Siemens CorporationNew York, NY, United States

US Lighting Shipments Decrease - The value of US shipments of lighting equipment declined 10.8 percent in June 2008 compared to a year earlier. Lighting shipments depend on the overall level of construction activity, which continues to be challenged by the ongoing weakness of the US housing market. Although US construction and lighting shipments are down, exports of US lighting products increased 9.2 percent in the first six months of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007.

Lighting Still Challenged by Construction - The overall value of construction put in place declined 5.9 percent in June 2008 compared to a year earlier. Although residential construction continues to decline year-over-year, nonresidential construction is improving. Specific markets seeing significant growth in the nonresidential sector include manufacturing, 40 percent; lodging, 33 percent; power, 30 percent; and public safety, 22 percent.

New York City to Test LED Streetlamps - New York City's DOT has contracted with a lighting design group to install and test LED streetlamps in the city, according to The New York Times. The tests, if successful, could eventually lead to all of New York's 300,000 streetlamps being converted to LED. Interest in LEDs as a lighting source has been increasing as awareness of their use and benefit grows. LEDs enjoy several advantages over conventional lighting including lower power consumption, longer life, and unlike compact fluorescent lights, don't contain harmful chemicals such as mercury.