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Lighting Matters® episodes
- Ron Unterreiner on Cash Flow, Minority Contractors, and the 90-Day Problem [Ep. 32]
Watch on YouTube
What if the fastest way to bring a project in under budget was just to pay people on time?
Ron Unterreiner—retired design-build executive, founder of the People networking initiative and WBEDC, and advisor to the Rise CDFI—joins hosts Avi Mor of Morlights and Lisa Reed of Reed Burkett Lighting Design for a direct conversation about what's quietly breaking the AEC payment chain. The discussion is anchored in three realities: 30-day payment terms aren't prompt, they're a slow disaster for small firms; minority and women-owned contractors are turning to predatory lenders at 82% interest to bridge the gap; and lighting design is a specification decision, not an optional add-on. "There is no such thing as cash flow anymore," Ron says flatly. "It does not flow." So who has the power to change it—and why aren't they?In This Episode:
- (00:00) Ron Unterreiner on 32 years in design-build and minority contractor equity work
- (08:24) How design and construction disciplines communicate—and where lighting fits in
- (11:21) Who actually controls which fixtures end up on a job site
- (18:59) The 90-day payment gap bankrupting AEC's smallest firms
- (25:27) Why large firms absorb slow payment while small firms can't survive it
- (32:10) What prompt payment actually looks like: lessons from HBE Corporation
- (38:13) Industry organizations, antitrust fears, and stalled collective action
- (43:05) The financial case owners aren't hearing: prompt payment costs less
- (50:52) Prioritizing clients who pay: a survival strategy for small design firms
- (51:46) Ron's defining lighting experience: Pope John XXIII at St. Peter's Basilica
- (57:39) Lighting design as a specification decision, not a budget line to eliminate
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
Ron Unterreiner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-unterreiner-49a549184/
IALD (International Association of Lighting Designers): https://www.iald.org
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3wLisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/
1 hr 3 min - From Frustration to Strategy: Lighting Perception, Neocon, and What Comes Next [Ep. 31]
Watch on YouTube
Structural engineers are licensed. Architects are licensed. Why isn't lighting?
Hosts Avi Mor of Morlights and Lisa Reed of Reed Burkett Lighting Design go unscripted. It starts with a hotel ballroom running 20 footcandles at a dinner event, broken dimmers, and no one who knew how to operate them. From that comes a pointed question: why is proper lighting still treated as a luxury? The specification market sits at roughly 3–5% of total luminaires sold in the U.S. Lisa and Avi dig into licensure, the IES partnership with America by Design, and whether Neocon's Illuminated show can move that number.In This Episode:
- (00:00) Season preview and upcoming guest lineup
- (06:18) Hotel ballroom lighting failure and the luxury perception problem
- (12:04) Neocon's Illuminated show: lighting in front of 50,000 designers
- (17:41) When lighting work becomes how you see everything
- (21:03) KU Campanile project and plans for the season ahead
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
IES (Illuminating Engineering Society): https://www.ies.orgNeocon / Illuminated: https://www.neocon.com
The Merchandise Mart, Chicago: https://www.themart.com
IALD (International Association of Lighting Designers): https://www.iald.org
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3wLisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/
24 min - Ten Designers, Three Questions, One Profession [Ep. 30]
Watch on YouTube
Ten experienced lighting designers walk into a conference. Can they agree on what they actually do for a living?
"What do you do?" For lighting designers, it's a deceptively hard question to answer well. At the IALD Enlighten Americas 2025 conference in Tucson, hosts Avraham Mor (Morlights) and Lisa Reed (Reed Burkett Lighting Design) posed three pointed questions to ten industry veterans —
Chip Israel (Lighting Design Alliance, A Salas O'Brien Company)
Aram Ebben (EXP)
Francesca Bastianini (Sighte Studio)
Ron Kurtz (Dark Light Design)
Randy Burkett (RBLD)
Giulio Pedota (Schuler Shook)
Steven Rosen (Available Light)
Laura Arroyo (FLOU Lighting Design)
Gonzalo Saez (SV Lighting Design)
Nancy Clanton (Clanton & Associates)
The conversation cuts to the core of professional identity, the real distinction from electrical contractors, and whether a unified global vocabulary for the profession is even achievable. Then ChatGPT weighs in — sort of.In This Episode:
- (00:00) Welcome and IALD Enlighten Americas 2025 conference recap
- (06:47) How do you describe lighting design to a non-technical audience?
- (10:48) Lighting designer vs. electrical contractor: where expertise diverges
- (14:31) Can the profession agree on a shared vocabulary?
