battery size is decreasing while battery capacity is increasing; plus, using electronics to regulate the depth of the daily discharge extends battery life.

Improvements in LED efficacy are constantly allowing us to do more with less. At First Light Technologies we have already improved our light output – both hours of illumination and brightness – by simply utilizing the latest generation of low-power-consuming, high-luminous-flux LEDs. This trend will only continue to allow rechargeable products to access new opportunities in mainstream commercial and residential lighting.

This synergy between smaller, longer-lasting batteries and brighter, more-efficient LEDs – and look for continued improvements in the price and power productivity of photovoltaics – is improving the way we light the way.

Written by Evan Quinn, Marketing and Communications Coordinator for First Light Technologies, based in Victoria, BC, Canada. First Light Tehnologies‘ Solar LED pathway lights, bollards, and custom designs combine robust construction, aesthetic design, and intelligent functionality.

Source: http://lighting.com/solar-rechargeable-led-light/

First Light and Reliance Foundry Launch Cutting-Edge, Solar-Powered Lighting Bollard

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd., North America’s premier supplier of bollards, custom castings and bike racks, announced today that it is increasing the functional reach of its bollard product line with the introduction of Solar-Powered Lighting Bollards. Used to guide pedestrian traffic and to highlight landscapes, lighting bollards provide illumination that increases safety and heightens a site’s aesthetic appeal. In order to provide this illumination, Reliance Foundry has matched the trusted design integrity of its bollards with the innovative design of First Light Technologies’ solar-powered lighting system. The result is a stylish and durable bollard that delivers cutting-edge light management technology.

Reliance Foundry’s model R-9810 solar light bollard is stylish and durable, and delivers cutting-edge light management technology.

“To be effective, solar-powered lighting systems must be durable, efficient and reliable;” says First Light Technologies Managing Director, Sean Bourquin, “The solar-powered LED light that we developed for Reliance Foundry’s Lighting Bollard combines durable construction with an intelligent functionality that we believe will make it the industry leader.”

Solar-Powered Lighting Bollards have long been used to brighten commercial walkways and highlight landscapes and architecture but Reliance Foundry’s new solar-powered lighting bollards feature an intelligent functionality that makes them completely different. The intelligent functionality comes in the form of an Energy Management System (EMS) that makes the bollard both intelligent and predictive. A microchip in the EMS features self-learning capabilities that actually track and adapt to changes in weather patterns. The EMS maximizes the lighting bollard’s performance on every site and even accommodates non-ideal installation conditions like partial shading. With their intelligent functionality, Reliance Foundry’s solar-powered bollards actually predict weather patterns and then optimize light delivery accordingly. Intelligent use of energy limits battery drain and this increases the reliability of the solar-powered lighting bollard.

A partnership between Reliance Foundry and First Light Technologies has produced an unmatched solar-powered lighting bollard.

Lighting bollards by Reliance Foundry operate with a mono-crystalline solar module that is more efficient than multi-crystalline solar modules, and they provide a level of light volume that is unmatched in solar-powered bollards. They are crafted with the same expertise that has made Reliance Foundry the recognized leader in architectural bollards. Solar-Powered Lighting Bollards feature a base that is constructed of steel and a cap composed of aluminum. Both are finished with meticulous attention to detail and powder-coated to ensure an exceptionally long service life. The lighting fixture, itself, is composed of polycarbonate which makes it almost completely resistant to vandalism and elemental damage. Reliance Foundry’s Solar-Powered Lighting Bollards are easily installed and available in two models that allow them to be either surface mounted with a flanged base or secured with castings or anchors to both concrete surfaces and security posts.

“Through our partnership with First Light Technologies, I believe we have created an unmatched solar-powered lighting bollard,” says Reliance Foundry Sales Manager Rick Pasternak; “The intelligent, predictive and self-learning capabilities of this bollard are a big part of what makes these solar-powered bollards completely different from everything else on the market.”

Three different lighting color options are available for Reliance Foundry’s Solar-Powered Lighting Bollards and lighting distribution can be delivered in two patterns Solar-powered lighting bollards are easily installed and can be finished in six different colors. For specialized applications, corresponding models without solar-powered lights also offered at a reduced cost. Bike locking arms can also be affixed to solar powered bollards. Orders can be placed immediately for shipment in January 2013.

About Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd.

