02 May The principal’s notebook – May 2024 Newsletter
I look back at the first 4 months of 2024 and cannot believe how time has flown. We have so much in the pipeline both in South Africa and outside our borders. April was a strange month with short weeks due to the number of public holidays. Several projects that were expected to become realities, were put on hold as investors and project developers have opted to wait and see the outcome of the 29 May South African general elections and final results. What the makeup of the government and provincial governments will look like is anyone’s guess. It’s tough when the political situation intrudes on business. We hope that whatever happens that peace and sanity will prevail. I prefer to take note of the situation but not to dwell on it or the risk of being distracted from our objectives and business.
On a much more positive note, we are frequently found through our website and social media presence by many professionals, potential clients and possible students. Those of you who attended our webinar presented by Cristina Blanco Estevez titled “Digital presence in the lighting industry”, would have learned how important it is to have an excellent digital strategy, which includes a top-class website. The astounding traffic to our website and visits to our social media profiles are proof that a great digital strategy delivers results.
Once again, I would like to highlight our new short course, BHASL019: Lighting Design for Offices, that is now available for anyone who works on projects in the office environment at the low enrolment fee of R4,500.00. It is excellent value for money and will certainly be of value to any lighting professional, lighting designer, architect, engineer and interior designer.
We continue to enjoy an excellent relationship with The Marketing Home Group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, more specifically with Lighting Stores Illuss. They have branches throughout Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E, Spain, Hong Kong and China. Their branches have very professionally designed showrooms with their own exclusive LED product range. They also have IES files available for every product in their range. More of our services and courses are being negotiated for rollout to support Lighting Stores Illuss.
We have presented several live classes to the Marketing Home Group staff with the help of their training manager, who is an expert at translating the learning content into Arabic. More live classes for their staff are planned, as a select group start a specially developed Relux Desktop course, which will be presented by Daniel Hammond.
We eagerly await our Advanced Diploma Course accreditation from the European Agency for Higher Education Accreditation (EAHEA) for online higher education courses specifically, we expect to receive it soon, which will give our school higher status.
Now for some exciting news: BHA School of Lighting has launched our new & improved YouTube Channel, where you will be able to watch our past webinars. The events feature international experts on a wide variety of lighting industry related topics to enhance your knowledge and insight. Visit our channel at https://www.youtube.com/@bhaschooloflighting and access the first webinar – The Women in Lighting Project presented by Sharon Stammers and Martin Lupton and the second webinar – Digital presence in the lighting industry presented by Cristina Blanco Estevez by clicking on the titles.
I continue to be mind-blown by the usefulness and power of Microsoft Copilot. From research to letter writing, the more information and input that one gives in a request to Copilot, the greater and more fantastic is the result.
Students continue to receive their invitations to attend the Student Support Sessions using Microsoft Team on the first Wednesday of every month at 18:00 SAST. This session is open to all Advanced Diploma in Illumination Engineering Students and we plan to extend the invitation to students of our other courses. Students to note – you do not need to have Teams installed to attend, the link that you receive will make it possible to attend and enjoy a great relaxed time together.
Our second-year students continue to make excellent progress with several due to graduate soon and we wish those students, both First and Second Year students all the best as they prepare for the final examinations for their respective years.
As always, have a fantastic business month and we look forward to seeing you at our next Enlightened Community webinar, which will be held in celebration of the UNESCOInternational Day of Light, more details about the event can be found below.
With best regards.
Philip Hammond
Upcoming Events from BHA School of Lighting
UNESCO International Day of Light – Human-Centric Lighting: Busting the Melatonin Myth (CPD Activity)
Cost: Free of Charge
Date: 16 May 2024
Time: 5:45pm for 6pm – 7pm SAST
Presenter: Dr Shelley James, Lighting Designer, Electrician, TedX and Keynote Speaker at Age of Light Innovations, WELL Advisor, and Visiting Lecturer at the Royal College of Art
About this Webinar: The UNESCO International Day of Light celebrates the role light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. The celebration allows many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – building the foundation for peaceful societies.
During this webinar Dr Shelley James will talk about how human-centric lighting has become a marketing pitch for tunable white products that promise to control melatonin levels as a shortcut to perfect sleep.
