Publications of Learning Archives

Manufacturing Finds Opportunity as College Skepticism Grows by John Dorer

William Attardi on August 11, 2026

It’s nothing new. Manufacturers have been struggling for years to attract younger workers to the skilled trades—many of the roles that keep plants functioning. In recent years, however, the broader conversation about this type of work is evolving….. Many young Americans share growing skepticism of the traditional college pathas white-collar office jobs face increasing pressure. It’s a meaningful shift as the manufacturing industry continues to face a consistent labor gap. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that there were roughly 438,000 open manufacturing jobs in early 2026. Long-term projections show little relief, as it’s expected the sector will need 3.8 million workers by 2033. But there may be a very important break in that chain, as a growing section of younger workers are questioning whether the traditional college path is right for them. Plant roles and skilled-trade careers can be presented not as fallbacks, but as stable and practical career options that offer real pay, advancement and long-term demand. Manufacturing Finds Opportunity as College Skepticism Grows | Workforce Development | advancedmanufacturing.org

Creating High-Performance Facilities Through Integration

William Attardi on August 5, 2026

High-performance facilities are no longer defined by individual systems operating efficiently in isolation; they are defined by how well those systems work together. In offices, healthcare, education, and data centers, integrated lighting, controls, and life safety systems are becoming the backbone of operational performance, safety, and sustainability. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that lighting typically accounts for around 15% of electricity use in commercial buildings, making it a key lever for optimization. The real transformation, however, comes when efficient luminaires, intelligent controls, and life safety assets form a connected ecosystem rather than separate projects. Integrated systems create an ecosystem in which LED lighting, lighting and HVAC controls, and life safety equipment (let’s not forget inverters) work together on a shared infrastructure. Creating High-Performance Facilities Through Integration | Buildings

Your First LED Retrofit Is Aging: How Facility Managers Can Prepare for the Next Replacement Cycle by Paul Chamberlain

William Attardi on August 5, 2026

What happens when your original LED retrofit reaches the end of its life? Your biggest challenge may not be finding the most energy-efficient system—it could be costs, complexity of replacement and serviceability. Key Highlights

Understanding the replaceability and support status of existing LED components is essential to avoid unexpected costs during upgrades.
Labor, downtime, and waste management often constitute significant project costs, requiring early evaluation and planning.
Operational disruptions can be minimized through strategic scheduling, phased implementation, and coordination with building occupants.
Sustainability now encompasses waste reduction, material management, and long-term asset stewardship, not just energy efficiency.
Modular lighting systems offer future maintainability, allowing components to be renewed without full fixture replacement, reducing labor and waste.

Your First LED Retrofit Is Aging: How Facility Managers Can Prepare for the Next Replacement Cycle | Buildings

Larry Ellison Bet It All on the A.I. Boom. Will He Be the Face of the A.I. Bubble?

William Attardi on July 31, 2026

Inside the 81-year-old billionaire’s risky, debt-fueled scramble to transform his data empire into an A.I. juggernaut. The president announced “the largest A.I. infrastructure project by far in history” and told the world that his friend Larry Ellison was just the man to get it done. “He’s sort of C.E.O. of everything,” Trump said. Ellison began by thanking Trump. “We certainly couldn’t do this without you,” he said. “It would simply be impossible.” He then proceeded to sketch out the ambitious plan. Ellison’s database software and cloud computing company, Oracle, and its partners — most prominently OpenAI — were going to invest as much as $500 billion over the next four years into a group of sprawling data centers, 500,000 square feet each, that would produce 10 gigawatts of computing power, using enough energy to power as many as 10 million homes. It was called Project Stargate, after the 1994 sci-fi movie. The effort began in late 2022 when the launch of ChatGPT stunned the world and set in motion a race to master and control the most transformative new technology since the birth of the internet. Analysts began bidding up how much generative A.I. would add to the global economy: $7 trillion over 10 years, $200 trillion by 2030and so on. Larry Ellison Bet It All on the A.I. Boom. Will He Be the Face of the A.I. Bubble? – The New York Times

The Age of Smart Light: How Digital Photonics Unlocks a New Wave of Innovation

William Attardi on July 30, 2026

Digital Photonics is at the core of ams OSRAM’s strategy, describing the combination of pixelated light emitters and sensors with digital interfaces turning them into intelligent systems. Digital Photonics, as we understand it, is transforming the role of light – from pure illumination to an intelligent, versatile technology that connects, senses and interacts. By combining advanced pixelated emitters, optical sensors, and digital interfaces, light becomes the foundation of a new generation of smart, programmable systems. Driven by megatrends, such as AI, AR/VR or robotics, this transformation is opening entirely new possibilities – faster, more efficient and more intuitive. Compared to conventional electronics systems, which rely on the flow of electrons, photonics systems can be faster, more energy-efficient, more resistant to interference, and more precise. These are inherent advantages based on the physics of light. [News] The Age of Smart Light: How Digital Photonics Unlocks a New Wave of Innovation – LEDinside

