The December 19th edition of Construction Engineering Magazine featured an article entitled Shopping Malls, Retail Store Design by Jennie Spinner. This article featured interviews with design architects and engineers who discussed the many challenges they face when designing systems for retail environments.

 

It was interesting to read about the top issues they find important and satisfying to realize that Acuity Brands offers solutions that meet these challenges.

 

Here are a few examples of the questions asked of these engineers and their responses about retail lighting.

 

Q: What engineering challenges do retail stores pose that are different from other structures?

A: Lighting, especially in high-end stores, plays a major role in the design. With the ever-tightening energy codes and reduction of exceptions, providing good lighting and meeting or exceeding energy codes (in the case of U.S. Green Building Council LEED projects) can be a challenge.

 

 

Q: What factors do you need to take into account when designing building automation and controls for retail stores? A: Simplicity and cost-effectiveness are always imperative in the retail environment. Flexibility to accommodate changes in the configuration of the sales floor without significant system modifications is also very important.

 

 

Q: What’s the one factor most commonly overlooked in electrical systems in retail stores? A: The one most commonly overlooked factor is proper attention to lighting controls that are straightforward enough for staff to understand and operate them.

 

 

Q: Retail stores, especially high-end ones, are often specific and exacting about ensuring their wares are displayed in the best possible light. What lighting challenges have you faced, and how have you met your clients’ high standards? A: Accurate color rendering and the use of sources with the proper specularity are essential to proper display of merchandise. Achieving these objectives while also meeting energy codes is challenging, but new sources which help to achieve these competing goals are continually being developed.

 

 

Q: How have sustainability requirements affected how you approach electrical systems? A: Sustainability requirements and ever-more stringent energy standards have challenged us to design more efficient lighting systems and more effective lighting control systems, all while minding the client’s project budget.

 

 

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