Our 2nd Annual Light+ event took place on Thursday, October 23rd, at the Tea Room in Des Moines, Iowa. This year, we welcomed over 100 attendees, including valued customers, manufacturers, and Mercer Zimmerman colleagues. The day featured three AIA-accredited sessions from John Rucker with Delta Light Group, Amy Weinberg with Visa Lighting, and Mark Hershman with Henderson Engineers. Between sessions, guests explored a tradeshow showcasing products from 20 of our manufacturers.
Keep reading for highlights from the sessions, photos from the event, and a closer look at everything that made Light+ Iowa 2025 a success!
insight to light
Below are two of our breakout AIA sessions from John Rucker and Amy Weinberg. Stay tuned for a recapped article on Mark Hershman’s keynote session next month.
Lighting in Architecture: Enlightened Thoughts
An Interview With John Rucker, Regional Sales Manager, Central Region, Delta Light Group
What makes lighting more than just a utility? In this engaging and often humorous session at Mercer Zimmerman’s Light+ event in Des Moines, John Rucker explored how light shapes emotion, perception, and spatial experience—from Renaissance paintings to modern office design. With insights drawn from art history, technical evolution, and personal anecdotes, John challenged attendees to think of lighting as a storytelling tool. We caught up with him after the session to unpack the big ideas.
You say lighting is more than visibility—it’s presence. What do you mean by that?
Light defines space, but it’s the absence of light—shadow—that gives it depth. Without contrast, everything flattens out. In art, chiaroscuro brought realism to painting. In architecture, shadows help us perceive shape and emotion. Light isn’t just functional—it’s expressive. It tells us where to look, how to feel, and what matters.
What’s changed in lighting technology, and what still matters most?
LEDs changed the game. We’ve moved from strapping incandescent bulbs to wood panels to sculpting light with precision. Today, it’s not just about efficiency; it’s about control. Direction, diffusion, integration. Daylight remains the gold standard, and how we guide it through architecture makes all the difference. Even the same room can feel entirely different depending on whether you light the horizontal or vertical planes.
You shared a story about your wedding venue—how did lighting transform that space?
The venue had beautiful windows, but at night they turned into black panes, making the space feel closed off. I asked if I could bring in a lighting designer to add temporary landscape lighting. Once the oak trees outside were lit, the windows—and the room—came alive. It felt bigger, warmer, and more connected. The venue coordinator even asked for the designer’s contact—it completely changed the vibe.
How do color and material choices shape the experience of light?
Color temperature is huge. Warm tones feel cozy and inviting—think candlelight. Cooler tones support focus and productivity. We’re seeing more hospitality-inspired lighting in workspaces and healthcare. Materials matter too. White tile reflects light and brightens a space; dark finishes absorb it and create intimacy. Even identical fixtures can behave differently depending on finish—some blend in, others stand out
What’s the latest in measuring light quality—and why does it matter?
CRI was the old standard, but TM-30 is the future. It evaluates fidelity across 99 colors, not just 15. That means better accuracy in how we see reds, blues, and skin tones. For example, early LEDs struggled with red—in the case of produce, it could make delicious, deep red strawberries look dull. Now we can tune lighting to enhance or mute specific colors, which is critical in retail, healthcare, and art. Quality lighting ensures what you see is what you get
What’s your advice for designers who want to do more with light?
Be intentional. Lighting should support the story you’re telling. Use contrast to guide attention. Layer light to create mood. Integrate fixtures thoughtfully—some should disappear, others should shine. Whether it’s a gallery, a grocery store, or a sacred space, lighting shapes what people notice, how they feel, and what they remember.
The first photo focuses on the floor, while the second photo illuminates the walls, creating two distinct environments in the same space.
Behavioral Health Lighting: Safety & Healing
Presented by Amy Weinberg, Regional Sales Manager, Visa Lighting
In this session at Light+ in Des Moines, Amy Weinberg explored the critical role lighting plays in behavioral health environments—spaces where safety, empathy, and functionality must coexist. With clarity, compassion, and real-world examples, she guided attendees through the challenges of designing for diverse populations, from emergency departments to residential treatment centers, and emphasized how lighting choices can support healing and reduce risk.
Amy began by defining behavioral health facilities, which include psychiatric hospitals, drug and alcohol recovery centers, eating disorder clinics, and partial-day programs. Each setting presents unique needs, and understanding the population being served is essential. In emergency departments, for example, patients in crisis often face long waits in unsuitable spaces—sometimes even hallways—due to limited behavioral health rooms and systemic bias. Lighting in these areas must prioritize safety and calm, even when the architecture doesn’t.
She introduced the emerging concept of EmPATH units (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing), a new model of care designed to address these gaps. These communal spaces allow patients to be monitored while receiving timely, compassionate care. With features like reclining chairs and soft lighting, EmPATH units reduce wait times and improve outcomes. Amy emphasized that every ligature point—any fixture or element that could be used for self-harm—adds risk and burden to staff, making thoughtful lighting design essential.
Designing for behavioral health also means considering mobility and sensory needs. Unlike patients with physical ailments, behavioral health patients are often active and moving throughout the facility.
Lighting should support a variety of spaces—quiet alcoves, brighter work areas, and zones for rest or socialization. Amy emphasized the importance of therapeutic design: using curves, color, and varied light levels to create environments that feel safe, comfortable, and emotionally supportive.
She also discussed the growing use of positive distraction rooms, which offer patients tools to self-regulate and de-escalate. Some facilities feature seasonal-themed rooms, allowing individuals to choose environments that match their emotional needs—whether cozy and quiet or bright and energizing.
Throughout the session, Amy stressed that behavioral health design is guided more by best practices than hard regulations. Resources like the VA’s design guide and the New York State Office of Mental Health’s fixture standards offer valuable benchmarks, but designers must still navigate gaps in oversight. She highlighted the importance of impact resistance alongside ligature resistance, noting that fixtures must withstand tampering and abuse to remain safe. Standards like IK10+ and IP65 ratings help ensure durability and hygiene.
Amy closed with a reminder that therapeutic environments benefit everyone—patients, staff, and families. Spaces that feel institutional or prison-like can deter staff recruitment and retention, while warm, inviting design supports healing and satisfaction. She encouraged collaboration among stakeholders, attention to acoustics, and access to daylight and nature views. Above all, she urged designers to ask: Would I feel safe and comfortable here? Would my loved one?
lighten up
One of the highlights at Light+ was a photo booth, where attendees had the chance to take fun, memorable pictures together. It added a playful and personal touch to the experience, giving everyone a chance to capture the energy of the event and take home a keepsake from their time at Light+!
thank you
We Appreciate You
It was a pleasure to connect with so many of you at Light+. The energy in the room was a powerful reminder of the creativity and expertise that define this region
Special thanks to our manufacturers who helped bring the event to life. We appreciate your partnership and support!
