Zumtobel presented new products at the light+building 2010 fair

In mid-April, the light+building 2010 fair took place in Frankfurt. This major global fair, held every two years and focusing on lighting, electrical engineering, and building automation, attracted a record 180,000 visitors this year. Most of the 2,177 exhibitors emphasized the presentation of energy-efficient technological solutions. Companies engaged in building lighting focused primarily on energy-saving LED sources. This was also true for Zumtobel, whose motto this year was "LED's control light".

Zumtobel presented a minimalist exhibition titled "City of Light" over an area of 650 square meters. The emphasis on LED technologies was unmistakable, highlighted by large areas of modular ceiling luminaires CIELOS MOVE and the new CAPIX system designed for media facades. These drew visitors' attention with literal geysers of colors.
A whole range of innovations was presented. Among the main ones is the innovative pendant luminaire MELLOW LIGHT V that combines optimal lighting characteristics, effective heat dissipation, and a unique shade that prevents glare. The new spot lamp DISCUS was designed to allow passive cooling of the LED light source despite its miniature dimensions. Additionally, the PANOS INFINITY spotlight, now offered with an LED light source, garnered significant attention, achieving an efficacy of 66 lumens per watt. The 27 W spotlight provides light with a luminous flux of more than 1800 lm, and at 36 W, it even reaches 2400 lm. Compared to traditional fluorescent sources, the LED version is 70% more efficient.
As is customary for Zumtobel, the primary focus was not on individual products but rather on their combination into cohesive solutions suitable for various occasions. Therefore, the exhibition stand was divided into several white cubes, each presenting a range intended for specific environments, such as office or retail interiors, hotels and wellness, artistic and cultural institutions, healthcare, etc. The lighting of individual spaces was controlled by the LUXMATE system, which visitors could operate using the LUXMATE EMOTION touchscreen panel or the newly presented simpler CIRIA panel. The preset modes not only corresponded to specific functions but also allowed for dynamic changes in lighting depending on factors such as the time of day.
However, in the section dedicated to innovations and technologies of the future, Zumtobel went even further. In collaboration with architect Stefan Behnisch, a concept is being developed that combines building lighting management with an interactive façade allowing control over natural daylight entering the building interiors. The façade shading elements consist of photovoltaic cells, which power the entire system. Other technological innovations presented included OLED-based luminaires, i.e., surface light sources. This technology has already found its application in television screens; however, in the lighting field, it still faces challenges such as currently low efficacy. One can imagine that in one of the upcoming editions of light+building, OLED technology will be mentioned as frequently as LED was this year.
Equally interesting were the exhibitions of partners. A great deal of attention was drawn to the neighboring booth of spacecannon, focusing on less common lighting applications. Two main exhibits, exterior luminaires designed for illuminating buildings, which also light up the current tallest skyscraper Burj Khalifa in Dubai, commanded respect. Other solutions from this company, such as those for illuminating fountains or other water features, did not escape visitors' notice.