Chicago, Il May 7, 2018–GRE Alpha will highlight their innovative LED drivers at the LIGHTFAIR® International Trade Show May 8-10, 2018. More than 27,000 construction and lighting professionals will gather at the McCormick Place for the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference. The event is sponsored by the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD, www.iald.org) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES, www.ies.org) and produced and managed by AMC, Inc. (www.americasmart.com). LIGHTFAIR® International brings the industry’s newest and most innovative products and technologies to a global attendee population of lighting designers, specifiers, architects, consultants and engineers from around the world.
Partnering for Success
Officials at GRE expect that this year’s LIGHTFAIR® will be even better than the last. While they will display their products alongside ERG at booth 3679, GRE Alpha representatives will be on site to answer questions and attend the LIGHTFAIR® conference. With a wider selection of products to choose from, they are excited to display their adaptable LED power supplies and dimmers like the Signage Architectural Drivers (XLD 75/ XLD 200) the lighting industry’s only UL Listed LED driver.
These drivers and other products like the 0-10V Surge Protector and dimmer drivers attracted a great bit of attention when shown at lighting fairs in Asia and Europe this spring. Working with a highly regarded distributor like ERG Lighting allows GRE Alpha to bring their latest products and technology to the premier North American trade show and introduce the GRE Alpha North American team based just outside Atlanta.
GRE Drivers for Intelligent Buildings
With smart building technology a dominant driver in lighting design, GRE believes their forward-thinking products such as their SLD-DIM DALI will be a leading force in the driver market. The future of lighting design is with smart controls and automated systems, and their adaptable and affordable drivers are integration ready for this new era of lighting technology. With most building projects and new construction moving towards LED lighting strategies, GRE Alpha is leading the market in reliable, quality drivers that are adaptable to sustainable lighting designs.
About GRE Alpha
GRE Alpha® Electronics, Ltd. specializes in the design and manufacture of solid-state lighting power supplies and lighting control accessories which are the lifeblood of indoor and outdoor LED lighting systems. Unlike many in the LED industry, GRE Alpha focuses on a modular approach. Their products can be used either in conjunction with existing systems or with new setups.
With over two decades of power conversion expertise and a commitment to innovation, GRE Alpha engages with industry pioneers to deliver efficient, installation-ready and agency-approved LED power conversion products for a wide variety of industry applications.
Learn more about GRE Alpha Products, go to www.grealpha.com:
GRE Alpha, North America
3030 McEver Rd. Bldg 1, Suite 140
Gainesville, GA 30504
Tel: (770) 538-0630
Fax: (770) 538-0640
Hong Kong – April 26, 2018 - More than 220,000 visitors gathered in Frankfurt, Germany, from March 18-23, 2018 to attend Messe Light+Building, the world’s largest trade fair for lighting and building services technology. During the fair, some 2,700 exhibitors displayed the latest products in the fields of lighting and home and building automation. The theme of this year’s event was “Connected-Secure-Convenient”. In this spirit, GRE Alpha presented their latest LED dimming module and driver technology working together with self-powered wireless switches and sensors based on the EnOcean wireless standard for a new era of intelligent building applications. The display was featured at the EnOcean Alliance partner booth in Hall 9.1, stall B60.
The result of a groundbreaking collaboration, GRE Alpha’s ENO-DIM LED dimming modules are compatible with any constant voltage LED driver. They enable smooth, flicker-free dimming of lighting fixtures when paired with any self-powered wireless switches using the EnOcean wireless standard. These switches use the energy created by the touch of a button to send a wireless signal to the ENO-DIM LED dimming module. There are no batteries and no wiring required, and switches can be mounted anywhere. This enables seamless integration when retrofitting existing LED lighting control systems or when building out new smart LED lighting projects.
Self-powered wireless switches using the EnOcean wireless standard operate at a high-reliability frequency band, and therefore enable interference-free and a wide range of up to 30 meters within buildings compared to other RF wireless technologies such as BLE and Zigbee. The ENO-DIM module is available in three regional power supply versions: 902MHz in North America, 928 MHz in Japan, and 868MHz in Europe and China.
“The importance of flexible and maintenance-free solutions for LED lighting control is increasing. Therefore, we are pleased to see the growing use of our energy harvesting technology in more and more applications for LED lighting control. The combination of GRE Alpha´s lighting solution with self-powered wireless switches is further enhancing the ecosystem of products supporting our energy harvesting wireless solutions,” says Jürgen Baryla, Vice President Sales, EnOcean.
Applications using GRE Alpha’s ENO-DIM modules in combination with EnOcean´s self-powered wireless switches include building and architectural lighting, effect and contour lighting, general commercial illumination, warehouses, signage, strip lighting and more. By combining GRE Alpha’s LED power supply and dimming module technology with EnOcean's self-powered wireless sensors and switches, lighting designers can create sustainable intelligent building, home automation, and architectural lighting control systems that are energy-efficient, easy to install, and maintenance-free.
