On 16 May we will be celebrating the UNESCO International Day of Light, which takes place annually on 16 may. At BHA School of Lighting we will be honouring the role of light in our lives by hosting a webinar on 22 May, where we will be exploring this year’s theme “Lighting-Innovation-Society.” The presentation, titled “Illuminating the Future: How Light Drives Innovation and Society” will dive into the multifaceted role of light in shaping science, technology, sustainability, and culture.

The presentation will begin with an introduction to the UNESCO International Day of Light, highlighting its significance in promoting awareness of the impact of light-based technologies. The discussion will then move into the science of light, covering advancements in optics, photonics, and lasers as key drivers of scientific and technological progress. We will explore how light plays a crucial role in solar energy, medical imaging, and fiber optic communication, as well as its applications in quantum optics and illumination. From there, we will examine light’s contribution to sustainable development, focusing on innovations in solar power, LED advancements, and the implementation of lighting solutions in agriculture, healthcare, and environmental monitoring.

Beyond its scientific and technological aspects, light deeply influences art, culture, and society. We will discuss its significance in architecture, photography, and visual arts, alongside smart lighting solutions that enhance everyday life. The session will also touch on the role of light in well-being, future innovations in light-based technologies, and how light continues to shape our world. Through these discussions, we aim to recognize the transformative power of light and envision a future where its innovations contribute to a brighter, more sustainable society.

Come together and celebrate this special day with us! Book your place for free below and find more info about our webinars at www.bhaschooloflighting.co.za/webinars.

BOOK YOUR PLACE

The Principal’s Pen

We’re almost half-way through the year and there is still so much to do.  Do you, the readers feel the same way? We hope that it is turning out to be a fantastic year for you so far.

I so often find that I have some of my best moments of inspired thoughts in that time before I am woken by our wonderful pet dogs who need to answer the call of nature.  When working on a project, I often get those moments when I think about a specific aspect which has not been considered and when the answer to “What if …….” cannot be found.  Such moments make it possible to bring the matter to the attention of the project design team.  Sometimes, the matter may have little or even nothing to do with the lighting design or lighting in general.

How often has it happened to you that you are asked to produce a lighting design for a project long after all of the other design work has been completed and the project construction phase has reached an advanced stage.  Suddenly, you are faced with being required to produce a lighting design to fit a preconceived lighting design done by the architect.

When you start your lighting design, a number of issues arise that could have been solved at a very early stage in the overall design stage and the best provision of compliant lighting design which is compliant with the architectural design, the client’s vision and international lighting standards could be accomplished.

Do not get upset, despondent or frustrated. Work through each phase, find the solutions and simply get on with the lighting design.

Yes of course, it would have been ideal to have been included in the design team from the outset. A concept lighting design can be created, can be discussed and any possible problems can be eliminated.  The first iteration of the lighting design can be completed, followed by subsequent iterations until the final lighting design is accepted and approved. The process followed from beginning to end is smooth and does not cause stress to any of the participants of the design team.

So…. what’s new to discuss about AI?

Well, there have been many discussions around this subject in various forms of the media, including social media and main-stream TV.

One of the topics that particularly interested me, dealt with the use of AI by students at both school and university levels.

The over-arching guideline from leading universities from around the world including some South African Universities, is that the use of AI MUST be ethical at all times.  What is meant by that?  Quite simply, a student cannot ask AI to write the assignment without any personal input whatsoever.  A student can do a lot of preparation with copious notes.  AI can be asked to summarize all of those notes into a usable format to be used when the student submits the assignment.  In that case, AI will be going over the original work of the student and not a host of third parties.  That is ethical use.

Asking AI to write an assignment of not more than x number of words on a particular subject referring to a specific aspect, would result in AI searching for the subject matter from all resources including those on the student’s own computer, to compile the assignment. That would be unethical use of AI.

It was to be expected that software would be developed to detect the use of AI, more pertinently to detect the use of unethical use of AII. Just as we use our own plagiarism detector.  We have taken the decision to accept that AI use is inevitable but will be vigilant and look at the structure of assignments because AI whether it is Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT or any other AI software, have very distinctive structure and style.  We will penalise unethical use of AI by students.

Congratulations to those students who have passed their First-Year examinations and have progressed to Second Year.  You will be astounded at what you will learn during Second Year lifting your knowledge and ability to new high levels.

Excitement is building as some of students work through Module 28 to start preparing for the Second-Year Final Examinations.

And finally, good luck to both First Year, and Second Year students, as they prepare for the final examinations for their respective years. It is an exciting time for the students and equally exciting for us to watch them progress, especially when they graduate.

With best regards

Philip Hammond