For the UNESCO International Day of Light, Dr James will explore the latest evidence of the dynamic link between visual and non-visual inputs for sleep, mood and attention and consider the implications of recent studies that challenge the current understanding of the dominant role of pineal melatonin in circadian entrainment.
Dr James will review the critical role of darkness in delivering effective human-centred lighting solutions and recent case studies from the healthcare, education and workplace sectors, touch briefly on the environmental impacts of these approaches and wrap up with a glimpse into the future.
Super Energy Efficient Lighting (CPD Activity)
Cost: Free of Charge
Date: 20 June 2024
Time: 5:45pm for 6pm – 7pm SAST
Presenter: Philip Hammond, Lighting Engineer at BHA Lighting Design & Consulting & Educator at BHA School of Lighting
About this Webinar: In this webinar you will learn and understand how it is possible to achieve super energy efficiency by designing to use the most advanced LED lighting technologies and lighting controls systems.
You will be taken on a journey of discovery of technologies such as Power over Ethernet (PoE), Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS).
Philip will also take an in depth look at how daylight can be utilised in architectural projects to enhance energy efficiency in combination with daylight harvesting technology and be combined with Bluetooth Mesh technology or Casambi control systems.
Finally Philip will demonstrate how daylight calculations can be manually performed in Relux Desktop and how we can optimise the use of daylight in building projects.
Welcome to our new BHA School of Lighting Students
Jean Paul Muambayi, Cape Town, South African – BHASL003C19: Advanced Diploma in Illumination Engineering Course
Constance Mokou, Polokwane, South Africa – BHASL003C19: Advanced Diploma in Illumination Engineering Course
Logan Muller, Cape Town, South Africa – BHASL003C19: Advanced Diploma in Illumination Engineering Course
Nareej Bharti, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India – BHASL003C19: Advanced Diploma in Illumination Engineering Course
Bianca Kilian, Johannesburg, South Africa – BHASL001C20: Foundation Lighting Course
May Student Birthdays
Helen le Roux, Polokwane, South Africa – 3 May
Mohau Mahoa, Pretoria, South Africa – 3 May
Sikhumbuzo Cambridge Zwane, Johannesburg, South Africa – 7 May
Shane Language, Midrand, South Africa – 8 May
Oliver Hauser, Johannesburg, South Africa – 19 May
Ruben Triegaardt, Zierikzee, Zeeland, The Netherlands (Graduate) – 21 May
Melissa Gouws, Vredendal, South Africa – 27 May
Jade Melville, Durban, South Africa – 29 May
Barry Robinson-Butler, Sandton, South Africa – 30 May
Our Congratulations to students who have completed short courses
Neha Bora, Greater Noida West, Uttar Pradesh, India – Completed the Foundation Lighting Course
We wish great success to the following BHA School of Lighting student preparing for Examinations
Nicole Farman, Chicago, USA – Second Year Final Theory
Liam Abrahams, Cape Town, South Africa – Second Year Final Theory
Mohammad Al Muhanna, Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Second Year Final Theory
Oliver Hauser, Johannesburg, South Africa – Second Year Final Theory
Rojean Morris, Paarl, South Africa – First Year Final Practical
Shamielah Jacobs, Paarl, South Africa – First Year Final Practical
Justine Williams, Paarl, South Africa – First Year Final Practical
Charmain Conradie, Paarl, South Africa – First Year Final Practical
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Join a Professional Lighting Institution or Community
We encourage all of our Advanced Diploma in Illumination Engineering students to apply for student membership for little or no fees at local and international professional lighting institutions and lighting network communities. By becoming a member you will gain access to further study material, courses, workshops, webinars & stipends.
BHA School of Lighting is proud to be affiliated with the the International Association of Lighting Designers, the Institute of Lighting Professionals, the Virtual Lighting Design Community, The Lighting Police, Women in Lighting and the Illumination Engineering Society of South Africa.
Find more info about each organisation and community here.
Congratulations to the following students who have joined The Institution of Lighting Professionals (UK) as Student Members:
Paula Henry Naguib Bachtly, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Omran Ali Musa, Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abner Othneil Naidoo, Durban South Africa
Jeannine Vorster, Cape Town, South Africa
Our mailing address is:
BHA School of Lighting
5 Chestnut Ridge Circle, Chestnut Ridge
Royal Ascot, Cape Town
Western Cape, South Africa, 7441