Reliance Foundry has been a family-owned business since 1927. Bollards are one of its main product lines, along with industrial wheels, bike parking products and investment castings. Reliance sources products globally and offers quick and convenient delivery in the United States and Canada from its Vancouver location.

October 2, 2012 – News from Reliance Foundry - For Immediate Release

Written by: Brad Done

New Product: The IPL Series Now Available!

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A new age of solar LED pathway lighting has arrived. The IPL series builds on our previous successes with our fully integrated aesthetic design, self-learning energy management system, and architectural grade construction. The IPL series shatters the solar stigma combining aesthetic design with high-quality light output. The new unit is a pole mounted luminaire with a suggested pole height of 10 – 15 ft with typical spacing of 30 – 50ft.

Ideal applications:

Pedestrian Pathways
Bikeways
Greenways

IPL Spec Sheet: Here

Asymmetrical Light Distribution Option Now Available for the PLB Series

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Another great option is now available for the PLB Series Solar LED Bollard. Asymmetrical type III light distribution provides better pathway illumination with limited back lighting, allowing for concentrated light where it is needed, increased light spacing, improved uniformity and a reduction in light trespass.

The combination of the asymmetrical distribution with the predictive, self learning, capabilities of the PLB series consolidates it as the standalone leader in architectural grade solar bollards.

Increased Light Spacing – reduction in the number of lights needed

More light where it is needed – more efficient light distribution across paths

Improved uniformity – limited shadows creating a bright illuminated path

Reduced light trespass and spill light – focused light output

First Light Lights up St.Pete Beach Florida with Solar LED Bollards

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

City officials and community praise ease of installation and long-term savings benefits of First Light Technologies PLB Series Solar Powered LED Bollards

First Light Technologies Ltd., a leading designer of architectural-quality, integrated solar-powered LED lighting products for pedestrian applications, announces the successful installation of its new PLB Series Solar LED Bollards by the City of St. Pete Beach in Southern Florida.

“First Light’s bollard design fit our needs perfectly,” said Renee Cooper, CIP Construction Manager at City of St. Pete Beach. “The choice to use solar not only provided a visibly green statement but was also cost effective. Short term cost savings included being able to deduct the cost for conduit and wiring. The long term cost savings can be realized by not having any additional monthly electrical service fees. The bollards could be categorized as being a one-time capital cost with long-term savings benefits.”

Cooper also felt the LED solar lighting provided by First Light Technologies has a future with the city, “Installation was simple and the response has been fabulous. The community loves the look of the bollards and the ambience of the softly lit pathways. We will be looking at other areas to utilize the bollards and I foresee more of these being installed in the near future.”

St. Pete Beach officials installed the PLB lights as part of a park improvement project at Horan Park, which included new sidewalks, sod and large solar pole lights. For areas remote from the existing electrical panel, budget constraints called for a solar stand-alone lighting solution that could be installed with minimal site disturbance, reducing cost by eliminating conduit, wiring and trenching. The city also required the light to be vandal resistant and able to withstand high winds and flying debris of a coastal location, to avoid ongoing maintenance and repair costs.

“City officials chose our new PLB Series Solar LED Bollard for their robust design, ease of installation and cost savings,” said Justin Taverna, First Light Technologies Managing Director and Co-founder. “Feedback from our client following installation is excellent, confirming our confidence that we have launched a remarkable product into the $13 billion outdoor and architectural lighting market.”

About the PLB Series Solar Powered Bollard
The PLB Series Solar LED Bollard is a stand-alone solar-powered light for low-level architectural and commercial pathway and landscape lighting. The PLB is cost-competitive with traditional hardwired bollards while offering several advantages:

Low installed cost and minimal site impact with no trenching, cabling or wiring.
Minimal ongoing costs with no electrical bills or bulbs to change.
Immunity from power outages.
A visibly green statement with no recurring carbon emissions.
Built-in Energy Management System (EMS) with self-learning, adaptive capabilities (patent pending) to operate reliably under any solar conditions.

Visual appeal combined with robust, high quality construction and unequalled solar power performance makes the PLB series an excellent fit wherever quality low-level lighting is required. The First Light PLB is the easiest solar-powered bollard to specify, install and use on the market today.

The PLB Series Solar LED Bollard is the inaugural product offering from First Light Technologies, a well-established photovoltaic design consultancy with over 250 projects in 22 countries. First Light Technologies was selected as one of Douglas magazine’s 2012 10 to Watch and is a 2012 VIATeC Technology Award winner for Innovative Excellence.