Deep Dive: Fundamentals of Commercial Lighting Controls by Craig DiLouie

William Attardi on July 28, 2026

A good lighting design is incomplete without a good controls design. Lighting controls determine when the lights turn On, when they turn Off, how bright they are, which luminaires respond, the response to daylight or occupancy, and how occupants interact with the lighting in the space. Controls may be simple or highly sophisticated, but every control system can be defined by the same fundamentals: inputs, outputs, programming, communication, and sequence of operation. This content is written for those who already have a working knowledge of lighting and now need a foundation in lighting controls. Lighting controls may be as simple as a wall switch or as advanced as a networked system……… Lighting professionals focus on providing good lighting design that supports visibility, comfort, safety, appearance, and energy performance. Lighting controls determine how the lighting behaves. A lighting system without appropriate controls may provide the right amount of light, but not necessarily at the right time, for the right task, or in the way occupants prefer. Controls facilitate the lighting system response to people, schedules, daylight, energy goals, code requirements, and changes within the space. . Deep Dive: Fundamentals of Commercial Lighting Controls

How AI Is Rebuilding Engineering From the Inside Out

William Attardi on July 23, 2026

ACEC Research Institute www.acecresearchinstitute.org releases new report concluding that most successful firms will use tech to enhance workers, not eliminate them. Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how engineering work gets done, while demand for infrastructure surges and the talent pipeline continues to contract. In the midst of this disruption, one thing remains constant: the irreplaceable role of the engineer. A new report from the ACEC Research Institute takes on all three forces at once — concluding from the data that the firms who thrive in the future won’t be those that replace their people with technology, but those that unleash the full potential of their engineers through it.

Key Highlights

AI will augment engineers’ capabilities, transforming them into designers of intelligent systems;
Data is a critical strategic asset; firms that effectively utilize project data will gain a competitive advantage and avoid dependency on external platforms;
Infrastructure is evolving into a continuous performance data source, enabling long-term lifecycle partnerships and digital twin integration;
The report provides a six-point strategic roadmap covering data strategy, workflow redesign, talent development, and industry collaboration;
Emerging AI-native engineering firms are being built around digital systems, signaling a fundamental industry shift.

The report identifies six structural ideas — organized around three themes — that define the engineering firm of the future: How AI Is Rebuilding Engineering from the Inside Out | HPAC Engineering

BAS: Five Global Trends That Will Define Your Strategy

William Attardi on July 17, 2026

Building automation is entering a smarter, more connected era, but outdated systems, rising energy costs and workforce gaps can quickly limit performance. This article explores five global trends shaping BAS and shows how AI, cloud-based platforms, integrated controls and intelligent retrofits can improve efficiency, strengthen resilience and protect long-term investments. Read it now to build a future-ready strategy before today’s limitations become tomorrow’s obstacles.

Specifying Sustainability with Confidence

William Attardi on June 30, 2026

Sustainability is no longer a separate design consideration—it is central to how buildings are planned, specified, operated and evaluated. This cross-brand eBook brings together timely insights on the evolving practice of specifying for sustainability. From navigating LEED v5 and understanding standardized Environmental Product Declarations to evaluating biomaterials, healthier interiors, energy-saving solutions and next-generation product selection tools, this resource is designed to help built environment professionals make more informed decisions with confidence. Whether you are designing a new space, renovating an existing building, managing a portfolio or advising clients on better material choices, this eBook offers a practical look at the tools, trends and strategies shaping sustainable specification today. Specifying Sustainability with Confidence: Your guide to smarter product selection, material transparency and high-performance buildings | Buildings

You Know Robots But What About Cobots? by David Shiller

William Attardi on June 24, 2026

Collaborative robots, or cobots, are moving from factory novelty to practical production tools, and the lighting industry is well positioned to benefit from that shift. For lighting manufacturers, the biggest implication is not replacement of people, but a rebalancing of labor: cobots can take on repetitive, precise, or ergonomically difficult tasks while skilled workers focus on assembly, testing, engineering support, quality control, and process improvements. Lighting manufacturing has several operations that match cobot strengths: bin picking, screwdriving, machine tending, packaging, label application, inspection support, and repetitive subassembly work. Cobots are designed to work safely alongside people in shared spaces, which makes them attractive for plants that cannot justify a full fenced robot cell or that need to keep production layouts flexible. Their easier programming and faster deployment also matter for lighting companies that run many product variants and short production cycles. More information is available hereand here. You Know Robots But What About Cobots? | LightNOW