Meeting the Moment: Lighting and Sustainability

Gabe Arnold is a senior systems engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where he supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lighting R&D and Commercial Buildings Integration programs in the development and deployment of emerging lighting and building technologies. In his current work he leads a research, development, and demonstration program for germicidal ultraviolet disinfection technologies and is also the technical lead for DOE’s L-Prize competition.

Kate Hickcox joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as a lighting research scientist in 2020. She is a creative thinker in the field of lighting, with over 18 years of experience in both lighting research and lighting design. No matter which hat she’s wearing, her goals are simple – to provide equitable and universal lighting solutions that support humans and the environment.

Leela Shanker is a New York-based lighting designer with Borealis Lighting Studio of BR+A. Through the GreenLight Alliance (GLA) - an international network of lighting professionals progressing industry-led standards, research and advocacy for circular design principles - she founded the Lighting Industry LCA Incubator. In collaboration with the IALD Lighting Industry Resource Council, manufacturers and designers from every continent are collaborating toward global harmonization of the lighting industry’s approach to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Her work with the AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Carbon Leadership Forum New York chapter address lighting-specific issues related to Embodied Carbon and LCA.  She holds Masters of Architecture (Hons) and Fine Arts - Lighting Design from Parsons School of Design and Bachelors of Law and Commerce from the University of Sydney.