About St. Pete Beach
The City of St. Pete Beach, formerly known as the City of St. Petersburg Beach, is a barrier island community located just off the Pinellas County mainland of St. Petersburg, within 30 miles of both St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport and Tampa International Airport. The City of St. Pete Beach has a permanent population of about 10,032 as well as a large seasonal population representing over 28 percent of total residential property ownership, plus over 3,000 vacation accommodations.

About First Light Technologies
First Light Technologies is a specialized designer and manufacturer of architectural-quality, integrated solar-powered LED lighting products for pedestrian applications. Founded on extensive solar power system and LED lighting experience, First Light strives to make solar lighting effective and simple. First Light solar lighting products are intelligent, adaptive, efficient and robust. Designed to perform around the world, they are a cost-effective and sustainable alternative. First Light Technologies is a private held company based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

For more information call +1.250.590.5774, follow on Twitter @FirstLightTech or visit http://www.firstlighttechnologies.com

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9787136.htm

First Light Joins U.S.G.B.C.: U.S Green Building Council

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

First Light Technologies joins the US Green Building Council (USGBC) a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. Developers of the LEED building rating system.

Read more about the USGBC: Here

First Light Technologies Installs Solar Lights at US Military Facility

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

U.S. Military Selected PLB Series Solar LED Bollard for quality, performance and ease of installation.

First Light Technologies Ltd., the leading designer of architectural-quality, integrated solar lighting products for pedestrian applications, is pleased to announce a trial installation of 182 of its new PLB Series Solar LED Bollards at a US Military Facility in the southern United States.

“We are pleased to see the immediate market uptake of our PLB Series Solar LED Bollard continue with the U.S. Military now on board as a client,” said Justin Taverna, First Light Technologies Managing Director and Co-founder.

“We chose the PLB series bollard because of the high quality construction, lighting performance and ease of installation. An added benefit was the responsive customer service from the First Light team. We plan on using more First Light products in the future on existing running trails,” said Jacob Lantz, the Project Manager.

The 182 lights will illuminate 1.25 miles of jogging trails and highlight the location of bridges on a golf course. The sites required effective low-level illumination but did not have access to the grid.

The PLB’s completely self-contained design, combined with robust, high quality construction and unequalled solar power performance made it the perfect choice. Contractors found the installation was simple and were able to complete as many as 60 per day. The facility officials reported that even after some of the golf course bridges were flooded after installation, the lights continued to perform reliably.

Because the PLB lights are solar powered they will cut down on operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions, furthering the facility’s mission to provide top quality services and facilities while maintaining operational efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The facility is undergoing one of its biggest construction booms ever with over $300 million in new construction and renovation projects in support of its Transformation over the next several years.

“This installation further fulfills our company commitment to bring simple, effective self-contained solar-powered products for the $13 billion outdoor and architectural lighting market*,” said Taverna.

*According to a McKinsey & Company 2011 report, the $13 billion (2010) market for outdoor and architectural lighting will grow to $18 billion by 2016, while LED lighting is expected to outperform the general lighting market with a CAGR of 34% from 2010 to 2016.

About the PLB Series Solar Powered Bollard
The PLB Series Solar LED Bollard, released spring 2012, is a stand-alone solar-powered light for low-level architectural and commercial pathway and landscape lighting. The PLB is cost-competitive with traditional hardwired bollards while offering several advantages:

Low installed cost and minimal site impact with no trenching, cabling or wiring.
Minimal ongoing costs with no electrical bills or bulbs to change.
Immunity from power outages.
A visibly green statement with no recurring carbon emissions.
Built-in Energy Management System (EMS) with self-learning, adaptive capabilities (patent pending) to operate reliably under any solar conditions.

Intelligent, efficient and cost-effective, the First Light PLB is the easiest solar-powered bollard to specify, install and use on the market today.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/7/prweb9696416.htm

Lighting Company has a Glowing Future

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sean Bourquin and Justin Taverna take a long look at their production floor, squint slightly as they size up the joint and conclude they probably have a year or two before they may have to find additional space.

Confident? Yes. Arrogant? No. Just practical. These are engineers, after all.

The pair, who left Carmanah Technologies in 2009 to form their own solar-lighting company, are just articulating what their balance sheet keeps telling them - they are growing at an impressive rate and that 1,100 square feet of production and manufacturing space tucked under their 1,100 square feet of office space is very soon not going to be enough.

