Pop Quiz: How to Ace the Perfect Lighting for Your Project
Pop quiz: You have to design the lighting layout for a school. You need efficient sources of visually comfortable, direct and indirect light. You are not sure of the color temperature you need, nor the lumen output—What do you do? Although you may never face this pop quiz, you may find yourself in need of high-performing, architectural-grade linear lights at an affordable price, so you will want to read on.
Before we answer the pop quiz, let’s look at a few things that we are sure need to be considered, namely: beauty, flexibility, control, and price.
Beauty
The first thing we need is beauty. Let’s face it, when it comes to lighting, nothing kills a design like an unattractive fixture. Rectilinear forms are the most ubiquitous in linear lighting for a reason—they are timeless classics that fit a multitude of aesthetic designs. Whether you are lighting a classroom, an office, or even a retail location, the rectilinear profile is sure to be a great fit in almost any design.
Flexibility
We also require flexibility. In lighting, a one-size-fits-all approach almost never works! There are many factors unique to each project and installation, so a fixture that offers flexibility is of great importance. Your space may require the use of 2’ fixtures, or maybe 4’ fixtures or 8’ fixtures, but what about 40’ or even 100’? It’s important to find a fixture or a family of fixtures that allows you this high level of flexibility.
Control
Because not all spaces and installations are the same, you need to employ controls to change the power output (lumen package), the color temperature (CCT), and even the light distribution. This will offer you the most options when designing your space.
Price
Last but not least, we need to consider price. When it comes to architectural-grade linear lighting, there are a spectrum of choices. Most of these choices range from vastly expensive all the way down to mid-range price point. The key is to find a fixture or a family of fixtures that gives you the beauty, the flexibility, and the control that we have previously discussed, but does so at a price point that doesn’t bankrupt a lighting budget.
Fortunately, there is a lighting solution that answers all four of these criteria; the PLT PremiumSpec line of linear lights. Available in 2’, 4’, and 8’ lengths, these fixtures offer you the flexibility to match just about any design. And as if those varied lengths weren’t enough, you can use the joiner to connect sections end-to-end to create runs of up to 100’, depending on the voltage being supplied. You also have a choice between white or black fixture finish, further amping up the flexibility in your design.
The PLT PremiumSpec fixture employs a convenient dip switch to you allow control of the lighting distribution. Simply adjust the switch and you toggle between 100% indirect light, 100% direct light, and five variations of direct and indirect light—all with a simple switch! The choice between 3000K, 3500K, and 4000K provides maximum flexibility when it comes to how warm or cool you wish your lighting to appear. This fixture’s versatility carries through to the ease with which you can select the power output, also called the lumen package, via a dip switch on the top of the fixture. Simply select the power output that works best for your space, and you are set. It’s that easy. Of course, you still have the ability to dim these fixtures with a compatible 0–10v dimming switch.
Linear light fixtures with these specs and aesthetics tend to go for upwards of $100 per foot, making a quality lighting solution out-of-reach for some budget-conscious projects. In these situations, you are forced to pick your top priorities and let the others go. Not so with the PLT PremiumSpec fixtures—you get beauty, flexibility, and the control you want, at a price point that will work for just about any project. Coming in at half the price of comparably configured fixtures, the PLT PremiumSpec fixture is the perfect answer to your next lighting pop quiz!
For help ordering, or discussing the right lighting answer for your project, call 1-800-624-4488 or try our convenient pop-up chat feature at the bottom right corner of our web pages.