- (20:44) ChatGPT synthesizes responses from eight designers
- (26:30) Debating the definition — and who it actually needs to reach
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
IALD: https://iald.org/Conferences/EA25
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3wLisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/
34 min - David Woody on Lighting in Storytelling [Ep. 29]
Watch on YouTube
How does lighting affect how we tell stories? Avraham Mor of Morlights and Lisa Reed of Reed Burkett Lighting Design interview David Woody of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry? They look at how storytelling is affected by lighting. How can we improve lighting and storytelling to have them intersect? The conversation reveals how much lighting can leave the imprint of a story on us, and how much it adds to the emotional connections we have with each other and to the stories we tell.In This Episode:
· (00:00) Introduction to the Griffis Museum of Science and Industry
· (03:16) David Woody’s Unique Role and Background
· (09:24) The Intersection of Storytelling and Design
· (12:27) The Importance of Lighting in Storytelling
· (24:18) Celebrating Innovations and Addressing Challenges
· (34:23) The Intersection of Storytelling and Experience
· (37:42) Designing Emotional Connections in Spaces
· (53:24) Future Innovations in Lighting Design
· Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
· Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show: Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
David Woody: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-woody-2713172
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/1 hr - Live at ArchLight: Taking the Stage and Taking a Stance [Ep. 28]
Watch on YouTube
Can you quantify why lighting matters—or does defining it ruin everything?
Avi Mor of Mor Lighting and Lisa Reed of Reed Burkett Lighting Design record live from ArchLight Summit 2025, exploring a fundamental question: does lighting matter? They tackle the industry's most pressing challenge—proving the value of professional lighting design in every project type. Why do affordable housing developments consistently exclude lighting designers despite their residents' critical need for quality light? The conversation reveals an uncomfortable truth: good lighting remains indefinable, immeasurable, yet undeniably essential. Their solution? Show the bad to prove the good.In This Episode:
- (00:00) Does lighting matter? Industry perspectives on value
- (10:06) Luminaire level lighting control without sensors
- (13:46) AI integration in lighting software and design tools
- (18:45) Where lighting design has the most impact
- (24:10) The challenge of proving lighting ROI in affordable housing
- (29:03) Why good lighting can't be quantified with metrics
- (36:26) Publishing lighting projects: what makes a compelling story
- (40:36) Limited budget museum design best practices
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
ArchLight Summit: https://archlightsummit.com/
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/44 min - ASID Chair David Euscher: Making the Case for Lighting Specialists [Ep. 27]
Watch on YouTube
What's the connection between lighting control systems, circadian rhythm, and designing for neurodivergent building occupants?
David Euscher, national board chair for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and interior designer based in Houston, discusses the critical relationship between interior design and lighting with hosts Lisa Reed of Reed Burkett Lighting Design and Avi Mor of Morelites. Can you really design a space without considering how light reveals it? The conversation explores professional licensure challenges, the 2014 friendship agreement between ASID, IES, and IALD, and strategies for bringing lighting professionals onto project teams early. Euscher shares compelling project stories, including work on Texas Children's Hospital where lighting designers fundamentally changed how dimensional spheres were illuminated. The discussion addresses human health standards, ASID's annual Trends Outlook Report, and why creating variety in lighting environments matters for both neurotypical and neurodivergent building occupants.- (00:00) David Euscher's interior design career and role as ASID national board chair
- (05:56) Collaboration between ASID, IES, and IALD - the four visual design disciplines
- (13:41) Professional licensure and making the case for lighting specialists
- (22:27) Daylight automation, control systems, and human health standards
- (30:09) Project stories - Texas Children's Hospital and historic renovations
- (34:50) Favorite illuminated spaces - Nasher and Kimbell Art Museums
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.Resources:
David Euscher LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-euscher-asid-iida-ncidq-well-ap-01ba8b50/
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/39 min - From Tax Credits to Design Excellence: Historic Preservation Lighting [Ep. 26]
Watch on YouTube
What if value engineering meant distilling to essentials instead of cutting corners?
Joel Fuoss, Principal at Trivers in St. Louis, joins hosts Lisa Reed of Reed Burkett Lighting Design and Avi Mor of Mor Lights to discuss adaptive reuse, historic tax credits, and collaborative design. How do you convince clients that lighting isn't optional? Fuoss explains how historic tax credits reduce costs by 40%, making specialty consultants financially viable. The conversation challenges traditional value engineering, reframing it as distillation to a project's essential mission rather than arbitrary cost-cutting. "We can design an incredible space...and then you turn the lights on, and it kills it," Fuoss warns. The discussion explores why architects need lighting designers as creative partners, not decorators, and how collaboration produces award-winning work like The Victor Building's recent AIA national housing award.In This Episode:
- (00:00) Joel's adaptive reuse architecture
- (04:10) Victor Building wins national AIA award
- (07:05) Historic tax credits enable design quality
- (12:47) Redefining value engineering as distillation
- (18:42) How poor lighting destroys architecture
- (26:11) Collaboration replaces master architect model
- (32:18) Architects as conductors of design orchestra
- (40:36) Favorite spaces lit through trees
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.Resources:
Joel Fuoss LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-fuoss-aia-leed-ap-a1121b4/
Trivers Lighting: https://www.triverslighting.com/
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/48 min - Luci on Creating Memories with Light [Ep. 25]
Watch on YouTube
Why does museum lighting deliver 10x ROI compared to other exhibit elements?