According to both of them - they tend to talk at the same time, with the same ideas and often over and around each other - First Light Technologies has grown 1,600 per cent since they first set up shop out of their homes, and it's expanded 300 per cent since last year.

"We've been profitable since Day One," said Bourquin, noting that comes down to being in a business that makes sense. "That's why we're doing it. We like the technology, I like LED [light-emitting diode] lighting as it makes a tonne of sense, and solar technology as it's applied makes a tonne of sense.

"This is a solution that makes more sense than what people are doing today."

First Light designs and manufactures high-end, solar-powered lighting installations geared for pedestrian walkways and landscaping applications.

And business appears to be very good.

Taverna noted that they just received an order for 182 lights - which can range in price between $800-$1,000 a pop - in the first phase of an order from a U.S. military base. In May, they sent 300 solar bollards to Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

Bourquin said the big driver for this kind of lighting in a tough economy is cost.

"When [customers] are looking at putting in new infrastructure, the cost to get there is significant, and the nice thing about this kind of product is the selling price is similar to one connected to the grid. But we don't have to run wires, dig trenches, get permitting and there's no site disruption issues - you drop it in the ground and you are done," he said.

With the cost of trenching to run underground wires close to $25 per foot in the U.S., Bourquin said the costs soar and the solar option makes sense.

Big users of this kind of lighting appear to agree.

The typical clients are resorts and hotels, the military, universities and large corporations with large campuses.

Last year, the pair surpassed their goal of shipping 500 lights, and expect to easily hit the 1,000-light plateau this year.

"Right now, we plan to continue to expand on what we're doing now," said Taverna, noting that they expect to continue to expand staff - they have six full-time, but can draft in another six when production requires - and eventually produce and ship 5,000 lights a year from their modest digs on John Street.

Modest appears to be part of the mantra at First Light. Both Bourquin and Taverna are watching closely to manage and shepherd steady growth.

"We're trying to be careful in terms of growth, and make sure it's thoughtful," Bourquin said. "I don't want to bring guys on just to say, '- Sorry, we have to let you go.' "

The pair saw some of that at Carmanah, which has struggled in recent years to the point it lost nearly $9 million in fiscal 2011 and has shed staff and downsized operations as it tries to regroup.

Neither Bourquin nor Taverna has a bad word to say about Carmanah.

In fact the two former Carmanah product managers credit the company, which was at one point a solar-lighting pioneer, with giving them the background and confidence to succeed.

Both Bourquin and Taverna said - at the same time, again - the decision to leave was just the right thing to do at the time for both of them.

"In any big company you sometimes feel you are in a silo and you want to do something more," said Bourquin.

"We were both asking can we do something more with ourselves, with our abilities and can we push this to see what it could be," said Taverna.

"We were just at the point we were ready to push ourselves, we didn't want to be a few years later here scratching our heads and saying 'What if?' "

So, they started planning and when they landed a consulting contract - key to allowing them to start the production side of the business as it meant money was flowing in - they left the Carmanah nest and decided to take flight for themselves.

Consulting, which meant providing schematics for contractors to build from and mechanical layouts for installers, kept them afloat and gave them time to build their lighting business.

Consulting was 50 per cent of the business as late as last year, but in 2012 it will probably account for just 10 per cent and they intend that side of the business to assist and support what they hope will be an expanding product line.

But it won't be too expansive - they expect two new lighting products to be designed by year's end.

"We are a mix of aggressive and conservative," said Bourquin.

"Fiscally, we are conservative. In other areas, like consulting or when a customer comes to us saying we a need a product in 12 weeks that hasn't been designed yet, we tend to move very aggressively. It's a real balancing act, making sure we have a solid foundation and moving fast."

Andrew A. Duffy, Times Colonist

Published: Thursday, July 12, 2012

300 Solar Bollards for Atlantis Resort

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

First Light Technologies Installs Solar LED Lights at Atlantis, Paradise Island

First Light Technologies is pleased to announce that it has designed and installed 300 solar LED bollards for Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas.

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS and VICTORIA, B.C. (PRWEB) May 31, 2012

First Light Technologies Ltd., a leading designer of architectural-quality, integrated solar lighting products for pedestrian applications, is pleased to announce that it has designed and installed 300 solar LED bollards for a high-profile client: Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas.

“We successfully designed these lights from the ground up to meet Kerzner International’s unique demand for a solar-powered light that would fit a high-end architectural aesthetic, be unobtrusive and yet provide sufficient lighting,” said Sean Bourquin, First Light Technologies Managing Director and Co-founder.

