Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic partnership for OEM delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to be included in Senmatics offering of industrial vertical farming solutions. The new vertical farming shelves are based on LED iBonds patented lighting fixture, which combines superior cooling characteristics and minimal space requirements with a high carrying capacity.

The strategic partnership between Senmatic and LED iBond is based on Senmatics in-depth knowledge of LED grow lights and software solutions for industrial vertical farming and LED iBonds unique LED technology platform.

"We have more than 40 years of experience with indoor plant production. We will combine LED iBonds super-slim and energy-efficient shelf-and-lighting panels with our controllers and software to create a multifunctional vertical farming solution with best-in-class growth conditions for industrial indoor horticulture. This new partnership with LED iBond will further contribute to our growth in the vertical farming market, so we are very pleased indeed for this opportunity to join forces with LED iBond," says Mads Nychel, CEO at Senmatic.

Rolf H. Sprunk-Jansen, CEO of LED iBond, adds: "The new partnership with Senmatic marks LED iBonds commercial entry into the industrial vertical farming market. With their vertical farming technology and their global network of 40 dealers, Senmatic is an ideal partner for us, bringing our LED panel technology into play in an emerging industry with huge growth potential. The agreement with Senmatic makes us even more confident that LED iBonds financial outlook is well within reach."

The joint vertical farming offering is planned to launch at the end of Q4 2020.

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New OEM-agreement for shelf-and-lighting panels for vertical farming - hortidaily.com

Global Indoor Farming Lighting Market Report Covers Market Dynamics, Market Size, And Latest Trends Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic

For obtaining an entire summary of theIndoor Farming Lighting market, all one has to do is to read every detail mentioned in the report so as to grasp some of the vital futuristic and present innovative trends mentioned in the record. The Indoor Farming Lighting market has all the factors including growth benefits, product sales, customer demands, economic flexibilities, various applications, and entire market segmentation detailed out in a well-patterned format.

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On a global scale, the Indoor Farming Lighting market is shown to have crossed the profit bar due to the inclusion of endless strategies like government regulations, specific industrial policies, product expenditure analysis, and future events. The focus on the dominating players Urban Crop Solutions, Everlight Electronics, BIOS Lighting, Argus Controls Systems, Valoya, Netafim, Thriveagritech, Certhon, Philips Lighting, Illumitex of the Indoor Farming Lighting market gives an idea about the growth enhancement being experienced on the global platform.

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Latest technological advancement in the Indoor Farming Lighting market Studying pricing analysis and market strategies trailed by the market players to enhance global Indoor Farming Lighting market growth Regional development status off the Indoor Farming Lighting market and the impact of COVID-19 in different regions Detailing of the supply-demand chain, market valuation, drivers, and more

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Global Indoor Farming Lighting Market Overview Target Audience for the Indoor Farming Lighting Market Economic Impact on the Indoor Farming Lighting Market Global Indoor Farming Lighting Market Forecast Business Competition by Manufacturers Production, Revenue (Value) by Region Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type Market Analysis by Application Cost Analysis Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy, and Downstream Buyers Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders Market Effect Factors Analysis

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Global Indoor Farming Lighting Market 2020 Trends Analysis and (COVID-19) Effect Analysis | Key Players Market With COVID-19 Impact Analysis | In...

LITTLE FALLS, N.J., Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Bantec, Inc. (OTCPINK: BANT)("Bantec" or the"Company"), Bantec, Inc., a product and services company, in concert with its partner, CleanSmart, introduces a new and innovative process to help combat Covid-19.

Michael Bannon, Bantec's Chairman and CEO stated: "With our partner CleanSmart, we believe that we can now offer a fully complete, innovative 3-step process for combating Covid-19 in office buildings and factories.

For Step 1, we clean and disinfect with CleanSmart's EnviroPro, an EPA registered disinfectant that has met the EPA's criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease Covid-19. Unlike other cleaning products, EnviroPro is non-toxic and does not leave a residue that allows viruses to thrive.

Next, we install energy saving LED lights with UVA diodes, strategically located throughout a facility for maximum benefit. Unlike UVC lighting, which can be harmful to people in the area, low levels of UVA lighting have long been found to be safe (in bug lights, for example). The UVA lighting is installed to help activate PURETi, the 3rd and final step in our process.

For Step 3, we spray PURETi, a light activated, water based, TiO2 solution, onto the walls, ceiling, and windows that transforms those treated surfaces into self-cleaning, bio-protective, air purifiers. When the UVA light hits the PURETi treated surface, there is a photocatalytic reaction that helps breaks down VOCs, small particulates, and POCs in the air and on surfaces.This results in a dramatic and measurable improvement to indoor air quality and a reduction in airborne disease vectors."

