Philips and REI use LED spotlights in Manhattan store

Environmentally-conscious, outdoor-centric retailer REI now features Philips Lightolier accent lighting in its three-level store located in the SoHo area of Manhattan.

Accent lights in REI checkout

Philips Lightolier supplied the 15W Spot LED fixtures that are used throughout REI's new 35,000-ft2, three-level store located in the SoHo area of Manhattan (New York, NY). The first New York City REI location is in the Puck Building, which is listed in The National Registry of Historic Places, and the entire store design sought to preserve history and minimize the environmental footprint.

Solid-state lighting (SSL) was an integral part of the design scheme targeted at meeting REI's sustainability requirements. The retailer hosts a "Stewardship At REI" website that defines its core tenets including sustainable operations.

The retailer needed accent lighting that performed well and highlighted the merchandise. "Working with Lightolier’s product development and sales helped us achieve outstanding results for a retail experience," said Patti Civarra, architectural project manager, REI. "For instance, in using the 15W Spot LED, our customers will actually see more of the actual color of the gear and apparel we sell, and that’s a win-win for all."

The Lightolier 15W Spot LED delivers center-beam candle power of 24,431 cd with an efficacy of 65 lm/W. The CRI of 85 enables the improved color rendering noted above by Civarra.

According to Lightolier, the 15W Spot is ideal for replacing ceramic metal-halide (MH) lights that range from 20-70W. At the high-end of that range, the 15W Lightolier product would not offer comparable light output, but the high CRI could still deliver improved appearance of merchandise in retail applications.

Lighting over original steam-power flywheels

The lifetime of the SSL alternative is also important in retail applications. REI doesn't expect to replace the SSL lamps for 50,000 hours. Lightolier said the typical MH lamp would be replaced three or more times in that period, disrupting the retail business.

"The award-winning 15W Spot LED hit on all the points for REI, plus the added value of focusing more color on their product," said Deborah Witte, director of product marketing, Philips Lightolier. "The REI project was a great opportunity for us to demonstrate Philips Lightolier’s commitment to delivering sustainable solutions that reduce operating costs, create visual appeal and reduce carbon footprint."