12 Jun BHA Student Spotlight: Helen le Roux’s journey through BHA’s premier lighting course featured in Sparks Electrical News Magazine
This BHA Student Spotlight article titled “Helen le Roux’s journey through BHA’s premier lighting course” was first featured and published in June 2026 edition of Sparks Electrical News magazine by Crown Publications and written by Minx Avrabos at the link here.
Helen le Roux’s journey through BHA’s premier lighting course
Helen le Roux, a draftsman at Pienaar & Erwee Engineers (Pty) Ltd, recently completed the BHA Lighting Premier Course. Her journey into the field was sparked by a colleague’s encouragement to explore lighting design software. What began as a way to learn a new tool evolved into a deep passion for the discipline. Helen soon realised that true excellence in lighting design comes not only from mastering software but also from a firm grasp of illumination engineering principles.
Seeking to build a solid technical foundation, Helen enrolled in the BHA School of Lighting’s renowned programme. She describes the experience as transformative, equipping her with the technical and creative skills essential for modern lighting professionals. “The programme taught me to combine analytical thinking with creativity to develop solutions that are effective, efficient, and purposeful,” she reflects.
Key skills Helen developed included manual lighting calculations, which deepened her understanding of the mathematical principles underpinning good design. This enabled her to move beyond reliance on software to validate and refine solutions independently. She also became adept at analysing photometric data sheets and evaluating lighting products, enabling her to select the most suitable luminaires for any project.
In addition to technical skills, the course emphasised design sketching, conceptualisation, and the preparation of technical specification write-ups—critical for clear communication and documentation. Mastery of ReluxDesktop was another highlight, but more important was learning to apply sound design principles on the digital platform.
Like any rigorous course, Helen encountered challenges. Modules on the control of light, reflection, and refraction required a new way of thinking about how light interacts with its environment. The study of human vision and perception introduced scientific and physiological concepts, while topics such as photometry and human-centric lighting pushed her beyond her comfort zone. By dedicating time to research and revisiting course material, Helen turned these challenges into valuable learning experiences.
Her understanding of lighting technology broadened considerably. She came to appreciate lighting not only as a technical necessity but also as an art, a science, an engineering discipline, a field of psychology, and a driver of innovation. The industry’s rapid evolution—with smart controls, energy-efficient systems, and IoT integration—underscored the importance of continuous learning.
A key hands-on assignment involved designing a lighting solution for a simulated retail shop. Helen’s approach was systematic: analysing the brief, selecting suitable luminaires, simulating the designs in ReluxDesktop, and presenting clear technical specifications. This exercise brought together the programme’s teachings and gave her confidence in her ability to deliver effective, real-world solutions.
The course also introduced Helen to best practices, including flicker control, emergency lighting, glare reduction, and safety in hazardous environments. She learned the importance of designing not only for aesthetics but also for human comfort and safety, while always complying with industry standards.
Helen credits mentors such as Principal Philip Hammond and Daniel Hammond with shaping her learning experience and professional mindset. To future students, she advises discipline, curiosity, and strong time management. For those seeking a rewarding career in lighting design, she believes the BHA programme provides the ideal foundation.
BHA SCHOOL OF LIGHTING – 12 June 2026
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