LDA PANEL DISCUSSION AT ACETECH- WAS THE EXIGENCY ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM INVISIBLE?

The ACETECH Mumbai exhibition at NESCO from 10th to13th November was a feisty affair with great ambience and footfalls. A highlight of the event was the LDA (Lighting, Design, Automation) panel discussion where the subject was of planning - at the construction stage itself- to incorporate lighting and design patterns in any structure(s) using modern day technologies to enhance ambience and provide strategic illumination to the final structure.

Top architects and planners were there and the subject was discussed and debated. However, while the focus was on good health, ambience, environment friendliness and economics, what was missing was even a mention of emergency lighting or safe exigency planning. NBC mandates that any enclosed premises, and the operative word is “any”, must necessarily have safe exigency lights and signages in place. In fact, in the absence of this, no fire safety licence can be issued for the said premises. In that case, how can LDA be discussed without factoring in the emergency lighting and illuminated or photoluminescent signages?

Was the Elephant in the room that invisible?