About GRE Alpha
GRE Alpha® Electronics, Ltd. specializes in the design and manufacture of solid-state lighting power supplies and lighting control accessories which are the lifeblood of indoor and outdoor LED lighting systems. Unlike many in the LED industry, GRE Alpha focuses on a modular approach. Their products can be used either in conjunction with existing systems or with new setups.
With more than two decades of power conversion expertise and a commitment to innovation, GRE Alpha engages with industry pioneers to deliver highly efficient, installation-ready and agency-approved LED power conversion products for a wide variety of industry applications.
Five Ways LED Drivers Impact Architectural Lighting
April 17th 2018LED technology offers many advantages to designers of architectural lighting systems. LEDs are more energy efficient, offer a lower overall cost of operation, and provide the potential for eye-catching aesthetics and innovative design. The features and specifications of LED lighting fixtures themselves are important, but the choice of architectural LED power supplies (or drivers) is also critical. Let’s look at five ways architectural LED drivers affect the design and performance of LED lighting systems.
1. Installation Costs
LED drivers take AC current from the mains and convert it to low-voltage DC current required by the LEDs themselves. Like any complex electrical component, drivers must be installed by qualified technicians, which means that ease of installation is a key factor in reducing the cost of deployment. Devices like GRE Alpha’s Easy Install drivers, for example, incorporate features like integral wiring compartments to reduce installation time and eliminate the need for additional components during the installation process. These drivers are also user configurable to constant-current or constant-voltage output, which offers design flexibility while minimizing tracking of extra SKUs.
2. Reliability and Ruggedness
Reliability is a key factor in reducing down time of LED lighting systems. The LEDs themselves, if used properly, last far longer than incandescent or neon lights, so LED drivers should have a correspondingly long lifetime. The mean time between failure (MTBF), a measure of the reliability of a high-quality LED driver, helps in estimating operating costs of an architectural lighting project at the design stage. Typical MTBFs of LED drivers range from 50,000 hours to 500,000 hours under normal operating conditions.
LED drivers must also exhibit sufficient ruggedness to protect against voltage surges. Like most electronics, LEDs are sensitive to such surges and to accidental electrostatic discharge during handling. Some LED drivers are designed to withstand surges of several thousand volts. In applications such as outdoor signage where lightning strikes are a problem, optional surge protectors that protect the drivers themselves are advisable.
3. Intelligent Control
LED drivers and dimming modules enable fast and flicker-free control of LED intensity from 0-100%. Dimming LEDs with manual switches lends itself to energy efficiency, of course. But modern lighting systems require a greater level of control, especially through integration with smart building systems that can be monitored and controlled over intelligent networks to optimize lighting quality and minimize energy consumption.
For example, intelligent control and monitoring of LED lighting systems can make it possible to collect information about how lighting is used in each room or section of a building to help optimize energy consumption over time. Eventually, lighting might even be optimized for a person based on preferences stored on their smartphone, or for a particular meeting room based on how many people are present.
To enable intelligent lighting control, or to future-proof a lighting system, it’s essential to deploy high-quality LED drivers that can integrate with dimming modules with industry standard DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) or DMX.
4. Scalability
In the hands of a creative designer, LEDs offer the potential for the attractive and dynamic lighting of signage and building exteriors and interiors. Their fast response and controllability offer a relatively inexpensive way to freshen the appearance of both the interior and exterior of older buildings without extensive renovation.
In some cases, architectural lighting systems are deployed in stages with LED strips, so it helps to have power supplies used for LED strips that enable scalability. Constant voltage architectural LED drivers offer the flexibility to add LED lighting strips without replacing the drivers themselves. For example, GRE Alpha’s constant voltage Signage-Pro driver offers maximum flexibility and robustness for exterior architectural lighting. This driver features user-adjustable voltage, output for cooling fan control, and a heavy-duty design for use in exterior applications.
5. Light Quality
Many architectural lighting applications require a high quality of light, over and above brightness, which includes a minimization of flicker and control of the temperature of the light. These are all a function of the LED driver which must take AC line current, sometimes of unpredictable quality and stability, and convert it to steady and clean direct current without ripple to ensure a light that’s pleasing to the eye.
Some drivers can also help LED light appear more natural. The GRE Alpha Tunable White SLD-DimTW, for example, can change light from a warm to cool temperature as a function of brightness. This mimics natural light as it progresses from the soft warm light of sunrise to brighter and cooler mid-day light.
