WFM staffers are combing the tradeshow floor this week at NFMT to see what products are ideal for Worship Facilities Magazine readers -- as well as what products our new WF Designer architect, builder and designer readers might consider spec'ing in upcoming church designs. In a nutshell, this is what we found for both sets of readers: a packed NFMT expo floor did not disappoint.
One new product we spotted was Lexington, Ky.based Zoo Fans (www.zoofans.com), a new ceiling mounted fan product that helps keep cooling and heating costs in check for facilities owners. Zoo Fans are made with a patented "owl-inspired" blade system that's ultra quiet. The fan blades are fringed on the ends -- like the tips of an owl's wing -- to mean their operation is near-silent, even in worship spaces where noise levels must be considered due to A/V/L and general audience attention needs. Just as interesting as the Zoo Fan blade design is its body housing -- a PVC-looking casing that's both clean in line and aesthetically pleasing in shape. The product looks more like an architectural lighting fixture than a fan, and it's already being installed in a number of churches across the country. Expect to hear and see more of Zoo Fan in upcoming print pages as well as online.
Another interesting product we saw yesterday: hybrid green vegetative roofing from LiveRoof (www.liveroof.com) of Riner, Va. LiveRoof systems combine three different technologies in current vegetative roofing to allow money savings, roofing material protection, and serious positive environmental impact. WFM sees a number of churches opting for green roofing systems, and this is a topic you can expect to learn more about in upcoming issues of WFM for pastors and WFD for architects and builders.
At JLG (www.jlg.com) we viewed the latest LiftPod that helps raise facilities management professionals and volunteers safely up to ceilings for general work and changing out theatrical and architectural lighting fixtures and lamps. One highly useful feature of the new LiftPod is that it will fit through a standard-width door -- something previous lifts couldn't do. Watch our pages and website for more on this, too.
We also met with the owner of Columbia, Md.-based Autani (www.autani.com), a company offering wireless control of facility HVAC and lighting. What sets Autani's products apart in a way that churches can benefit from is that the control system doesn't operate off existing WiFI, but off its own wireless system that remains in operation even when wireless systems and routers go down. You'll hear from on this from us, as well as case studies from churches that use the reportedly highly affordable system.
Last, but not least -- NFMT will be a source of information we'll share with you for some months to come -- we visited the Lutron (www.lutron.com) booth to learn about its latest lighting control systems. Along with every kind of advanced RF-operated lighting control imaginable, we saw Lutron's new stairwell lighting control system. This is a system with real application for churches, so expect to see images and descriptions of the product in church use in future pages, online and in print.
It's time to hit the show floor again. As always, we have you and your facility needs in mind.