AJ Goehle, CEO of Luci, and Kevin Snow, lighting and set designer, discuss the critical role of theatrical lighting in museum exhibit design. The Chicago-based firm has grown from 2 to 52 team members since 2011, creating immersive visitor experiences across history museums, science centers, and cultural institutions. They explore how strategic use of light and shadow creates "transportation moments" that suspend disbelief. "What I think is really great- what you light, and where you light it, and how, where you tell people to look," Snow explains about directing visitor attention. The conversation covers budget strategies, client education through precedent trips, and transformative before-and-after case studies. Both emphasize lighting's exceptional return on investment for creating memorable museum experiences.In This Episode:
- (00:00) Luci's growth from 2 to 52 team members
- (05:56) Creating transportation moments through lighting design
- (16:04) First Division Museum transformation case study
- (25:58) Client education and budget allocation strategies
- (38:00) Before and after lighting transformation examples
- (45:14) Favorite illuminated spaces and inspiration
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.Resources:
AJ Goehle LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajgoehle/
Kevin Snow LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinsnowluci/
Luci lucicreative.com
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/52 min - Voices from Illuminating Engineering Society 2025 [Ep. 24]
Watch on YouTube
Hosts Avi Mor and Lisa Reed take the Lighting Matters podcast on location to the IES conference in Anaheim, conducting rapid-fire interviews with five leading lighting professionals. The episode explores how lighting designers advocate for their profession across different practice models - from integration firms to nonprofits to global studios. Violet Estes of Cantara Design discusses bridging the gap between lighting design and home automation. Nick Albert reveals his Light Equity initiative helping LA wildfire victims access professional lighting design. Shoshana Segal challenges the industry to stop preaching to the choir and educate broader audiences. SmithGroup's Paige Donnell explains internal advocacy within integrated firms. IES Fellow Paul Gregory shares decades of wisdom on creating emotional connections through light. "You don't see the column, you just see the light that bounces off it," Gregory explains. Each conversation reveals different approaches to the same fundamental challenge: proving lighting's essential value.In This Episode:
- (00:00) Conference introduction and methodology - hosts Avi Mor and Lisa Reed explain their on-location recording approach at IES conference in Anaheim, using consistent questions across multiple lighting professionals
- (02:41) Violet Estes from Cantara Design - integration specialist bridging lighting design and home automation, discussing control systems and the challenge of maintaining design integrity through installation
- (11:46) Nick Albert from Chromatic Lighting Design - architectural lighting designer's perspective on the universal application of lighting principles and Light Equity nonprofit initiative for LA wildfire reconstruction
- (26:32) Shoshana Segal from Hartranft Lighting Studios - advocating for quality lighting as a universal entitlement, moving beyond lighting industry echo chambers to educate broader audiences
- (45:08) Paige Donnell from SmithGroup - integrated firm lighting designer discussing internal advocacy challenges, value engineering versus value maintenance, and building connectedness through light
- (57:49) Paul Gregory from Focus Lighting - newly inducted IES Fellow sharing 45 years of experience, the art of creating emotional memories through lighting, and client education strategies
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
Violet Estes, Senior Lighting Designer, Cantara Design, Cantaradesign.com
Nick Albert, Principal, Chromatic, wearechromatic.com
Shoshana Segal, Principal, Hartranft Lighting Studios, HartranftLighting.com
Paige Donnell, Principal, SmithGroup, Smithgroup.com
Paul Gregory, President & Founder, Focus Lighting, focuslighting.com
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/1 hr 16 min - Perkins & Will Chicago: The Hidden Cost of Bad Lighting [Ep. 23]
Watch on YouTube
Why are expensive light fixtures often the wrong choice for better spaces?
Margaret Cavenagh, Managing Director at Perkins & Will Chicago, discusses her evolution from residential lighting basics to managing complex architectural lighting at a global firm. Drawing from 20 years at Studio Gang and recent transition to Perkins & Will's 2,500-person practice, she explores budget-conscious lighting strategies and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Cavenagh emphasizes that "it doesn't have to be expensive to still have high quality impact" when discussing cost-effective approaches to architectural lighting. The conversation covers circadian rhythm standards, restaurant lighting psychology, and maintenance considerations. Her perspective on integrating lighting designers early in the process rather than at design development reveals how strategic thinking prevents costly mistakes in educational and healthcare projects.In This Episode:
- (00:00) From Studio Gang to Perkins & Will
- (08:28) Early lighting discoveries in residential projects
- (13:14) When to bring in a lighting designer
- (24:05) Why expensive fixtures aren't always the answer
- (30:14) Selling lighting design to skeptical clients
- (39:46) Circadian rhythm standards changing building design
- (47:30) Restaurant lighting psychology and profit
- (53:15) Cross-disciplinary design and acoustics
- (57:33) White tuning technology revolution
- (1:04:00) Favorite illuminated spaces and inspiration
- Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us.
- Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!
About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.
Resources:
Margaret Cavenagh [email protected]
Lighting Matters Podcast LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/1 hr 10 min
About Lighting Matters®
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to the podcast about Lighting Matters! Our unflinching conversations uncover the nuances and complexities that shape the craft of lighting design. Tune in to explore the pivotal ‘whys’ behind…
a lighting designer’s choices and find honest answers to your most challenging lighting questions, because Lighting Matters®.