Complete Story
11/11/2020
Recording Available! Community Lighting: Standards, Designing and Planning for Dark Skies
The Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ILASLA) and the APA-IL Chicago Metro Section (APA-CMS) presented an engaging discussion on community lighting standards and the ins and outs of Dark Sky communities on November 10, 2020.
The session includes a basic overview of the idea behind Dark Sky communities and the current status of certified communities. Learn about Homer Glen, the first International Dark Sky Community in Illinois (2011), and the fourth in the world. Topics included a discussion of Homer Glen’s Outdoor Lighting regulations, implementation issues, the need for transition to LEDs, and how to integrate smart cities technology in public lighting. Learn about strategic approaches to outdoor lighting at a time when we need to get the absolute most out of our public spaces. Lastly, learn about understanding written standards in communities and how changes in technology are allowing for more precise use of lighting to provide a sense of safety, a sense of community, and reduce energy consumption and light pollution.
Speakers
Drew Carhart - Executive Board Member, Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting (ICROL) Drew Carhart is a founding member and current executive board member of both the Naperville Astronomical Association (1973) and the Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting (2008). Through his work with ICROL, he has helped multiple Illinois municipalities and counties navigate the technical and practical aspects of addressing outdoor lighting regulations.
Vijay Gadde, AICP - Director of Planning & Zoning, Village of Homer Glen For more than 30 years, Vijay Gadde, has acquired a broad-based experience in community and economic development. Gadde’s career began working with regional economic development districts, both in Ohio & Illinois, followed by community and economic development positions in Round Lake Beach, Lake Zurich, Oswego, and more recently Homer Glen, Illinois. Gadde has been active with the APA-IL for 11 years serving as its treasurer, vice president, and president, and helped organize dozens of educational sessions. Gadde also helped organize both the Illinois APA and National APA conference events.
Drew W. Tedford, BLA - Midwest Regional Sales Manager, Sternberg Lighting Drew W. Tedford, BLA is the Midwest Regional Sales Manager for Sternberg Lighting in Roselle, IL. After graduating from the University of Arkansas in 1997 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA), he worked for various residential/commercial design/planning firms in Arkansas before moving to Arizona in 1999. While in AZ, he continued his design/planning experience until 2004 when he began working for a landscape design/build firm; this experience is where he developed his passion for lighting design. In 2007, he joined the lighting manufacturing industry as a manufacturer’s representative. Now based in Chicago, IL since 2011, he has hosted hundreds of professional lighting design and educational workshops throughout the US. His curriculums are CEU-approved through ASLA and AIA.
Rick Utting - Director of Strategic Initiatives, Landscape Forms, Inc. Rick Utting is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Landscape Forms, an industry leader in the design and manufacture of site furniture and outdoor lighting. From 2007 to 2019 Rick led the lighting program for Landscape Forms by emphasizing the quality of light for people and the outdoor environment. As a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society, Rick is Vice Chair of the “Lighting for Exterior Applications” standards committee and a frequent speaker on the topic of outdoor lighting. Rick holds a Master of Science degree from Western Michigan University and thirty years of experience directing product development that includes a U.S. Patent for low-glare and twelve luminaire design awards. In 2013, Rick created the Lighting Leadership Xchange, a university-based event that fosters the exchange of information between lighting design professionals and students from undergraduate illumination programs.
What is the APA-IL Chicago Metro Section (APA-CMS)?
The Illinois Chapter includes two sections: the Chicago Metro Section and the Illinois State Section.
Each section elects its leadership and coordinates its programs and activities with direction from the Chapter Board. These sections can provide region-specific educational programs to APA-IL members.
