The devil's in the details...Comparing different LED lamps for landscape lighting

Nothing too crazy here, but we have to do this from time to time with all the changing technology and claims within the LED industry. 

Today, I decided to compare three different manufacturers, I use relatively consistently, to evaluate their performance claims. Each one has the exact same specifications for wattage, kelvin, lumens, and beam spread...and each one is different from the other! Subtle differences, but still different.

I pay special attention to color consistency, beam spread, light intensity at center, and light intensity around the perimeter when analyzing lamp specifications. I then use this information to correlate the proper lamp with the appropriate plant material or architectural detail being illuminated. Momma always said "the devil's in the details" and I think paying special attention to those details differentiates E2 Illumination Designs from the competition.

E2 Illumination Designs, based in Dallas, Texas, is a landscape lighting design-build firm traveling wherever high quality design and construction is demanded.

Another North Dakota Victory...a 2016 CID Award

Photo from Architizer / St. Wenceslaus Church, Dickinson, ND

No oil..."we don't need no stinking oil." I'd say it's been a pretty good year for my peeps back home in North Dakota. The NDSU Bison won the FCS Football Championship...again, the UND Fighting Sioux won the NCAA Hockey Championship, Carson Wentz could/should go #1 in the NFL draft tomorrow evening, and now the St. Wenceslaus Church in Dickinson, ND wins the best Commercial Stone Design at the CID Awards. There's just no stopping us!

A bit on the CID awards from their website "The CID Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the design and installation of tile and stone in both residential and commercial projects. Submissions for the 2016 Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards are open to architects, designers, builders, contractors, distributors, retailers, installers and other professionals who demonstrate design and/or installation excellence in residential and commercial projects, giving special recognition to stunning stone and tile. Regardless of who submits the entry, awards will only be given to the project architect/designer or installer within the designated award category."

"To be eligible: Projects must have been completed within the past two (2) years (January 2014 – December 2015), Projects can be located within or outside North America, and
firms must be from North America - firms outside North America are eligible for awards in the international category."

"Projects will be judged and awarded based on technical installation and design, as well as international design and sustainable design. Projects will be judged on their levels of creativity, craftsmanship, and outstanding use of materials and achievement in the use of tile or stone within the residential and commercial project categories. Of particular interest are projects that demonstrate an original or unusual use of materials, incorporate an innovative technology, reflect installation excellence or successfully combine aesthetics with function in a unique and interesting way."

There's something about being from a small town and even something more if you're from a small town in North Dakota. We take great pride in North Dakota success...maybe because we know what it takes for anyone to think about us or maybe it's because feel like we know everyone in the state. I know the boys and I have celebrated with many of our North Dakota brothers and sisters!

Also, statewide, I think we hold each other accountable for our actions as well. Could you imagine if Carson Wentz ends up on TMZ like Johnny Manziel? His parents, brother, coaches, teammates, friends, neighbors, or anyone else who claims North Dakota as home would put a stop to it pretty quickly...we won't allow anyone to drag our good name through the mud! 

Anyways, congratulations to the design team at Creative Edge Master Shop in Fairfield, IA, but this moment is ours, the few, the proud, the North Dakotans. 

Bad Boys III is coming this summer!...and landscape lighting?

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

"We ride together, we die together, bad boys for life." The Bad Boys series with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence is releasing Bad Boys 3 in June and I thought I'd take a look back at a project I designed in Miami, Fl called Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Why you may ask? The Miami mansion in Bad Boys II was Johnny Tapia's, played by Jordi Molla, and was featured in the rat scene...I apologize if you don't know the rat scene but you'll have to google it, I have to keep it clean in here. They were doing an extensive remodel and I did the lighting design for the pool and front entrance for Richard Heisenbottle of RJHA Architects, who just so happens to be a rock-star in historic preservation!

E2 Illumination Designs plan / illustration created by ALA

Vizcaya is a National Historic Landmark and a top attraction if you're visiting Miami. Guests have included Pope John Paul II, President Reagan, Bill Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II, and King Juan Carlos while some furnishings relate back to Napoleon and Marie Antoinette. It's been named as the finest house ever built in the United States and the gardens are absolutely breathtaking. 

Visit the website for Vizcaya here and be sure to take time to enjoy the gardens the next time you are in Miami.

E2 Illumination Designs is a design-build landscape lighting and architectural lighting firm for fine estates throughout the country. Contact us if you demand the very best in outdoor lighting for your home and gardens.

The dirty little word in landscape lighting

Call it a referral fee, kickback, or "thank you" but ever since I got into the industry I've had to deal with these little moments. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem paying someone or another company a commission on referring my landscape lighting company. However, I do have a problem when that person is directly involved in the project and retaining our services. It doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy when the architect, builder, general contractor, landscape architect, or landscape designer says "we'd love you to do the landscape lighting...how much will I get?"

Let me explain how the situation typically works. The architect, builder, GC and the homeowner predetermine fees for their responsibilities. Say a builder negotiates a 18% management fee for all his subcontractors, subcontractor sends an invoice, builder marks up the invoice 18%, and owner pays the invoice. Now say the builder also takes a kickback from the subcontractors, typically 10% of the invoice directly from the subcontractor. Now the builder is making almost 30% and the owner has no idea. There is nothing wrong with the builder making a "management fee" for all the subcontractors due to all the scheduling and time in meetings to coordinate the job, but it shouldn't be under the table.

Thankfully, having my own company, I can choose to just not work for that individual or job...and I have. In fact, I can honestly say that I have never paid a professional "kickback" in my career. It's just not worth opening that door.

I've found one way around the situation is to be directly retained by the owner. Most of the time, architects, builders, and GC's don't include the outside package (landscaping, irrigation, drainage, landscape lighting, etc.) in their scope of work and allow the owner to contract it directly. This saves the owner considerable dollars that can be applied directly to their project. The problem is owners retain the services of a landscape architect or designer who then includes the landscape lighting in their scope of work. Why is this a problem you may ask? Most landscape architects and designers don't have in-house professionals that can and do high-quality landscape lighting design. So they sub it out to companies, like myself, and then mark-up the proposal their 18-20%. It just never ends.

In the end, the owner is much better served by retaining the services of a landscape architect or designer completely separate from a landscape lighting company. This way all the money the owner spends is being directly applied to their end product. 

It's a tough game to play but over the years, I've learned who to work with and who to stay away from. There are a lot of really great professionals out there and it's not worth the risk of having your name associated with these types of dealings.

E2 Illumination Designs is a design-build landscape lighting company focused on bringing the finest landscape lighting design and construction to wherever our services are valued. Please contact us if we can assist you in your project.