Sustainability isn't a catch phrase at Luma, it is the way we live and work. Since Luma was founded, we have been leaders in integrating sustainable practices into our designs and our work environment. Three quarters of our designers are LEED™ Accredited Professionals. Our office space is LEED™ Gold. As of this writing, Luma has designed lighting or daylighting for fifteen buildings that have achieved Platinum or Gold LEED™ ratings. Luma's project experience includes Net Zero Energy buildings and Architecture 2030 Challenge projects.
Our designs range from the development of bright and comfortable spaces using less than half the code allowed lighting power density, to 100% daylit spaces that perform just as we modeled them. Part of our job is to bring balance to the daylighting and electric lighting systems through lighting controls. Often, the simplest solution is best, but we also design sophisticated control strategies that allow daylight and electric lighting to mix seamlessly throughout the day and into the night.
From the day we are brought into a project, through occupancy by the owner, we work to ensure a transparent, integrated process with all of our team members. We often work within formal integrated design process and encourage its use. In our experience, we have found the integrated design process leads to open and dynamic sharing of ideas between multiple disciplines. That level of collaboration leads to a better building. Our participation through early-phase workshops and eco-charettes allows us to bring daylight and electric light into the discussion early in the process.
Integrating the light of Nature
Luma's approach to sustainable design
- Set aggressive goals
- Understand the site and climate
- Advocate for and integrate daylight
- Use passive systems before active systems
- Design efficient and effective electric lighting and controls systems
- Constantly coordinate with architecture, building systems and people