Fred Schimanski, CEO of CleanSmart, stated: "The potential for using TiO2 to cleanse air and surfaces has been recognized for decades. Recently, ThinkLite, an innovative technology and lighting manufacturer, teamed up with PURETI, a NASA Dual Use Technology Partner and manufacturer of photocatalytic solutions, to create the world's first smart controlled, energy saving, UVA LED lighting system designed to activate PURETi surface treatments on all treated interior surfaces. The ThinkLite UVA LEDs are made to adapt to any ambient temperature that the application needs, from warm yellow to bright white, and can retrofit any traditional light fixture, just like any regular lamp. This makes it possible to enjoy clean indoor air and surfaces always, in a cost-effective manner. The timing could not be better to have an answer for dealing with the current pandemic."

In addition to this process, we offer our customers a TL Flair air safety monitor as a subscription service that continually measures key air quality factors in real time, and reports the findings in a simple way for facilities management and everyone to understand: Excellent, good, moderate, unhealthy or severe, implying the chances of airborne transmission of COVID-19, amongst other viruses and bacteria. ThinkLite and PURETi can also help our customers earn LEED and FitWel points towards securing these important certifications of sustainability

About Bantec

Bantec, Inc, a product and services company, through its subsidiaries and divisions sells to facility managers, engineers, maintenance managers, purchasing managers and contract officers who work for hospitals, universities, manufacturers, commercial businesses, local and state governments and the US government. Our difference that matters consists of establishing lifelong customer and supplier friendships, responding immediately to our customers' needs, and providing products and services through a highly technically trained, motivated, and incentivized workforce.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include projections of matters that affect revenue, operating expenses, or net earnings; projections of growth; and assumptions relating to the foregoing. Such forward-looking statements are generally qualified by terms such as: "plans, "anticipates," "expects," "believes" or similar words. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or qualified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking information. These factors are discussed in greater detail in our Form 10 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts: Michael BannonChairman & CEO [emailprotected](203) 220-2296

SOURCE Bantec, Inc.

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Bantec, in Conjunction with CleanSmart Brings Innovative Disinfectant and Ongoing Protection Process to the Covid-19 Fight - PRNewswire

Based in New York with greenhouses in Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania (where it has just opened a mega-facility) and three new farms under development in North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Texas, BrightFarmsis one of a growing number of indoor farming businesses that have cumulatively raised more than $1bn over the last five years.

BrightFarms which was founded in 2011 - currently supplies 2,000+ stores operated by chains including Ahold Delhaize, Kroger, and Walmart, and expectstoexpanditsdistributionto 15,000+ stores by2025, said CEO Steve Platt, who is building a national brand he hopes will become synonymous with pesticide-free, fresh, local produce.

So is indoor farming always going to be a niche part of the produce business or are we seeing the beginnings of a fundamental shift in the way leafy greens, at least, get to market?

Not surprisingly, Platt reckons this is the start of a major shift. Today salads and leafy greens are about a $7.6bn segment, and if you take out kits and things that arent packaged, indoor grown is pretty small at about 2%, but for some customers we work with today, were around 10% of the market and growing, and I think the future is really bright.

Look at tomatoes, almost half of them are now grown indoors. Theyre not all local, but I dont see any reason why packaged leafy greens grown indoors couldnt account for the same [percentage of the market as indoor-grown tomatoes] in the next 10 years or so, and we want to be the leaders in the space. I think it will just become the new norm.

The major attraction to retailers and consumers is that BrightFarms' products are fresh, local, and pesticide free, at prices in line with organic lettuce grown on the West Coast, he said.

As for yields, a BrightFarms indoor farm yields 10 times more leafy greens per acre vs greens grown conventionally on the West Coast, due both to packing density and the higher number of growth cycles per year, he claimed.

It also uses 90% less land and 95% less shipping fuel, and means that product can get from harvest to supermarket shelves in as little as 24 hours, about a week faster than leafy greens grown conventionally on the West Coast.

Counterintuitively, growing greens in water instead of soil also uses 80% less water, as the water is continuously recycled. And as the plants are not watered from above, the leaves also stay dry and clean, while the roots are always in water during the growing cycle, and remain hydrated.

Our goal over the next five years, said Platt, who noted that 95% of lettuce consumed in the US is currently grown in California and Arizona, is to make quality, locally-grown greens a staple on grocery shelves and in refrigerators nationwide.

Consumers can taste the difference because it hasnt been sitting on a truck for a week. Youre not going to get weather-related issues, youre not going to get exposure to animals in the fields, which has led to many recalls on Romaine lettuce. We have a fresh, clean, safe, locally-produced product with surety of supply.

So can anyone with a greenhouse and some entrepreneurial zeal make money from hydroponics?

No, said Platt, who noted that scale and automation are critical to making the economics of supplying large supermarkets work, which means large outlays of capital are required from the outset.

Were in this for the long term and were building greenhouses that will be around not for 5-10 years but for 30-50 years, and were building them in a way that we can continue to grow them along with the region that they serve, said Platt.

Over time, theyll continue to get bigger and bigger, but we never want to ship further than a day, because were all about being local, so for freshness and sustainability reasons, a truck that leaves our facility should be able to make a delivery and get home the same night.

Similarly, not all indoor farming systems were created equal, he claimed, with greenhouse-based systems deploying hydroponics (where greens are grown in water) and benefit from natural sunlight, proving more cost efficient than vertical farming, which is reliant on artificial lighting and therefore more energy intensive.

They have much higher costs and their prices are $4-5 and ours are between $3-3.50, and their products arent any better.

BrightFarms experienced strong double digit uplifts in retail sales in the early months of the pandemic, which had highlighted the benefits of a more decentralized system for supplying produce vs. a more centralized supply chain that relies on shipping everything from the West Coast, said Platt.

This pandemic has caused many of our partners to depend on us more.

Watch the video below for a virtual tour explaining how BrightFarms grows its leafy greens.

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BrightFarms raises $100m+ to expand its indoor farming empire - FoodNavigator-USA.com

With millions of employees working from home, more time than ever has been spent indoors this year as the public fights to curb the spread of COVID-19.

With temperatures beginning to tumble in many parts of the country and winter right around the corner, Americans have begun reaching for their thermostats. And with millions of employees working from home, more time than ever has been spent indoors this year as the public fights to curb the spread of COVID-19.

But could those thermostats and heating units that we rely on every year to stay comfortable amid the season's harshest conditions enhance the pandemic threat in our indoor spaces? Could the indoor climates we create in our living rooms or office buildings be just as comfortable for the coronavirus as it is for us?

According to air quality expert Dr. William Bahnfleth, an architectural engineering professor at Pennsylvania State University, the increased chance for potential transmission may be more likely to come from secondary behaviors that come with turning on heating systems.

"Behaviorally, in homes, people are less likely to open their windows in the middle of the winter," Bahnfleth said. "Unless they're intentionally opening their windows now and then to air the house out, then the air inside of it is going to be older and staler, which is not good for a lot of reasons." Bahnfleth cautioned that if somebody living in the house is infected, then that person "would have probably a higher chance of infecting other people because you'd get higher concentrations of aerosol inside."

More and more is being understood about what weather conditions allow respiratory droplets containing SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to spread. Temperature, humidity, sunlight and wind speed have all been factors analyzed by experts.

Recent research has found that higher levels of relative humidity may not deter transmission as much as previously believed, which may explain why many warmer, more humid areas around the world had higher infection rates over the summer. Bahnfleth said that humidity will need to be a considered factor for indoor spaces as they kick on the heat. "We must humidify," he told AccuWeather.

"There's strong evidence that it really cuts down infection rates." Bahnfleth said before noting that other studies have suggested the opposite.

But more needs to be understood about the pathogen's behavior, he said. "Coronavirus isn't an influenza and different viruses and bacteria that may be in the air don't necessarily respond to temperature and humidity the same way. But that might be a concern, and I like some humidification in buildings just in general, because it's good for comfort," he said. And "it's probably better for asthmatics to not have really dry air."

Similar to air conditioning units, heating systems in both residential and commercial buildings could both help and hurt transmission prevention efforts depending on the efficiency of the units and the amount of outdoor air that is getting into a space.

In residential buildings, a typical furnace HVAC system will circulate air through the house and "mix it up into one big zone," according Bahnfleth. But in homes, that shared air may not be as large of a concern because people are likely in the same bubble and not worried about social distancing from one another.

However, in different sized buildings, that risk changes. For larger companies in commercial buildings, air filters could make a huge difference.

"It's been demonstrated that the virus can get transmitted through HVAC systems, but it seems like there's not enough of it for the concentration to get high enough anywhere else for infections," Bahnfleth said. "It's one thing to have an air conditioning system that's serving 10,000 square feet of office space," he continued. "If someone is sick in one room, their air goes into the return and then gets spread out over 10,000 feet, so the concentration is low. But if you're in a 1,500-square-foot house and you're there more than half the day and walking around, the concentration could get fairly high everywhere over time."

When discussing the impact of air conditioners in the spring, Bahnfleth told AccuWeather that air filter changes should be treated like oil changes for a car and that multiple changes per year are necessary.

With heating systems entering their busy season, Bahnfleth said building owners should be proactive in changing those filters and ensuring that their heating units are performing up to par by ensuring that the outgoing flow rate is where its supposed to be.

"If it's an office building or a restaurant you probably ought to be changing the filters maybe as frequently as every 90 days, although maybe three to four times a year maybe depending on how they run," he said. "Checking the outdoor air supply and making sure that you have good filters that are properly installed are the first two things to do and if a professional is looking at a building they can assess whether there's likely to be a need to go beyond."

While many people are looking for a clear green light or red light as to whether it's safe to return to normal activities like regular indoor dining, Bahnfleth said there's no way to say when that risk is nonexistent because of the many different transmission factors.

"There's very little we can do from a practical point of view to reduce risk to zero, except staying away from those situations entirely," he said.

Dr. Blythe Adamson, an infectious disease epidemiologist and former member of the White House coronavirus task force, told Good Morning Americathat an individual is 20 times more likely get COVID-19from an infected person sitting indoors rather than in an outdoor setting.

Even as a clearer understanding of the virus' behavior and aerosol transmission continues to grow, there isn't yet a clear set of criteria for how much ventilation or air circulation is necessary to prevent virus exposure and widespread infection.

However, one clear factor that should be focused on is reducing air irritants in an indoor environment. But, going too far with humidification can lead to a surplus of condensation, which could spur the growth of mold. According to Bahnfleth, other problems such as dust mites are also occasionally made worse by humidity.

In peoples' homes, Bahnfleth added, there are plenty of steps that people can do to produce air contaminants, such as smoking, cooking, lighting candles, or having pets.

In an office setting, those contaminants are more likely to come from pieces of machinery or other work processes. As those contaminants gather in the air, the chance for respiratory infections increases. In the age of COVID-19, that comes with far more risk than in past winters.

So while Bahnfleth reiterated that the spread of hot air by heating systems themselves may not directly lead to a spike in cases, the changes in behavior could certainly affect the way people are exposed this coming winter. Thus, the efforts to wear a mask and practice proper social distancing may be more important than ever.

As Bahnfleth said, many of the modifications that need to be made have already been suggested for months and there isn't a high-priced piece of innovation that can save lives more than social distancing.

Even with high-priced HVAC tweaks, it may not mean much if social distancing, hand washing and mask-wearing are ignored.

"Often when something like this comes around, everyone thinks we need some new technological miracle to save us," Bahnfleth said. "But really, the most useful tools we have are still ventilation and good filtration."

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Coronavirus in winter | Risky behaviors to be wary of during the chilly months - WKYC.com

By James Tu

Ever since Thomas Edison successfully commercialized the incandescent lightbulb more than a century ago, artificial lighting has become a critical technology that facilitated the modern civilization through offering sufficient light level for indoor activities. LED lighting then brought financial and sustainability benefits by significantly reducing lighting energy consumption through increasing energy efficiency over the past decade. Now the history of lighting is entering its next age characterized by human-centric lighting (HCL) that is expected to vastly expand the impact of lighting on human health and wellbeing. For schools, that means the most important constituentsstudents and teacherswill not just be visually receiving lighting but may also benefit from it like never before.

HCL aims to enhance the biological health and emotional wellbeing of people through advanced capabilities such as flicker-free, dimmable and color tunable or circadian lighting. It has been gaining recognition since the term first emerged around 2013 as LED and lighting control technologies started to make it possible for commercial applications.

An obvious and persistent hazard of artificial lighting that HCL aims to remove is flicker. Flicker occurs as a result of modulating the current to artificial light sources, in particular fluorescent, which has been the primary lighting choice for classrooms since the 1950s. Flicker has shown to cause headaches, migraine, eye strain or fatigue, particularly for photosensitive individuals or those with scotopic sensitivity syndromes that hamper perceptual processing and reading. With quality LED lighting, flicker can be largely removed, so much so that it could be considered flicker-free. UL (Underwriters Laboratories) provides a Low Optical Flicker certification to qualify LED lamps and fixtures that meet optimal flicker thresholds for verifiable lighting comfort, assuring schools can make lighting choices with optimal flicker performance.

Another significant benefit of HCL is circadian lighting, which alters the color temperature and intensity of lighting by aligning our bodies with circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are those biological, mental and behavioral changes that respond to light and darkness in a daily, 24-hour clock. In 2017, three scientists won a Nobel Prize for discovering the gene (which they aptly call timeless) and the molecular mechanisms that control human circadian rhythm. They showed how light helps humans synchronize with the clock, further validating the working of circadian rhythm.

In the classroom, producing light with cooler, bluer color temperatures and higher intensity, mimics the suns daylight quality that induces dopamine, endorphin and cortisol while suppressing melatonin, which can promote higher visual acuity and mental focus, according to several studies. Towards the end of the day, lowering color temperature to more yellowish and dimming the light mimics the sunset spectrum, prompting calmer moods by inducing melatonin.

Since average Americans spend close to 90% of their time indoors, constant exposure to artificial light is one of the key factors that affects sleep. Sleep is inextricably linked to cognitive development, so schools have a vested interest in promoting healthy sleep. Research published in Brain and Cognition has demonstrated that the frontal lobe, which enables rational thinking and critical decision making, takes deep sleep to accomplish the neural maturation required and studies have also shown that sleep sets in motion the process of memory consolidation. Students exposed to circadian lighting during learning times should be able to sleep better at night, according to research in Neuroendocrinology Letters, which can be a powerful tool for schools. In fact, studies have demonstrated significant improvements in learning efficiency and test scores under circadian lighting, including a study of elementary school students conducted by University of Mississippi showing a 33% increase in performance under circadian lighting compared with the control group.

Notably, theres a double downside for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) learning under flickering lights that also harm their circadian rhythms because their circadian rhythms are already weaker. According to research published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, its as if the day and night are far less bright and dark, respectively, with a flatter profile of melatonin secretion across 24-hour periods. Children with ASD are also more susceptible to extreme visual sensitivity where sharp peaks in light can jumble the signals to the brain. It can result in dizziness, headaches, nausea, and difficulty concentrating, according to International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. HCL may be particularly instrumental in helping to improve physiological health and behavior in students with ASD.

Additionally, advanced HCL capabilities such as circadian lighting requires lighting controls, which traditionally have been notorious for being inaccessible in existing buildings due to system complexity and prohibitive cost. For HCL to be massively impactful, it needs to be simpler to install, budget-friendly, intuitive to use, and easy to maintain. Fortunately, with the latest developments in LED lighting systems that incorporate advanced electronics, communication and software technologies, schools can now benefit from HCL solutions that leverage on existing fixtures and AC powerlines without the need of running new wire, introducing potentially insecure wireless communication protocols, or replacing the fixtures that could last multiple decades. By replacing just the lamps and switches, schools can gain HCL benefits at a fraction of the time and cost while maximizing long-term sustainability by eliminating the solid waste from replacing the fixtures. There has never been a better time for schools to boost and transform health and performance of students and teachers by adopting HCL.

James Tu is chairman and chief executive officer of Energy Focus, Inc., an industry-leading innovator of sustainable LED lighting technologies and solutions.

Link:
Human-Centric Lighting Brightens the Way to Success - School Constructions News

If debates over the best way to addlights to a Christmas treehave become as traditional in your home as your grandmother'sholiday morning cinnamon rolls, settle the controversy once and for all. Derek Miller, senior turfgrass technician at Pennsylvania'sLongwood Gardens, and Francis Toumbakaris, founder of New York City-based interior design companyFrancis Interiors, shine light on the bestand safest waysto add lights to your holiday decorations.

At Longwood Gardens, where Miller and his team light 50 or more indoor Christmas trees every year, all tree lights are plugged into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter device (GFCI) power source. "Safety is our priority and thisadds a layer of protection," he says. They also keep track of how many strings of lights connect to each other: "Our rule of thumb is no more than 20 of our 5-mm bulb strands can be plugged in back to back," he says; most eight- and nine-foot-tall trees require only six to eight 50-bulb strands. "If using more than 20 strands, you would either have a tri-tap connector at the base of the tree to plug more than one run into," he says. "Or we run a main lineup the trunk of the tree so we can plug in at various stages of the tree."

Miller has a clear vision for the look of the finished trees: "Our goal is for people to see the lights, not the wires," he says.Achieving a polished lookdepends onmaking the plugs and connections as invisible as possible. "Hiding the end of a cord at the top of a tree is not as easy, and can be an eyesore," says Miller. "When starting at the top and ending at the bottom, any excess can be hidden." His team starts by wrapping the first strand of lightsthe one plugged into the main power sourcearound the base of the tree trunk, continuing to wrap the trunk until they reach the highest set of branches. "The wrapping of the trunk going up is literally just to get to the top," says Miller. "It also adds some lights to the center of the tree, adding some depth."

Wrapping the trunk usually takes about half of a 50-bulb strand, says Miller, so as you begin lighting the branches, you won't need to camouflage a plug connection at the tree's narrowest point. "Once we get to the top, we work our way from branch to branch, wrapping the branches, sometimes splitting the wiresthere are three wires to the strand of lightsand pulling small branchesthrough the wires to disguise them," says Miller. "Essentially you can wrap a branch from the start of it near the trunk, towards the outside, then go to the branch next to it, and then wrap the branch going back in towards the trunk." By wrapping each branch with lightsinstead of laying the strands on top of the branches as you circle the treeyou can hide the wires andcreate a richer look. "The lights are literally wrapped around the branch as if they are a part of the branch," says Miller "Once the wrapping is done of a branch, you should not be able to simply pull the lights off the branch. You may be working your way totally top to bottom, [or] one side to anothereach tree is differentbut you always want to end at the bottom."

Most light strands have bulbs secured six inches apart, so Miller and his team use that distance as a guideline forlighting the tree as a whole. "We like to use what we call the 'squint test,' which is when we look at the entire tree, squint, and you should see a uniformly lit tree," he says. "This means no dark spots, no overly bright spots.Sometimes after taking a step back, you may have to adjust single lights here and there throughout the tree, or it may be that you need to add another strandto help add light in dark spaces."

If you're working with a pre-lit Christmas tree, most of the lighting work is done for youbut layering on additional strandsgives your holiday focal pointmore depth and personality. Toumbakaris, who offers specialized holiday decorating services, likes to add tiny LEDfairy lights near the inside of the tree, or use colored floor spotlights to uplight the tree from behind. "Here you have a majestic tree and behind it you have this dramatic lighting effect," he says. "It creates shadows, it adds a pop of color in the home, and it's just spectacular and very theatrical." When estimating the number of lights appropriate for an indoor tree, he takes a "more is more" approach. "Usually my shopping cart would have 1,000-1,500 lights for a nine-foot tree," he says. "There is not such a thing as too much for a Christmas tree. Literally, if you think you have enough lights, buy three more strings."

While the technique for lighting a decorative evergreen is the same for indoor and outdoor trees, outdoor trees require lights UL-rated for exterior use andcareful attention to safety procedures. "When having lit trees outside, we are always plugged into a GFCIhaving a tree connected to a source with that kind of protection is always a must," says Miller. "Any connection that is left emptyeither on the end of a strand of lights, a tri-tap connected to the tree, whatever it may bewe always put a plastic tab in that connection to make surethere isn't any way of someone getting electrocuted." Open connections also allow for the dangerous entrance of moisture. "Obviously we know water and electricity do not mix," says Miller. "Therefore, we make sure there is no way of it getting into the circuit and also tripping the breaker."

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How to Properly String Lights on a Christmas Tree | SUNNY 99.1 | Dana & Jay in the Morning - iHeartRadio

The owners of The Sugar room are opening a new dining and bar concept, The Sporting Club, at 5102 Washington. Shown: Interior. Photo: Corin Michel

The owners of the chic Sugar Room have doubled down on the Washington Corridor with an upscale dining and drinking space intended to wow patio bar fans.

SoClutch Group will officially open The Sporting Club on Oct. 22, a snazzy new indoor/outdoor space at 5102 Washington in the same block as Sugar Room, which recent reopened.

Houston foodies will see a familiar face in the kitchen: executive chef EJ Miller, formerly of International Smoke, Riel and Clark Cooper Concept restaurants, is overseeing the menu of uptown takes raw bar and bistro fare. The cocktail menu comes from the Ladies of Libation veteran beverage consultants Laurie Sheddan Harvey and Kris Sowell who already worked their spirits magic at Sugar Room.

The Washington Corridor is in no short supply of drinking haunts, but The Sporting Club was designed to outdo them all. the 8,000-square foot bar was built with retractable walls to a patio fronting Washington. Theres a retractable roof in the main bar/dining area tricked out with crystal chandeliers, antique mirrors, a 360-degree marble bar, and a variety of seating and lounge configurations. The patio features an additional bar in the form of a converted Airstream trailer dispensing frozen and bubbly cocktails.

While the space was clearly designed to party, Millers menu makes The Sporting Club a true dining destination. Starters such a seafood towers, broiled oysters, and snapper ceviche are smart starters before tucking into salads, pizza (one, the Houston Pie, is made with Feges BBQ, Redneck cheddar and Lone Star barbecue sauce), and indulgent dishes such as steak frites and a lobster roll dolled up with avocado mousse and caviar. His weekend brunch menu offers dishes such as New England Benedict with lobster, a bagel board, breakfast pizza, crab and avocado toast and chilaquiles.

Creative cocktails rule the bar. But groups of revelers will no doubt indulge in bottle service and oversize batched cocktails dispensed from pretty mini kegs. One example of the tabletop party-size cocktails is Ladies Who Brunch, made with grapefruit vodka, elderflower liqueur, vanilla, rose and edible flowers.

We are excited to bring the all-new concept of The Sporting Club to the Washington Corridor, said Dan Wierck, SoClutch Group owner. The high-energy restaurant is sure to be a food and drink destination in the area, providing a unique dining experience for each guest.

The Sporting Club, 5102 Washington, 713-714-6051; soclutchgroup.com. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. serving lunch, brunch, dinner and a late-night menu.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.

Greg Morago was a features editor and reporter for The Hartford Courant for 25 years before joining the Houston Chronicle as food editor in 2009. He writes about food, restaurants, spirits, travel, fashion and beauty. He is a native Arizonan and member of the Pima tribe of the Gila River Indian Community.

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The Sporting Club is the hot new restaurant lighting up Washington - Houston Chronicle

CookFox Architects, a firm in Manhattan that works on sustainability and green spaces in designing buildings, is a showcase for biophilia, with its office building in Midtown equipped with three rooftop terraces.

CookFox Architects

Even as the coronavirus pandemic worsens in the U.S., stay-at-home orders in some areas have loosened and companies have sent some workers back to offices with social distancing restrictions, temperature checks and plexiglass sneeze barriers.

These new health precautions amid Covid-19 are new for offices. But architects and office designers have long worked on innovations to make corporate space healthier and better for the environment projects they say will be in higher demand even as millions work from home and corporations rethink their need for future office space.

"When you go back, when I go back, people will look at office buildings differently," said Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

"The plexiglass will go away, but the attention to air quality, water quality, lighting and acoustics will stay," Allen said.

Designers say the pandemic has bolstered corporate interest in redesigning work space to simulate nature, have better air filtration systems and use more materials that are better for the environment.

"Covid-19 accelerated our corporate clients' interest in health and wellness. These are inextricably linked with work that is better for the environment," said Gail Napell, a sustainability specialist and leader in design resilience at the architecture firm Gensler.

Napell said the company's projects, which focus on lowering the carbon footprint of buildings and creating a healthier working space, have been accelerating.

"We believe our goals will create great places for people and for the habitability and health of the planet.At this point in history, this is essential. We are where we are," Napell said. "The real estate community has the opportunity for enormous positive global climate and well-beingimpact."

The Titan Student Union in the Cal State Fullerton campus has a central triple-height atrium nearly entirely daylit with skylights and other sustainable features including a cool roof, solar shading, daylight sensors and a HVAC system.

Steinberg Hart / Lawrence Anderson

Companies have been increasingly embracing biophilic design the concept of bringing the health benefits of the outdoors inside while cutting down on energy costs and boosting employee health and performance.

"The basic theory of biophilic design is enjoying the richness and complexity of nature and using the amazing ecosystem as a stress reduction tool to make our lives better," said Rick Cook, the founder of CookFox, a Manhattan-based architecture firm that works on sustainability and green spaces in designing buildings.

"We discovered people have higher cognitive performance when you design with these ideas in mind," Cook continued. "We started out trying to make buildings and spaces better for the environment ... what we stumbled on is how to make buildings quantifiably better for people."

Biophilic concepts include incorporating green walls with plants that help clean the air; natural materials like wood into spaces; indoor water features like ponds and waterfalls; and circadian lights that provide different color temperatures to keep the body's internal clock in line, such as lighter white lighting to mimic daylight.

"All of these things were already on the rise. Covid-19 happened and no one could have been prepared for it," Cook said. "Now, the option for outdoor space will be in higher demand and high quality air filtration people will pay much more attention to this."

Pictured is an energy efficient LED module that supplements a main ceiling lighting system set on circadian rhythms. Lights that have different color temperatures and intensities throughout the day help keep the body's internal clock in line.

Americans spend over 90% of their lives inside, where indoor air pollution is up to five times worse than outdoor pollution, according to theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Indoor pollutants like smoke, dust, mold and chemicals from certain paints, cleaners and building materials areparticularlyharmful.

Research shows that offices with artificial lighting, a lack of windows and poor ventilation create more stressfor workers and impair decision-making abilities, according to research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

However, working in a room with natural light helps boost productivity and mental health, and employees who are exposed to natural light in offices sleep better because the lightimproves circadian rhythms, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

"Covid-19 has accelerated the healthy buildings movement," Allen said. "Every sector is now talking about what they need to do for health in the building, for Covid-19, infectious disease transmission and beyond."

The pandemic has also put a spotlight on constructing new spaces that are adaptable to changing workplace norms and a need for more sustainable buildings to mitigate climate change.

Asheshh Saheba, a managing partner at the architecture firmSteinberg Hart in San Francisco, said his company has been working on designing buildings with parking and garage structures that can adapt to changing commuting habits, as the pandemic has bolstered transportation practices that are better for the environment, like biking and walking.

Buildings are also adapting to demand for more outdoor work space, such as terraces, and widespread expectations that employees will be more mobile after the pandemic is contained.

"To be in an office and step out onto the terrace that interaction with nature is something that for a while has been missing from office building design," Sahebasaid.

"We're blurring the line between work and home," he added. "Your office doesn't have to be enclosed at your desk."

The San Francisco office of firm DCI Engineers incorporates sustainable and natural materials like cross-laminated timber and highlights the visual connection with the outdoors through curated view corridors out to the San Francisco Bay.

Steinberg Hart /Vittoria Zupicich

Building developers are also turning to more sustainable and natural materials like mass timber, or solid wood panels, rather than concrete or steel that emit more carbon dioxide.

Offices built with more mass timber store carbon and offset greenhouse gas emissions, reduce labor resources and produce a light and natural interior, which can have positive health impacts on the people working there, partly by enhancing biophilic design.

"The environment feels different, being surrounded in a space that's of a natural material made of wood, there's a sense of warmth that you get with these materials,"Saheba said.

More from CNBC Environment:Antarctica, the only continent without coronavirus, braces for summer rotationAs Earth overheats, asphalt is releasing harmful air pollutants in cities

"People who work or live in an environment like this, they're more inclined to take less sick days, they're also more inclined to feel that they're still connected to the outside," he continued.

One way to add nature to an office space is adding houseplants, as the office of CookFox Architects in Manhattan did here.

CookFox Architects

When people eventually return to offices after Covid-19, a major challenge for designers is to bring in more outdoor air and better ventilate office buildings without increasing the building's energy consumption.

Modern office buildings typically have tightly sealed windows to increase energy efficiency, a positive design for the environment but one that traps in and circulates airborne contaminants, an issue builders are increasingly tackling because of Covid-19.

"For a long time, we were building hermetically sealed office buildings that kept us inside and the outside outside," Saheba said. "What we've discovered, especially with the pandemic, is that a hermetically sealed environment puts us at some level of challenge."

Marta Schantz,senior vice presidentfor theGreenprintCenter for Building Performance at the Urban Land Institute, said Covid-19 has increased the demand for high quality air filters in ventilation systems and more elevator usage because of social distancing requirements.

"With the big push towards healthier buildings, there is a risk that it ends up causing more energy usage in the building," she said. "Balancing the need for extremely healthy buildings with extremely sustainable buildings is something the real estate market is still working through."

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Bringing the outside into the office: Coronavirus bolsters push towards healthier building design - CNBC

Jon Pompia|The Pueblo Chieftain

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County istaking part in Lights on Afterschool, a nationwide event organized by the Afterschool Alliance that calls attention to the importance of after-school programs and the resources required to keep the lights on and the doors open.

In this partnership, Boys and Girls Clubs is teaming up with Colorado State Extension 4H, El Pueblo History Museum, Indoor Farming Innovation Zone/The I Will Projects, GOAL Academy, Pueblo City-County Library District, Pueblo County Youth Advisory Council, Pueblo Girl Scouts, Pueblo Nature Wildlife Discovery Center, Pueblo YMCA, Pueblo Zoo, Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, and Upward Bound CSU-Pueblo.

From today through Friday, a virtual scavenger hunt is slated. Families are challenged to answer questions about each Clubhouse and the community partner of the day

on Google Forms. Correct answers are rewarded with entry in a drawing for a prize at the conclusion of the hunt.

Kids from East Side, Sprague, Irving, Avondale Clubhouses and SRDA teen site

are participating infun and engaging activities like "design a light bulb."

A reading of a proclamation by city and county officials, at the official lighting of

Pueblo Memorial Hall at 6 p.m. Thursday,is designed to show support

for after-school programs. The public is welcome to attend.

A virtual family pumpkin carving contest, sponsored by Black Hills Energy, will

feature information provided by Devin Moeller, Black Hills Energys

renewable energy manager, about solar energy and creating a solar-powered pumpkin.

The virtual event will take place at 6 p.m. Friday and and 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday.In this 45-minute contest, family members may create their own design and pick one to be judged by Black Hills Energy representatives. Winners will receive prizes.

Register for the contest, and learn more about the week's activities, atbgcpckids.org.

Chieftain reporter Jon Pompia can be reached by email at jpompia@chieftain.com or at twitter.com/jpompia.

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Local Boys and Girls Clubs take part in after-school event - Pueblo Chieftain