For over three decades, Brightline Lighting has partnered with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to deliver energy-efficient broadcast lighting solutions for its Commission Meeting Room (CMR). As part of its commitment to transparency under the Sunshine Act, FERC ensures its “open” meetings are accessible to the public both in person and online. These meetings, which address topics ranging from administrative matters to market operations, are streamed live on YouTube and available for in-person attendance at FERC’s headquarters in Washington, DC.
The CMR serves as a vital communication hub for the agency, hosting press conferences and monthly commission meetings. Over the years, this space has been consistently enhanced with state-of-the-art, energy-efficient lighting and control systems, reflecting FERC’s dedication to both sustainability and public accessibility.
Brightline Lighting Modernizes FERC’s Headquarters
Brightline Lighting has kept FERC’s internal AV infrastructure up to date since 2008. Brightline led the lighting design and installation of three separate renovations, starting with the replacement of incandescent down lights with commercial building fluorescent lights to a full spectrum broadcast fluorescent lights, followed by two separate LED lighting upgrades. In the first LED upgrade, 40 Brightline Flex-T and Stealth-T LEDs were installed, replacing fluorescent T series fixtures. Corner, forward and downward throw LED Stealth-Ts were upgraded in phase two.
The most recent LED upgrade was the most intensive. Brightline says. To stay in line with modernization efforts throughout FERC’s headquarters, updated lighting was required in the CMR within a tight deadline. In 50 days, the meeting room was remodeled, and each of the lights were removed, then repurposed for a new layout of 3500K LEDs. Twenty-three LED Stealth-Ts and 17 Flex-T2s were reused and color balanced with 12 Zumtobel Pano downlights and 52 Zumtobel slot lights in an Armstong T-grid. The AV control room lighting was also updated, with six 3500K Flex-T1 fixtures using a mix of Spot and Flood accessories and four Zumtobel Pano downlights installed.
FERC Credits Brightline Lighting for Elevating Broadcast Quality and Energy Efficiency Through Years of Collaboration
FERC’s upgraded control room. Courtesy / Brightline
According to FERC Facilities staff, “There are plenty of reasons why we’ve continued to rely on the Brightline Lighting team. They came to FERC when we first started broadcasting, and the images our viewers received weren’t very high quality. In 2005, we started using Brightline’s full spectrum broadcast lights. We later upgraded to large LED in-ceiling fixtures. Our headquarters underwent a modernization, and it was decided to incorporate the new building standard fixtures into the CMR and retrofit them with the DALI control connection to a new Crestron control panel. The production of the meetings is of a much higher quality for our customers both in the audience and watching via streaming on YouTube. That’s what they’ve done for us year after year, and why our lighting produces not only a superior look but is at the forefront of energy efficiency.”
On the team for Brightline was Lighting Designer/CAD Specialist Leslie Moynihan who created all lighting design drawings for the FERC meeting and control room. Lighting Designer Dan McKenrick of Television Lighting Design and Direction, based in Fredericksburg, Va., served as project manager, overseeing installation of the fixtures and programmed the lighting’s DALI control system.
The full lighting scheme at FERC is as follows:
- Brightline Flex-T1 with DALI control (23)
- Brightline Stealth-T (LST Corner) with DALI control (14)
- Brightline Stealth-T (LST Forward) with DALI control (7)
- Brightline Stealth-T (LST Down) with DALI control (2)
- Brigthline Flex-T2 with DALI control (17)
- Brightline Drywall Frame Kits (12)
- Zumtobel Slotlight 2.5 (52)
- Zumtobel Panos 4.75 in Square Down (12)
- Zumtobel Pano 4.75 in Square Down wired into emergency circuit (1)