The lights, used for landscape lighting and way finding applications around the resort, replaced existing lights.

Because electricity prices at the resort are $0.37 per kilowatt-hour (versus typically $0.12 per kWh in the US) and all electricity is generated via diesel fuel, it was important that the new lights be solar powered to cut down on operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions. A savings of 78,840 kilo watt hours per year is projected.

First Light Technologies worked with Atlantis Resort’s facilities and operations teams to meet these design challenges and was able to design, implement, test, manufacture and ship all of the lights within 12 weeks – completing all the work on time and budget.

The resulting design is a robust, completely self-contained, solar-powered LED bollard that will operate reliably under virtually any environmental condition, for years on end with no electrical consumption, bulb changes or other maintenance or operational costs. First Light’s proprietary Energy Management System (EMS) technology ensures continued operation even in cases of low-solar weather patterns or unusual charging conditions.

The First Light bollards offer several advantages over the existing lights:

More environmentally robust construction
Improved cost savings
Improved lumen output
Improved light distribution
Improved light color temperature
Increased intelligence with self-learning, adaptive capabilities (patent pending)

Also, since the lights are completely self-contained, they require no trenching or wiring. “The installation was easy,” stated Greg Mazor of Service Electric Limited, Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas. “Our team was able to install 300 solar LED lights efficiently and on time.”

First Light Technologies recently released this design-build product for other markets as its WLB Series Solar LED Bollard, an ideal light for all low-level architectural, commercial way finding, and landscaping applications.

“Following on the heels of our PLB Series Solar LED Bollard launch, this offering continues our commitment to bring simple, effective self-contained solar-powered lighting to a market with an accelerating demand for such environmentally friendly and cost-saving innovations,” said Bourquin.

According to McKinsey & Company, the $13 billion (2010) market for outdoor and architectural lighting will grow to $18 billion by 2016, while LED lighting is expected to outperform the general lighting market with a CAGR of 34% from 2010 to 2016.

“Energy efficiency is the driving force that will contribute the most powerfully to the upcoming discontinuity in the lighting industry,” states the report, driving LEDs’ share of the general lighting market to grow from 7% to 70% by 2020.

About Atlantis, Paradise Island
Atlantis, Paradise Island, is a unique ocean-themed destination resort operated by Kerzner International and owned by Brookfield Asset Management at a stunning tropical beach location in the Bahamas. Architecturally, the resort is built around the myth of the lost city of Atlantis, and features a 141-acre waterscape, the largest open-air marine habitat in the world comprising 20 million gallons of fresh and saltwater lagoons, pools and habitats. Beginning in 2007, the resort embarked on a $1 billion expansion.

VIDEO: First Light Technologies Installs 300 Solar LED Lights at Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9560451.htm

First Light Wins Innovative Excellence - Hardware at the 2012 VIATec Awards

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Darth Vader crashes tech party as First Light goes home a winner - Victoria industry awards show ends with epic lightsaber fight!

Victoria, BC - June 1, 2012 - The force was with the Victoria high-tech industry Thursday night as the Victoria Advanced Technology Council handed out its annual awards.

With a Star Wars theme - evident when the 500plus lightsabre battle royale played out to the strains of Ballroom Blitz to close the evening - the tech industry, which tends to be a quiet economic generator, turned the spotlight on itself.

"Twelve years ago, we created this event as a way to draw more attention to the sector and since we've done that it has continued to grow and thrive," said Dan Gunn, executive director of VIATeC. "The awards have become an opportunity to profile the sector, but it's also a way for people in tech to celebrate what they have accomplished, to spend some time together and have a great time."

That was evident because, for the second year running, the awards show played out in a TV talk show format - more Letterman than Good Morning America - with plenty of irreverent humour and inside jokes.

Gunn said the show is a reflection of the industry as a whole. "We started to use a unique format last year, including the live band. We wanted to be creative and innovative in how we deliver the show because we have all been to a lot of these and they can be work as opposed to fun. We wanted to change that," he said. "And we wanted to be like our members - creative and innovative."

Last year, that culminated in a pod of inflatable orcas bouncing around the Victoria Conference Centre.

This year it was a massive lightsabre battle among the 550 guests.

Amid the mayhem in this galaxy not so far, far away, Contech Enterprises, which manufactures animal training and control products, won the award as technol-ogy company of the year.

