Benefits of Membership
This is a review of why the IALD is such a valuable resource to independent lighting designers worldwide.
Support for Your Business
Member Referrals. The IALD provides a network for the exchange of information among professionals as well as an active referral system for architects, interior designers, facility managers, building owners and others looking for a lighting designer. Members can link their own website to the IALD site. The IALD is currently adding the capacity to search by specialty area as well as grade and location and to allow members to post detailed information on their background and current projects.
Professional Recognition. All IALD members may identify themselves as members of the IALD in accordance with the specific guidelines outlined in the Membership Criteria and Guidelines document. Professional members are allowed to use the IALD initials after their names as a sign of the highest professional standards. Additionally, the IALD was a founder of the NCQLP, which issues the LC designation.
Public Awareness Program. Members receive the benefits of a formal public relations effort designed to bring the IALD and its activities to the attention of the design community and its key audiences. Through on-going marketing efforts, the IALD promotes a greater awareness of the benefits of lighting and lighting designers.
Professional Development and Continuing Education. Lectures and interactive workshops on topics of interest to the professional lighting designer are offered to enhance members' design and management skills. These workshops are offered annually at the IALD Education Conference and available on a regional basis.
Awards Program. The Lighting Awards Program, established in 1983, recognizes lighting installations that illustrate the synergy of architectural and lighting design by displaying high aesthetic achievement backed by technical expertise. Projects from around the world have been recognized for their design excellence and the program has greatly increased recognition of quality lighting. Members receive a discount on the entry fee.
Insurance. The IALD sponsors an association insurance program offering professional liability, disability, business and other insurance. Discounts are given to IALD members. Liability insurance is available only in the United States at this time.
Networking Opportunities. All members are invited to participate in regional meetings, which provide a forum for members to meet informally and discuss topics of interest, to keep up to date on IALD activities and goals, to discuss current industry trends and products and to provide educational programs.
Support for Lighting Design Students. Finding new staff is a critical factor in growth of design businesses and college programs are the best source for new lighting designers. The IALD plays a key role in developing interest in lighting design. The IALD Education Trust Fund provides annual scholarships to students and researchers in the area of lighting design. In addition, the Trust provides guest faculty and materials to college and university architecture, engineering and design programs. The IALD Education Trust also co-sponsors the Teachers of Lighting Workshop with the IESNA.
Business Standards. The IALD provides members with service-oriented information related to contracts, specification formats and professional business standards. Standard Contractual Forms of Agreement have been developed to acknowledge the lighting designer as a responsible member of the design team by separating lighting design services from those of the engineering and architectural disciplines.
Internship Program. One important function of the IALD is to foster the development of a systematic training process to bring qualified people into the field of lighting design. Through the IALD internship program, qualified students have the opportunity to learn about architectural lighting design while working with a professional design firm, and IALD member firms have access to talented assistants.
Free Subscriptions. IALD members receive free subscriptions to: mondo*arc and Specified Lighting Design. Reduced subscription prices are available for other publications.
Value of Collective Action
Energy Policy. The IALD is actively involved in monitoring and influencing energy standards throughout the world. These efforts involve public education, consultation to code-writing authorities and regulatory agencies, and participation in projects related to lighting quality and lighting energy.
Lighting Industry Resource Council. The Lighting Industry Resource Council (LIRC), formed in 1996, provides a forum for IALD members and lighting manufacturers to discuss current topics, trends and issues in the lighting area. The LIRC provides a critical dimension to IALD activities and improves the quality of lighting overall. The Guidelines for Specification Integrity, recently revised and republished by the IALD in collaboration with the LIRC, promotes the use of best procedures in the lighting design process..
Metrics of Quality. The IALD is working to improve lighting quality through the development of simulation models of lighting comfort and effectiveness that will form the basis of research and the establishment of minimum quality for design. The IALD is also a member of the National Lighting Bureau and the Light Right Coalition.
Lighting Trade Fairs and Conferences. The IALD actively participates in several lighting trade fairs around the world. In the United States, IALD co-sponsors LIGHTFAIR International, providing the highest quality design and technical information available on lighting. Professional members receive a number of complimentary admission passes for clients. The IALD participates in trade shows in Australia and Europe.
Information Resources
Lighting Design Education. As part of its commitment to improving the quality of lighting design, the IALD provides educational sessions on lighting developments at its own conferences, trade shows and meetings and at the request of other organizations. Reflections. Reflections is the monthly association newsletter issued to maintain communication among the membership. It includes reports on events of interest in the lighting field and keeps the lighting public current on IALD activities and projects.
Website. The IALD website provides a searchable directory of lighting designers, a summary of association activities, a calendar of events, job opportunities and an online gallery of photos to showcase IALD work to prospects and the media.
IALD Directory. The IALD provides members with a directory of IALD and LIRC members on the website.
IALD Slide Library. IALD members have access to IALD's slide library of award-winning projects. The IALD has the images of IALD award winning projects from 1998 to 2005 available on CD-Rom for teachers of lighting design.
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