The Value of Working with a Lighting Rep - They Have Your Back!

A supportive and experienced lighting rep can provide value in each stage of a project.

By Eric Teacher, STL Lighting Group

The NCQLP (National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions) defines a lighting representative as a company that works “as employees of lighting manufacturing companies.” In reality, most lighting sales agencies are independently owned companies that establish agreements to promote the products of multiple lighting manufacturers in a specific city or region. Lighting reps are employed to interact with lighting designers as well as architects, engineers, interior designers, electrical distributors and contractors.

Design Phase

Searching the web for products or inspiration is time consuming. Beautiful project images don’t provide much technical information (CCT, voltage, dimensions), and they don’t specify whether the luminaire used is electrically certified or if it can be integrated into the specific architectural applications. The lighting rep can be helpful in narrowing down options and identifying luminaires that deliver appropriate light output to satisfy code requirements and clients’ needs.

Once a rapport is developed and trust established, the lighting rep can play a key role in moving a design idea from concept to reality and helping flesh out options for custom-fabricated luminaires. The lighting rep can assist with recommendations for spacing, control options and components required for a complete and operational system. They introduce new products, explain the technology, and provide samples for review or mock-ups when needed. The most successful lighting reps have a wide-ranging knowledge of the products their agencies represent and how they perform. It is important for the rep to have great working relationships built on integrity and trust with the design team.

With today’s society relying so heavily on technology, the lighting rep can provide much of the technical data digitally, often quicker than the lighting designer could find it online. However, nothing compares to meeting with your lighting rep to discuss design features and to see the products firsthand. Reviewing the design boards or discussing the finishes on your project enhances the lighting rep’s understanding and improves the odds that their recommendations will be on point. A lighting rep also provides control system layouts and supporting photometric studies.

What the Lighting Designer Should Share with Their Lighting Rep

• Plans, timelines and anything relevant to identifying appropriate luminaires (reflected ceiling plans, elevations, voltages, code and control requirements)

• Design intent (what the lighting designer wants to achieve through light)

• Budget and the luminaire form factor that suits each application and aesthetic

• Project name or address

• Feedback after selections have been proposed by the lighting rep

What the Lighting Designer Should Get from Their Lighting Rep

• Responsiveness – within 1-4 hours but definitely same day!

• Detail orientation and insights

• Access to product information and application

• Accurate, timely photometric studies and samples for mock-ups

• Budget-appropriate solutions that suit the applications

On a recent project, a lighting designer reached out for ‘wet location’-rated track lights for outdoor use. What the designer didn’t realize was that even a track system designed for exteriors was not ingress protected (IP65 or higher), so it would fail over time due to corrosion if exposed to the elements. We were able to help by suggesting directional landscape light on a rail that would tolerate high pressure hose-down and provide directional aiming.

Tender

The rep collaborates with the distributor/contractor to provide a conduit for questions relating to installation and other project specifics. Detailed information about projects will enable better quality of service to ensure the right products are sourced and correctly installed.

Closing/Ordering

The lighting rep works with their inside teams to handle ordering and liaises with the distributor. They also contact the electrical contractor to determine if the specified lighting was procured. They assist with value engineering if the selected luminaires exceed budgets by checking with the lighting designer to gauge what can be changed while still meeting the design requirements. Alternative selections shall not compromise design intent. The rep often attends site meetings due to their in-depth product & installation knowledge.

Submittal drawings are a critical step to ensuring correct luminaire configurations arrive on site. The same drawings are shared with manufacturers along with project schedules to meet delivery dates. Requests for last-minute changes and shipping information are communicated through the distributor to the lighting agency.

Installation and Completion

Throughout the installation process, the lighting rep maintains an open line of communication with the contractor to assist with questions that arise, and also assists with coordination when abnormal site conditions are encountered, working with luminaire manufacturers to enact modifications. The lighting rep provides solutions that may not have been apparent to those less familiar with the equipment. They have a direct line of communication with fabrication and production staff at the factory and can assist in replacement of items that may have been broken via shipment or accident. The lighting rep also assists with final close-out of the project and programming of lighting controls.

House side installed incorrectly.

Misapplied voltage.

Help from the Lighting Rep When Things Go Wrong On-site

Electrical contractors come with varying experience installing complex lighting systems. Luminaire manufacturers’ instructions can be flawed through omissions of critical steps, typos or by simply being misread. What happens when the contractor does everything the instructions called for but the luminaires still don’t work? The lighting rep will contact the manufacturer who, more often than not, does not have any provisions for sending a technician to the site, especially when they are not located in the same geographical area. The lighting rep leaps into action and arranges for a local service provider, and if necessary, gets personally involved with the rework depending on his skillset. STL Lighting Group has numerous beautiful projects that we could have shared, however the examples in this this article illustrate how the lighting rep helped when things went sideways, by resolving on-site installation issues without the luminaire manufacturer’s physical presence. ■