The Colin Lennox award for technology champion was given to Dale Gann of the Vancouver Island Technology Park.

And the emerging company of the year award went to Wifarer, which has developed an indoor GPS system for smart phones.

Gunn said the emerging company category was one of the toughest for the judges this year given the quality of the nominees.

"They found it very difficult to pick. They were pretty excited about what they were seeing," said Gunn, noting there are plenty more newcomers in the pipeline.

"The whole sector is about the next kind of development, the next evolution and innovation, and that becomes more apparent when we look at the number of early stage companies doing fascinating things and getting investor and customer attention," he said. "But at the same time we don't overlook the fact that we have 50-year-old tech companies here that are still the best at what they do in the world and they are a very important part of our industry."

Gunn said that mix of newcomers and established firms has allowed the sector to thrive.

"Because we have such a strong community, locally they are willing to help each other and I think that's the reason the technology sector has doubled in size in the last 10 years," he said.

The Victoria technology sector boasts more than 800 companies, employing more than 13,000 people and $1.95 billion in annual revenues.

2012 VIATEC AWARD WINNERS

- Technology Company of the Year: Contech Enterprises Inc.

- Emerging Technology Company of the Year: Wifarer Inc.

- Colin Lennox Award for Technology Champion: Dale Gann, Vancouver Island Technology Park

- Education Champion: Mark Brown, Monterey Middle School

- VIATeC Member of the Year: HP Advanced Solutions

- Product of the Year: RevenueWire, CallStream Program

- Executive of the Year: Shelley Zapp, President, UNIT4 Business Software

- Innovative Excellence Software: MediaCore

- Innovative Excellence Hardware: First Light Technologies Ltd.

- Innovative Excellence - Process: Q5 Innovations Inc.

- Community Involvement: Atomic Crayon

- Online Strategy of the Year: Neverblue

- Employee of the Year: Loren Stewart, KANO/APPS

- Team of the Year: YUPIQ, Development Team

- Employer of the Year: Smart Dolphins IT Solutions

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First Light Tech. launches WLB Series Solar LED Bollard at LIGHTFAIR International, Las Vegas

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

FLT is pleased to announce the launch of its WLB Series Solar LED Bollard light for low-level architectural, commercial way finding, and landscaping applications

Las Vegas, NV / Victoria, BC (PRWEB) May 11, 2012

First Light Technologies is pleased to announce the launch of its WLB Series Solar LED Bollard for low-level architectural, commercial way finding, and landscaping applications.

“With this offering we continue our commitment to bring simple, effective self-contained solar-powered lighting to the $13 billion outdoor and architectural lighting market,” said Sean Bourquin, First Light Technologies Managing Director and Co-founder.

“Following closely on the heels of our recent PLB Series Solar LED Bollard product launch, this positions First Light Technologies as the leading designer of architectural-quality, integrated solar LED lighting products for pedestrian applications.”

First Light Technologies designed the WLB Series Solar LED Bollard to meet the landscaping needs of a large commercial client, which has already purchased 300 units. Demanding design criteria required that the lights fit a high-end architectural aesthetic, be unobtrusive, and yet provide sufficient lighting.

The resulting design is virtually indestructible and features proprietary Energy Management System (EMS) technology to ensure reliability in any environment, regardless of low-solar weather patterns or unusual charging conditions.

A visibly green statement with better performance and cost-savings
The WLB leads a game-changing generation of solar LED lights that will compete on price with traditional wired lighting while offering a range of added benefits:

Low installed cost and minimal site impact with no trenching, cabling or wiring.
Minimal ongoing costs with no electrical bills, no bulbs to change.
Immunity from power outages.
A visibly green statement without recurring carbon emissions.

The WLB Series Solar LED Bollard comes in a distinctive, robust and attractive design in 9-inch and 34-inch heights. Five choices of factory-set lighting profiles turn the light on automatically at dusk and off at dawn, and provide customizable alternatives for late-night dimming or shut-down.

A well-established photovoltaic design consultancy with over 250 projects in 22 countries, First Light Technologies builds on its extensive solar power system and LED lighting expertise to bring simple and cost-effective solar solutions to a lighting market with a rapidly growing demand for energy efficient alternatives.

According to a McKinsey & Company 2011 report, the combined market for outdoor and architectural lighting was valued at $13 billion in 2010 and expected to grow to $18 billion by 2016, while the growth of LED lighting is expected to outperform the rest of the general lighting market with a compound annual growth rate of 34% from 2010 to 2016.

