5 things you should know: November 1st

Lutron Electronics has leased 12,074 square feet on the 21st (and top) floor of 11 East 26th Street in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood, an 11-year deal with an asking rent of $160 per square foot, Commercial Observer reports. The full area offers views of the surrounding area Madison Square Park. The building's remaining space includes four floors totaling 31,000 square feet, with asking rents of $115 per square foot.

When reached for comment, Lutron did not say whether the new space will replace or complement existing New York locations, including the nearby Global Experience Center at 3 East 28th Street and the Residential Showroom at 979 Third Avenue. The global leader emphasized its continued focus on innovation, growth and the New York market, noting that further details on the new space will be announced at a later date.

The lease follows a recent change in Lutron's representation in New York City. The company recently transitioned from a three-decade partnership with Thea Enterprises to ELA + Synergy for its metro area representation. The new East 26th Street office is just two blocks from ELA + Synergy's Midtown location.

According to alighting.cn, a trading site for the Chinese lighting industry, China's lighting exports totaled 100,000 euros $38 billion in the first three quarters of 2025 – 7.8% less than last yearextending a three-year slump since the 2021 peak. LED products assembled 78% of exports ($29.7 billion), down 3.4%. Exports to the US fell 19%with tariffs falling below 20% of total volume for the first time, while tariffs exceeded 155%.

Growth came mainly from Africa (+19.5%) and the Belt & Road markets (+6.2%) – countries that China has courted through its global infrastructure investment push – offsetting declines in North America, Europe and East Asia.

Capacity shift Vietnam, Thailand and India continues to undermine China's manufacturing dominance.

The four main obstacles:

1. Weak global demand as LED adoption approaches saturation.
2. Production capacity spillover to Southeast Asia and India.
3. High US tariffs amid renewed trade tensions.
4. Price deflation due to overcapacity and margin compression.

Analysts expect a fourth consecutive annual decline In 2025, China's export structure will shift towards lower value emerging markets and away from high-margin Western markets.

In his most recent TEDxStLouis speak, “A well-placed light” Lighting designer Sean Savoie reminds us that every room – whether theater, office or living room – tells a story through lighting. Savoie, a longtime Washington University faculty member and CCM alumnus, speaks with the rhythm of a poet and the precision of a designer. “All of my designs begin with a unique, well-placed light,” he says – a feeling that resonates far beyond the stage.

While the talk is based on theatrical design, it addresses principles well known to architectural and commercial lighting professionals: the emotional impact of color temperaturethe human connection behind it perceived brightnessand the power of light placement to control behavior and mood. Savoie paints vivid contrasts—a warm amber light that feels like home, a harsh green downlight that evokes tension—and invites the viewer to consider how similar choices play out in built environments.

His message is one of them Intentionality: that the difference between appropriate light and inspired light is not wattage, but empathy. It's a reminder that good design begins where the technical meets the human, whether it's lighting a performance or a workplace.

In a fitting discovery for the Halloween season, researchers have found that several species of North American bats glow green under ultraviolet (UV) light, according to a new study BBC. It is the first time this type of biofluorescence has been documented in bats from the region.

Scientist on University of Georgia examined 60 bat specimens and found that six species – including big brown bats, eastern red bats and gray bats – emitted a greenish glow that was mostly concentrated on their wings and hind legs. The glow is believed to be a genetic trait and not caused by environmental factors.

While the exact purpose of the glow remains unclear, researchers suspect that it plays a role in communication or may have had a function in bats' evolutionary past. “Perhaps glowing had a function somewhere in the evolutionary past, and that is no longer the case today,” said the study author Steven Castleberry.

Biofluorescence has been observed in other mammals, fish and insects, but never in North American bats.

A lighting malfunction at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary delayed the start of Wednesday night's game between the Montreal Canadiens And Calgary Flameswhich forces players to start the competition in poor lighting conditions, Sportsnet Reports. The game began with the arena well below typical NHL broadcast lighting levels, which are widely expected to be more than 125 footcandles measured three feet above the ice while providing strong uniformity.

Since several pieces of play equipment on the ceiling were still dark, the first puck drop was delayed by around 10 minutes. Despite the grim surroundings, officers decided to proceed. Flames goalkeeper Dustin Wolf was put to the test early on, making a save from close range just minutes into the game while the arena was still underlit.

The lights were fully restored almost five minutes into the first half. The Canadiens and Flames continued to compete through regulation time and overtime Mike Matheson He scored the winning goal after a setup of Ivan Demidov to give the Canadiens a 2-1 win at the Saddledome.