Silver Spring, MD – “I told you so” is all too often a mean, salt-in-the-wound reminder muttered by someone whose well-advised warning went unheeded, with disastrous consequences for the reminder’s target. In this case, however, everyone can be happy with the National Lighting Bureau’s “I told you so” about fourth-quarter 2013 performance of the NEMA Lighting Systems Index (LSI). When third-quarter 2013 LSI results fell below those of the quarter before, National Lighting Bureau Executive Director John Bachner opined that people were disappointed not because of the pace of the U.S. economic recovery, but rather because of “our own impatience.” Bachner added, “We’re not at all dismayed. We’ll get there. We’re looking at too many positives not to.” Fourth-quarter 2013 LSI performance validate Bachner’s optimism: The LSI hit its highest peak since third-quarter 2008, 21 quarters ago, increasing 1.8% over third-quarter 2013 results and 4.7% over fourth-quarter 2012 results. In fact, overall LSI performance in 2013 was 17% ahead of its performance in 2009, the Great Recession’s worst year for lighting.
Using 2002 data to create its 100-point benchmark, NEMA’s LSI (www.nlb.org/Index/) is a composite measure of luminaires, ballasts, miniature lamps, large lamps, and emergency lighting shipped throughout the United States by the lighting-equipment manufacturers of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). NEMA adjusts the Index for seasonality and inflation.
According to NEMA Director of Statistical Operations Stacey Harrison, shipments of fixtures, emergency lighting, and miniature lamps exceeded third-quarter 2013 results; ballast and large-lamp shipments declined.
Addressing the future, Bachner noted, “Construction-industry forecasters continue to issue optimistic appraisals for the balance of 2014 and all of 2015. The residential market continues its sprint to complete recovery, and the nonresidential market is showing strength as well. In fact, the FMI Nonresidential Construction Index (NRCI) predicts that first-quarter 2014 results will be the best since FMI began the report.” The NRCI uses January-March 2009 as its base quarter.
Established in 1976, the National Lighting Bureau is an independent, IRS-recognized not-for-profit, educational foundation that has served as a trusted lighting-information source since 1976. The Bureau’s services are made possible by the generous funding of its sponsors; professional societies, trade associations, manufacturers, and agencies of the U.S. government, including, among others:
- GE Lighting;
- Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES);
- Imperial Lighting Maintenance Company;
- interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO);
- Lighting Controls Association;
- LumenOptix;
- Lutron Electronics Company, Inc.;
- Magnaray
- National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA);