As announced by the #SaveStageLighting Campaign, the period of public consultation for the proposed ECO design regulation – that will affect lighting products of all types – has expired. The EU DG Energy department has passed on a revised draft to the next stage of the legislative process. Expecting to know its content within a few weeks, it will progress through the committee stages of the process of turning it into a law. Although much still remains to be known, the situation now is far more positive than many had feared and has greatly improved since our public meetings earlier this year.

Ruari Cormack, SLX Business Development Manager, commented:

“Following on from the recent news from the #SaveStageLighting front we at SLX would like to applaud the efforts of those involved to date, including our sister company Stage Electrics, and echo the sentiment of the most recent articles published on this challenge.

“Certainly, as an industry we have been slow to respond to the initial proposals. However, the efforts of all areas of our industry and the diligent work of PLASA, ALD, OETHG, PEARLE, SOLT and various prominent individuals including Rob Halliday and Paule Constable amongst others has provided a platform to influence the proposed ECO Design Rules to enable live event and performance illumination to continue with its existing tools.

“The work is not complete. We still need to be vigilant and help shepherd the exemptions through to the final regulation. We must work with our partners, keeping the issue in the spotlight of those who can influence such decisions.

“We must also be planning. In all reality, the tools we all know and love will slowly become defunct. Manufacturers are already stopping production of tungsten sources; more popular lamps will survive for a while whilst others are already disappearing. Replacement, more efficient sources will be made and new fixtures to meet the new regulations will become the future.

“To this end we should be clear. Existing fixtures will still be able to be used, LED until the LED wear out, tungsten until the lamps become extinct.

“So – we should all start looking ahead, start a savings plan and prepare to embrace whatever challenges come from this, ecologically based, regulation change. We should engage with our clients and funding bodies, maintain awareness and start thinking about the solutions.

“There is still much work to do, more detail to come. As more information becomes available we shall share this, in the meantime we would advise patience and prudence.

“At SLX we shall always be available to support our friends and customers towards an illuminated future whilst preparing our own stocks to be ready to support a greener future for entertainment.”