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<\/p>\nNovember\u00a022, 2025<\/p>\n
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Signify leans on weak numbers during wage talks. Plus, taxpayers will fund a $25M landmark lighting revamp.<\/p>\n
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Here’s a roundup of some of the week’s happenings curated to help lighting people stay informed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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1. AIA Challenges Political Undercurrents in Recent Federal Actions<\/p>\n The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is confronting a series of politically charged federal actions it argues undermine architectural integrity and professional standards.<\/p>\n In response to President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cOne Big Beautiful Bill,\u201d which reclassifies architecture as a non-professional degree \u2014 impacting student loan caps \u2014 the AIA condemned the change as harmful to the field and inequitable for aspiring architects.<\/p>\n Separately, the AIA publicly opposed the full demolition of the White House East Wing, citing a lack of transparency and deviation from historical preservation norms. The Institute called for immediate documentation and public accountability.<\/p>\n A third front emerged with a letter sent to architect James McCrery by members of the American Historic Preservation Community, questioning his ethical responsibilities in the East Wing demolition and ballroom project. The letter outlines potential violations of the AIA\u2019s Code of Ethics, citing concerns over permitting, environmental compliance, and involvement in politically driven removals of oversight commissions.<\/p>\n Together, these developments signal growing tension between the architectural profession and federal directives with significant political implications.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2. Signify Faces Union Pressure at Home<\/p>\n Signify, the world\u2019s largest lighting company operating in more than 70 countries, is facing labor tensions in its home country, the Netherlands. Despite managing local regulations across global markets, the \u20ac6+ billion lighting giant is now negotiating a new collective labor agreement with De Unie<\/a>, a Dutch trade union representing professionals in the private sector.<\/p>\n In the second round of talks on November 19, De Unie criticized Signify\u2019s initial 2% wage increase offer \u2014 well below the union\u2019s 6% target.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis offer (2%) was far below our target (6%) and was justified by the employer by arguing that Signify was doing \u2018badly.\u2019”<\/p>\n \u2013 De Unie, Dutch trade organization<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The union rejected the company\u2019s claim of poor financial performance, pointing to stable revenues, consistent dividend payouts, and a \u20ac350\u2013\u20ac450 million share buyback program. De Unie also reported that employees have lost approximately 15% in purchasing power over the last five years.<\/p>\n Signify acknowledged the talks in a positive light. A company spokesperson said, \u201cNegotiations with the unions on November 19 were constructive and focused on making progress toward a balanced new collective labor agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n While Signify is open to discussing flexible work arrangements and career development measures, it remains firm on limiting enhancements to maternity and partner leave, and has attached conditions to any extension of its central social plan.<\/p>\n The next round of negotiations is scheduled for December 2, 2025.<\/p>\n
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3. MET Museum to Undergo $25M City-Funded LED Lighting Overhaul<\/p>\n The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced a $25 million city-funded project to install nearly 20,000 state-of-the-art LED fixtures throughout its galleries, replacing 16 existing lighting control systems across 2 million square feet. The energy efficiency initiative \u2014 developed in collaboration with lighting designers, curators, conservators, and technical experts \u2014 is aimed at both preserving artworks and improving gallery illumination.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n ???????????????? ???????????????????? https:\/\/t.co\/FZvmqlPpLB<\/a><\/p>\n The Metropolitan Museum of Art is slated for a $25 million LED lighting upgrade to maximize energy efficiency at the most-visited art museum in the nation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n The new LED system will emit less waste heat, helping to protect sensitive materials while enhancing visual clarity for visitors. The upgraded controls will allow staff to remotely monitor, schedule, and adjust lighting across 324 galleries, offering greater flexibility and operational efficiency.<\/p>\n Funded through capital investments managed by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), the project is one of the most complex ever undertaken by the agency. The installation will be overseen jointly by DCAS and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), with completion expected by 2028.<\/p>\n This effort supports the city\u2019s climate goals under Local Law 97 and builds on DCAS\u2019s broader strategy to reduce emissions and improve energy performance across public institutions.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 4. PBS Finds History Hanging in North Carolina<\/p>\n PBS North Carolina has released a powerful short film tracing the extraordinary journey of a Holocaust-era chandelier now hanging in the North Carolina Governor\u2019s Mansion. The Strauss chandelier, a gift from the Horowitz family, was donated in gratitude after they escaped Nazi persecution and found refuge in the state.<\/p>\n Through personal letters, interviews, and archival footage, the story follows Caroline Strauss Horowitz and her young family\u2019s harrowing flight from Germany through occupied France. The film includes rare testimony from Horowitz herself, who recounted the night they lay silently in a trench just feet from German guards before finally crossing into free territory. Ultimately, the family reached safety in Murphy, North Carolina.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The chandelier, originally owned by Horowitz\u2019s parents Gustav and Selma Strauss \u2014 who perished in a concentration camp \u2014 was later recovered from their German home. Believed to be a rare early electrified Maria Theresa-style fixture from Austrian maker J. & L. Lobmeyr, the chandelier symbolizes both survival and legacy.<\/p>\n Now restored and prominently displayed, it connects generations to a history that is at once deeply personal and universally significant.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 5. New Report Reveals Consumer Attitudes Toward Smart Lighting Adjustments<\/p>\n
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\n\u2014 Inside Lighting (@InsLighting<\/a>) November 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n
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