“Energy efficiency is the driving force that will contribute the most powerfully to the upcoming discontinuity in the lighting industry,” states the report, concluding that installing energy-efficient lighting is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while yielding substantial economic benefits. Consequently, LEDs’ share of the general lighting market is expected to grow from 7% to 70% by 2020.

First Light Technologies will be displaying the new WLB Series Solar LED Bollard and the PLB Series Solar LED Bollard this week at the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference, LIGHTFAIR International (LFI): May 9 – 11, 2012, at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, Las Vegas, NV.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9497972.htm

The PLB Series: New Solar LED Bollard Now Available

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The PLB Series Solar LED Bollard comes in a distinctive, robust and attractive design in 14-inch and 36-inch heights for lighting landscapes and pathways. While being cost-competitive with traditional wired bollards, its self-contained solar-powered design and long-lasting 50,000-hour, high-output LEDs offers several advantages:

Low installed cost and minimal site impact with no trenching, cabling or wiring.

Minimal ongoing costs with no electrical bills or bulbs to change.

Immunity from power outages.

A visibly green statement with no recurring carbon emissions.

Self-learning: Intelligent power management for reliability

One of the PLB Series’ key advantages is its patent pending Energy Management System (EMS) technology, which provides optimal performance regardless of solar environment. In cloudy or shady conditions, the intelligent power management system ensures continued useable light that enhances the appeal and safety of the nighttime environment, night after night. Five choices of factory-set lighting profiles turn the light on automatically at dusk and off at dawn, and provide customizable alternatives for late-night dimming or shut-down.

Visual appeal combined with robust, high quality construction and unequalled solar power performance makes the PLB series an excellent fit wherever quality low-level lighting is required.

First Light Technologies Wins the Douglas Magazine 2012 - 10 to Watch Awards

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Former Carmanah employees Sean Bourquin and Justin Taverna are bringing innovative solar power and lighting solutions to a growing list of clients.

BY BRIAN HARTZ AND DOUG TAYLOR
PHOTO BY PAGE ONE PUBLISHING

Former Carmanah employees Sean Bourquin and Justin Taverna are bringing innovative solar power and lighting solutions to a growing list of clients.

"We are a classic blue ocean strategy company,” says Sean Bourquin, CEO of First Light Technlogies.  “We want to make the competition irrelevant.”

First Light Technologies designs and provides solar photovoltaics consulting services and high-performance solar and LED products. This is not surprising, as the two founding partners — Sean Bourquin and Justin Taverna — are Carmanah Technologies Corp. “graduates.”

First Light Technologies began life as a typical start-up. “We worked out of spare rooms in our homes and financed it originally from out of our back pockets,” says Bourquin.

“A huge boon was getting the support of [Carmanah founder] Dr. David Green,” Taverna adds. “When you have a local technology icon tell you he will support you, it gives you a great deal of confidence.”

The goal of the company is to solve problems in the marketplace using a product-first approach. “It is a special niche market but one that is growing worldwide,” says Bourquin.

First Light operates in 16 countries from Venezuela to Kuwait. “We have two major product lines: providing consulting services for solar and LED lighting product development and designing solar and LED lighting products,” Bourquin says. “Our major business right now is on the consulting side, but the product design is growing rapidly.”

One of the company’s first clients is a major resort in the Bahamas. First Light is installing 300 solar lighting stands it designed and built that will be used for pathway lighting  throughout the resort.

“This was a real test for us,” says Taverna, “particularly the aesthetics of the design and their function. They had to fit in with the high-end design of the resort, be unobtrusive, yet provide sufficient lighting. Designing and producing these lights was great for expanding our skills, as the requirements of the project  were very demanding.”

Growth for the company has been steady  even though it does very little marketing.

“Almost all of our consulting and product design and development work comes from networks we have established in the industry  and their referrals,” Taverna says.

Profile

Type of business: Solar lighting and power

Year founded: 2009

Owners/principals: Sean Bourquin and Justin Taverna

How many employees: 6

What sets you apart from your competition: We combine strong technical expertise, market understanding, and an agile approach to make solar power and solar lighting easy. Our solar power system designs and solar lighting products are cost effective, innovative, and high quality. As a young company, we value the ability to move faster than our larger competitors. 

Source: http://www.douglasmagazine.com/component/content/article/16232.html