Jarvis Lighting Insights
Technical guidance for commercial and petroleum lighting projects — specification strategies, photometric methodologies, and industry developments from the Jarvis engineering team.
The Complete Guide to Commercial LED Lighting: Specification, Design, and Installation
Everything a lighting professional needs to know, organized by decision Commercial LED lighting is not one decision. It is a sequence of connected decisions where each one constrains the next....
Read article
Lumens vs. foot-candles: why the distinction matters
Lumens vs. foot-candles: why the distinction matters The question "how many lumens do I need?" is the wrong starting point — and it's...
What color temperature is and why the number matters
What color temperature is and why the number matters Color temperature describes the color appearance of white light. It is measured in Kelvin (K) and...
How to read a photometric report
How to read a photometric report A photometric report is a standardized document that records the measured light output, distribution pattern, color...
Why utilities pay you to upgrade your lighting
Why utilities pay you to upgrade your lighting It costs a utility less money to reduce demand than to build new generating capacity. That is...
What is a photometric report?
What is a photometric report? A photometric report is a laboratory-tested document that quantifies how a lighting fixture produces and...
Why LED retrofits go wrong (and what it actually costs you)
Why LED retrofits go wrong (and what it actually costs you) A callback on a commercial lighting job...
Why reading a spec sheet correctly is a competitive advantage
Why reading a spec sheet correctly is a competitive advantage Two LED high bays can look identical on a distributor's...
What networked lighting controls actually do
What networked lighting controls actually do A standalone occupancy sensor wired to a single fixture is a lighting control. A...
Why the energy code is the contractor's problem, not just the engineer's
Why the energy code is the contractor's problem, not just the engineer's A lighting installation that fails the energy code...
The three numbers that define every parking lot lighting project
The three numbers that define every parking lot lighting project Every parking lot lighting design comes down to three numbers:...
Why most warehouse lighting calculations are wrong before they start
Why most warehouse lighting calculations are wrong before they start The formula you will find on nearly every competitor's website...
The detail that makes gas station lighting different from every other project
The detail that makes gas station lighting different from every other project A gas station is a hazardous location under...
What are commercial lighting control systems?
What are commercial lighting control systems? A lighting control system is the hardware and logic that determines when, how brightly,...
High bay vs. low bay: what actually changes
The one measurement that decides everything The choice between high bay and low bay fixtures is not about fixture quality,...
How to Choose the Right LED Light Fixture Manufacturer
Why this guide exists (and who wrote it) We are a lighting manufacturer. We have been designing and building LED...
How to Convert Fluorescent Lighting Fixtures to LED with Retrofit Kits
The retrofit decision most people skip: which conversion path to take There is not one way to convert fluorescent fixtures...
LED Dimming Protocols Explained: 0-10V, DALI, Phase-Cut, and When to Use Each One
Yes, high bay lights are dimmable. The real question is which dimming protocol to use. Nearly every commercial LED fixture...
The most expensive mistake on every NLC project
The most expensive mistake on every NLC project Controls get added as an afterthought. The fixtures are already specified, the...
LED vs. Metal Halide: The Wattage, Lumen, and Cost Comparison That Makes the Decision
The numbers that end the debate Metal halide and high-pressure sodium fixtures are still installed in millions of commercial and...
Selectable Wattage and CCT Fixtures: How Field-Adjustable LED Fixtures Change the Way You Specify, Stock, and Install
One fixture, multiple jobs. That is the pitch. Here is the reality. Selectable wattage and CCT fixtures let you adjust...
179D Tax Deduction for LED Lighting Upgrades: What It Is, What It Is Worth, and the June 2026 Deadline
The tax deduction that turns a good LED project into a great one Section 179D of the Internal Revenue Code...
LED Optics and Light Distribution: IES Types, Beam Angles, BUG Ratings, and How to Choose the Right Pattern
The optic determines where the lumens go. Everything else is secondary. A 30,000-lumen fixture with the wrong optic delivers less...
Light Pole Anchor Bolts: Bolt Circle vs. Bolt Square, Common Sizes, and How to Avoid the Most Expensive Mistake on the Job
The mismatch that stops every project cold The concrete is poured. The anchor bolts are set. The new pole arrives...
LED Wall Pack Lighting: Forward Throw vs. Full Cutoff, Sizing by Mounting Height, and How to Specify the Right Fixture
The fixture that lights everything between the building and the parking lot Wall packs handle the perimeter: building entrances, loading...
Working on a lighting project?
Free photometric layouts, specification support, and project coordination for commercial and petroleum retrofits.
