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Piezoelectric Materials Company Sponsors Darnell’s Energy Summit

September 18, 2014 by Power Pulse1595211359

The Face Companies® are the Diamond Sponsor the 2014 edition of Darnell's Energy Summit (DES '14). The Face® Companies are a Norfolk, Virginia based group of family-controlled businesses that offers new classes of very-rugged and high-energy piezoelectric actuators, generators and transformers – and self-powered wireless controls that use a Face piezoelectric generator enabling the controls to be battery-less. Two of Face's newest product lines include Lightning Switch® and PulseStar® Lighting Systems. In addition to selling systems, Face offers its Lightning generators and Thunder piezoelectric actuators as components to other system makers.

Delegates to DES ’14 will have several opportunities to learn about Face’s unique and powerful piezoelectric devices. There will be demonstrations of Lightning and Thunder in the exhibit hall during Tuesday’s reception, during Lunch in the exhibit hall on Wednesday and at Wednesday’s evening reception to the Rice House. And on Wednesday morning, during technical session 3, “Energy Harvesting Roundtable” Jeff Rogers with The Face Companies will present a technical paper on “Energy Harvesting with Thunder and Lighting High-Deformation Piezo-ceramics.”

Lightning Switch, which uses Face's Lightning® generator has been installed and successfully operated in more than 13,000 buildings. It is a wireless, battery-less switch that generates a brief, uniquely coded radio signal controlling one or more fixtures or appliances. It is particularly economical in renovation projects where it eliminates the need to cut into plaster, sheetrock, tile or even old asbestos laden walls or ceilings. It also saves systems labor costs in new construction. A new generation of the Lightning Switch will be introduced in the spring of 2015.

This lighting system combines Lightning Switch transmitters and proprietary controls installed in lighting fixture grids in commercial and industrial applications. PulseStar also incorporates cutting edge, energy-saving fluorescent lamps and ballasts. These systems provide immediate energy cost savings, ease of installation and infinite control over otherwise inflexible control systems.

The Face Companies, through their technology and application based spin-offs; continue to evolve as a developer of highly innovative, practical technologies for the construction industry and beyond. Face is the only company to have solely developed two NOVA Award-winning technologies. The NOVA is the highest international honor for construction innovation.

In 1990, Face’s F-number system, which is now the international standard for measuring the flatness and levelness of concrete floors, pavements and bridges, won the NOVA. The most commonly used instrument to measure F-Numbers is Face’s Dipstick®, employed in more than 60 countries around the world. In 2006, Lightning Switch won a second NOVA for the company.

Lightning Switch was one of the first five technologies chosen for HUD’s 2007 PATH Concept Home and it is recommended by the National Association of Homebuilders. Lightning Switch also won the 2008 SPIE Award, which recognizes one technology in the world for the importance of its practical application of advanced, “smart” materials. Finally, NASA recognized Face’s achievement as one of the most important developments of NASA originated technology of the early 21st century.