Conclusion
LED technology offers many advantages to designers of architectural lighting systems including energy efficiency, scalability, and light quality. Since they are inherently electronic devices, LEDs require high quality drivers to operate, and the choice of drivers is critical for optimum lighting design and performance. The most important features of architectural LED drivers include installation cost, reliability, and scalability, as well as control of light quality and integration into smart building systems.
GRE Alpha Demonstrates Newest Drivers at LED Next Stage 2018
March 29th 2018Each March the Japan LED Association brings the top manufacturers from all over the world together at the LED NEXT STAGE. Market leaders find themselves with the opportunity to show off the newest LED and OLED lighting products to influential designers, engineers, and buyers. Ready-to-order items, production models, and concepts on display guide the future of the lighting industry. This season’s event placed emphasis on store and city design.
At this year's show, GRE Alpha’s booth featured interactive product displays allowing visitors to experience firsthand the high quality of its products. GRE Alpha showcased its new EnOcean dimming module as well as PSE-certified LED drivers including the SLD-DIM DALI and SLD dimming module (1-10V+PWM). With the global market in mind, the firm provides the same technology in 868MHz and 902MHz modules that Japanese customers can incorporate into their products for overseas markets. This was GRE Alpha’s second year participating in this event. Those in attendance reported a 25 percent increase in product inquiries.
There will be additional opportunities to see live demonstrations. GRE Alpha will also be participating in the Lightfair International 2018 trade show, slated to be held in from May 8 to 10 in Chicago. LFI is the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and is sponsored by the International Association of Lighting Designers and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The main focus of LFI this year will be smart cities.
About GRE Alpha
GRE Alpha® Electronics, Ltd. specializes in the design and manufacture of solid-state lighting power supplies and lighting control accessories which are the lifeblood of indoor and outdoor LED lighting systems. Unlike many in the LED industry, GRE Alpha focuses on a modular approach. Their products can be used either in conjunction with existing systems or with new setups.
With more than two decades of power conversion expertise and a commitment to innovation, GRE Alpha engages with industry pioneers to deliver highly efficient, installation-ready and agency-approved LED power conversion products for a wide variety of industry applications.
Showcasing the latest technology is a hallmark of the world’s leading trade fair for lighting and building services technology. Longtime GRE Alpha partner, Lumileds will be at Germany’s Messe Light + Building, eager to present their latest products. Weeks ago Lumileds introduced its fourth generation of chip-on-board (CoB) LEDs, the LUXEON CoB Core Range which leads the market in efficacy and quality of light. The product incorporates GRE Alpha’s warm dimming modules to provide a smooth dim-to-warm effect. With the new LUXEON CoB Core Range, Lumileds sets a new standard with 5% greater efficacy than the closest alternatives. The major applications include use in spotlights and downlights.
Attendees at the Frankfurt Light and Building Fair will be able to see the demonstration via a demo kit in the booth located at Hall 6.2, Stand No. B40
GRE Alpha is a long-term reliable partner with Lumileds.“User experience is very important to us,” says Richard Fong Executive Director at GRE Alpha. “Working in tandem with our alliances, we will have knowledgeable, representatives on the floor to help introduce and share our products.” GRE Alpha dimmers offer some distinct advantages
- Easily links with Lumileds constant current COB LED chipsets
- Plug-and-play dimming modules create eye-catching, color temperature changing effects without color distortion
- The output of GRE’s dimming module can provide extremely low output ripple current which creates the best flicker control
More than 2,600 exhibitors will be presenting their products in the fields of lighting, electrical and home and building automation. “Connected – Secure – Convenient” is the motto of the spring event. Dimming technology is a critical component in luminaire design. With that in mind, GRE Alpha’s team will be bringing their modular approach to LED dimming to the fair. In addition to displaying their products with Lumileds, their modular drivers will be on display at both the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA) and EnOcean booths March 18 to 23, 2018
Messe Light + Building is renowned for the exhibitors’ high levels of expertise in the field of design. GRE Alpha and its partners will feature interactive displays of many of products, allowing users to experience firsthand the craftsmanship and quality.
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About GRE Alpha:
GRE Alpha Electronics, Ltd. specializes in the design and manufacturing of solid-state lighting power supplies and lighting control accessories, the lifeblood of indoor and outdoor LED lighting systems. With over two decades of power conversion expertise and a commitment toward innovation, GRE Alpha engages with industry pioneers to deliver highly efficient, installation-ready and agency-approved LED power conversion products for a wide variety of industry applications.
Learn more at grealpha.com.
About Lumileds:
For automotive, mobile, IoT and illumination companies who require innovative lighting solutions, Lumileds is a global leader employing more than 9,000 team members operating in over 30 countries. Lumileds partners with its customers to push the boundaries of light.
To learn more about our portfolio of lighting solutions, visit lumileds.com.