Frankfurt Light+Building the Key Stage to Launch Innovations

Apparently the fallout in the home building sector in Spain recently has not fazed the enthusiasm of global buyers of lighting and residential products and services, nor has the downturn distracted lighting suppliers from the pivotal task of focusing on green solutions in the midst of all the urgent buzz about global warming. And the numbers speak for themselves: Some 165,000 global visitors crossed the gates at the Light+Building 2008 trade show, which was held from April 6 through 11 in Frankfurt am Main, where 2,173 exhibitors showcased the latest trends, technologies related to lighting, electrical engineering as well as home and building automation.

The 2008 show saw 22% more visitors from that at the 2006 show, which registered 135,000 visitors, according to the organizer Messe Frankfurt. The once-per-two-year show is the world's biggest of its kind in terms of the volume of visitors and exhibitors. The next Light+Building will be held in Frankfurt am Main from April 11 to 16, 2010.

The show obviously is a key event for the installation sector: over 40,000 buyers visited the 5th edition, making the group the largest from a single industrial concern.

Plus the trade show is significantly represented by not only retail and manufacturing segments but also architects, lighting planners and engineers.

International representation also rose significantly this year, with 40% of visitors coming from outside Germany, for a 34% increase from that registered in 2006. In total, about 66,000 international trade visitors visited Frankfurt am Main, recording numbers that exceeded expectations.

Record Setting Performance

"Light+Building 2008 sets various records that are unmatched in the history of trade fairs. Following its launch in 2000, Light+Building has evolved into the leading show of its kind after only five versions. This is the stage on which global manufacturers launch innovations, technologies and design developments. And only Frankfurt offers visitors such a comprehensive overview of the market for lighting, electrical engineering and building automation, said Dr. Michael Peters, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt.

Peters added that a high level of satisfaction was expressed by both exhibitors and visitors this year, with 84% of exhibitors saying goals had been achieved, compared with 82% in 2006. The 2006 event saw 97% of visitors being pleased with the range of products and services at Light+Building.

The majority of visitors came from Germany, with groups in descending order from Italy, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain and France; while the number of German visitors increased 7% year-on-year at the 2008 show.

The 2008 show brimmed with optimism towards the coming months, with 44% of surveyed visitors commenting "good" on the outlook. In 2006, only 29% showed such positivism-an attitude shown by both German and foreign visitors for the first time in many years.

Industry Also Upbeat

Light+Building 2008 also saw a more upbeat view expressed by industry: 39% of all the exhibitors considered the current economy as good, compared with 31% in 2006. The German exhibitors were especially more optimistic, with 53% rating the current business climate as good compared to 34% in 2006; while the same rosy outlook was shared by 33% of international manufacturers, compared with 29% in 2006.

Overall, the 2008 event's visitor profile remained unchanged relative to that of Light+Building 2006, and moreover, according to the organizer, the visitors actually represented the interest of decision makers. About half of the visitors said their primary interest was in technical lighting, lamps, components and accessories; 49% in electrical engineering; 37% in house and building automation; and a third in decorative lights and accessories.

Dr. Jurgen Waldorf and Dr. Reinhard Hund, the Chief Executives of the trade associations of the Central Association of the German Electrical and Electronic Engineering Industry (Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie - ZVEI) for the lighting and installation technology sectors, agreed this year that Light+Building was complete success for exhibitors, associations, Messe Frankfurt and, of course, visitors.

"The ZVEI exhibitors are extremely pleased with business transactions at the fair. Expanding Light+Building as suggested by the ZVEI has paid off, as shown by the significant increase in the number-and quality-of visitors. The main theme of the fair-energy efficiency-was not only supported wholeheartedly by the ZVEI but also successfully brought to life by the exhibitors," said Waldorf.

Green Lighting Abound

Energy efficiency seemed to be the main show-stopping switch flicked on by the lighting exhibitors, who presented a huge variety of power-reducing solutions coupled with the necessary controls; while LED lighting was ubiquitous for its proven energy-miserly characteristics.

Such emphasis by the lighting exhibitors on power-saving lighting was not unfounded: A survey by TNS-Emnid, Bielefeld on behalf of Messe Frankfurt reveals the green issue to be a priority for Germans, with 77% of the respondents planning to invest at least as much in energy-saving measures in 2008 as they did in 2007, if not more.

"Almost everyone is concerned about eco-technology and considers energy consumption when shopping. But the survey also shows that energy savings alone do not make for contentment. Germans also want to feel eco-conscious when at home. With lighting consuming significant proportions of overall energy use in a northern latitude nation with relatively short daylight yearly and influencing decisively home design, Germans are highly motivated energy savers as well as aesthetes with clearly-formulated design ideas," said Dr. Michael Peters, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt, of Light+Building.

Energy-saving light bulbs are especially popular amongst the population: according to TNS-Emnid, 82% of those surveyed already use them, and 12% would like to buy more.

Intelligent Home Tech Wanted

Green means and mechanisms are not only popular for being power savers, but German consumers are also ready to spend even more for "intelligent" technology for homes: One-in-six Germans want lights controlled automatically by physical presence; heating thermostats that are chill-sensitive appeal to 18%; and one-in-seven thinks it worthwhile to timer-control ventilate rooms.

Lighting remains center stage in saving energy when Germans are furnishing homes, Peters notes. "In lighting and luminaires, Germans expect solutions which meet equally their stringent requirements for functionality and reliability, as well as their desire for aesthetics and individual design. The survey clears shows that technology and design are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, many buyers will only accept products that satisfactorily address both aspects," he emphasized.

The survey shows that for 84% of those polled, lighting is important for the feel-good factor; 85% said lighting is part of the home decor; and 96% said lighting is almost as important as seating or cupboards and shelving.

Some 74% of the surveyed feel especially good if standard lamps, wall lights, ceiling lights or reading lamps provide lighting; 45% said they need between 10 and 20 lights to create individualistic moods; more than 30 lights exist in some 3% of households; and 85% favor design and 84% energy consumption when choosing new lamps, with both criteria weighing about the same.

Walter Tschischka, president of the General Association of the German Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Trade (Zen-tralverband der Deutschen Elektro- und Informationstechnischen Handwerke - ZVEH), said electrical engineering is booming and Light+Building 2008 left no doubt about it. "Never before like this year have we welcomed so many visitors to our joint stand."

More Global Presence All-round

Werner Ueberrhein, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Automation + Management for House and Building Trade Association of the Association of German Machine and Plant Manufacturers (Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau - VDMA) noted both significant increases in the number of foreign visitors and exhibitors at Light+Building 2008.

"All in all, visitor quality is good. Discussions during the fair show that visitors are paying more attention to energy efficiency, as well as taking a holistic perspective rather than just seeing products in isolation," Ueberrhein said.

Specialized Sub-shows

The wide-ranging products and services at the world's leading trade fair for architecture and technology was enhanced by specialized sub-shows: Fireprotec - Trade Exhibition for Preventive Fire Protection and the Building Law & Fire Protection Symposium of Ziller A.S.S, both being inaugural events.

Light+Building also proved to be educational. Held alongside the trade fair was the ACS Forum: Lydia Suhrborg of the Chamber of Architects and Town Planners of the German State of Hesse, said the new concept of the ACS was a complete success. "Holding the exhibition and lecture forum together proved very popular with both visitors and exhibitors. In addition to holding talks with the companies represented, visitors also took the opportunity to attend the lectures at the ACS Forum. Good use was made of the complementary program at Light+Building. All-in-all, we had a better ACS this year than in 2006," she stressed.