About the Technical Track

About the Technical Track

"RMLA provides a comprehensive course of all relevant aspects of the lighting industry. I found the sessions fascinating and engaging. I would recommend this course to everyone in the lighting profession."  -- RMLA Participant

 

Gain a solid understanding of vision, color, health, photometry, optics, measurement, and luminaire design principles with the Technical Track

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You should take this track if you work in . . .

  •  product development or manufacturing and want more depth in vision, color, optics and photometry
  • technical sales and want to better understand the basis for many of the technical terms and metrics used in lighting
  • electrical engineering or technically-oriented lighting design consulting firms and want to better balance the technical aspects of lighting with the design aspects

You should take this track because you want to . . .

  • gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of visual performance, visual perception, photometry, color, and optics, including an overview of non-visual effects of light
  • acquire hands-on experience with photometric measurements
  • explore the foundations and applications of important lighting metrics, including the new IES TM-30 color metrics and new metrics related to melanopic (non-visual) effects
  • sharpen your software skills through hands-on experience with popular software packages
  • learn the latest about emerging lighting technologies, such as LED luminaires and lighting controls
  • gain an appreciation for lighting design and the aesthetics of light

This may not be the right track for you if . . .

  • you are a designer who is primarily interested in the art of lighting
  • you love hands-on creative mock-ups but don’t enjoy calculations and analyses
  • you are a highly experienced optical engineer working in lighting with a good grasp of important lighting metrics (but then again, a refresher never hurts!)
  • you have less than one year of experience working in lighting (the content assumes some basic familiarity with lighting lingo and practices)

 

Track Details:

  • Course begins at 8:30 AM on Thursday (breakfast available at 8:00 AM)
  • Course ends at 1:00 PM on Sunday (travel from DIA should not be scheduled before 3:00 PM)
  • Coffee and pastries, break snacks, and lunch included each day
  •  An evening reception is included
  • Cost of track is $2500, with discounts available for early registration and groups

 

Technical Track Schedule Overview

 

Thursday - Lighting & People
8:30 am - 5:30pm

Friday - Lighting & Technology
​8:30 am - 5:30pm

Saturday - Lighting & Design
8:30 am - 5:30pm

Sunday
​8:30 am - 1:00pm

Track Topics

- Delivering light to people: An overview of the lighting industry*

- Lighting quantities & concepts: Hands-on experiences*

-  Vision, spectrum, and human responses*

- Light and color discussion & exercises*

- Light and health discussion & exercises*

- Technology trends in lighting (SSL, IoT, MatSci)*

- Lighting & Technology Case Study*

- Photometry and optics

- Hands-on lighting measurement exercises

- Lighting design process and case studies*

- Light, architecture and perception exercise*

- Luminaire design and simulation software

- Hands-on work on luminaire optics project

- Course wrap-up and discussion; lunch*

Evening
Welcome gathering
 
​
 

 

* These course sessions are held jointly with the RMLA Design Track.

Technical Track Informational PDF

Logistics

Lodging

Lodging

The RMLA is located in the Engineering Center on the University of Colorado Boulder campus.  There are several national chain properties (Boulder Marriott, Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder, Hilton Garden Inn Boulder, Residence Inn by Marriott Boulder Canyon Boulevard) along Canyon Boulevard just west of 28th Street; these hotels are within a 15-20 minute walk or very short drive to the Engineering Center. The historic Hotel Boulderado and the modern St. Julien Hotel & Spa are near the pedestrian-focused Pearl Street Mall area in downtown Boulder, less than a ten-minute drive to campus. Other hotels can be found within the City of Boulder, and more economical options are often available in nearby towns such as Superior, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, and Longmont. Traffic between Boulder and these surrounding towns can be heavy during typical commuting hours. CU Boulder and the RMLA are not able to offer discounted rates for lodging.

Food

Past students in our professional lighting programs have remarked that they often learn a lot from the other students in the class, and we provide opportunities to socialize and network over meals throughout the course. The RMLA registration fee includes a group lunch each day of the course, which will be either catered or served at the award-winning Center for Community at the university. We also serve coffee, pastries, fruit, and other snacks during the breaks. An RMLA student and faculty reception is held on either Thursday or Friday evening, giving us a chance to relax together and become better acquainted. Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages are provided by the RMLA; costs for alcoholic beverages are each individual’s responsibility. 

Transportation from Denver International Airport (DIA) to Boulder

Driving Directions from DIA to Boulder

  • Follow Airport Exit signs to Pena Blvd. After 9.7 miles, Pena Blvd. merges into I-70W.
  • From I-70 W - Take the I-270 N Exit (exit number 279) toward Fort Collins.
  • Merge onto US-36 W

Estimated Time: Approximately 48 minutes (allow an hour during peak traffic times) 
Estimated Total Distance: 45 miles 

Rental car agencies at DIA

 

Regional Transportation District (RTD) bus service 
Regional service to/from DIA & Boulder
www.rtd-denver.com

Airport shuttle service to/from DIA

Transportation within Boulder

Boulder local buses: https://bouldercolorado.gov/goboulder/bus
     The Skip, Bound, and Hop pass campus daily

Car rentals:

Boulder B-Cycle (a community non-profit bike sharing system): https://boulder.bcycle.com/
     Daily and monthly passes available

City walking paths and maps: https://bouldercolorado.gov/goboulder/walk

Parking

On-campus daily parking passes will be provided at no additional charge for RMLA attendees.