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Michigan Advanced Lighting Conference To Shed Light On Advanced Tech In A Growing Industry

DETROIT (WWJ) -- NextEnergy, the state of Michigan's advanced energy industry accelerator, will host the Michigan Advanced Lighting Conference, to be held in conjunction with the Michigan Solid State Lighting Association's annual symposium Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Electrical Industry Training Center in Warren.

The conference will focus on advanced lighting activities in Michigan featuring two tracks with topics and speakers tailored to a wide-range of industry professionals including: companies moving Michigan forward, innovative project case studies, optimizing ROI with sensors and controls, and "what's next" in research and development.

Featured keynotes will be delivered by expert speakers Dr. John W. Curran, president of LED Transformations and representing the United States Department of Energy, and Eric Haugaard, director of product technology at CREE Inc.

Attendees will also have access to an "Advanced Lighting Showcase" featuring products and services, many from Michigan-based companies. The day's agenda includes many valuable opportunities for participants to network including breakfast, lunch and an afterglow reception.

Conference participants include architects, engineers, lighting manufacturers, building managers, owners, and developers, and other industry professionals who will also have the opportunity to earn continuing education credits toward certifications offered through American Institute of Architects, Building Owners and Managers Institute International and the United States Green Building Council.

"Michigan's advanced lighting industry is becoming even more robust and this conference is an exciting platform to highlight Michigan technologies and spur continued economic activity," said Joshua Brugeman, director of energy efficiency programs at NextEnergy.

NextEnergy is serving as the event organizer with the support of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and several partnering organizations, including the Michigan Public Service Commission, the Michigan Solid State Lighting Association, the Green Team Coalition, the Electrical Industry Training Center, and the Michigan Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program. Event sponsors include DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 58 and the National Electrical Contractors Association of Southeast Michigan.

Diana Nash, an energy efficiency consultant and president of Green Team Coalition worked with NextEnergy to craft an agenda that will address the most relevant needs of the industry – particularly project quality.

"As these exciting, energy-saving technologies are rolled out, it is critical that project quality is the focus," Nash said. "The conference agenda has been developed to highlight important steps that need to be taken to ensure positive results for all stakeholders."

"The influence of information technology, energy codes and standards, and advances in lighting efficiency and flexibility are driving significant changes within the lighting industry," said Thomas Bowes, assistant director of the Detroit EITC. "This is an exciting time for the industry with a degree of innovation not seen since the days of Thomas Edison and his development of the incandescent light."

For more information about the Michigan Advanced Lighting Conference visit www.nextenergy.org/MALC.

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