What does “Celadon — the true color of Green” mean?
It represents our belief in:
- Distributing better products
- Finding more efficient sources of energy
- Using sustainable resources that make financial sense and have little-to-no downside
We believe a thoughtful, long-term approach to green can help minimize the unforeseen consequences of good intentions, such as:
- The long-term effect of toxic Mercury found in fluorescents and CFLs, that require hazardous disposal
- The not-so-clean “clean” coal movement
- The high volume of petrochemicals required to grow corn for the creation of ethanol
- And other “green” options that have the potential to jeopardize our future
An Interview with Celadon
What is Celadon Investments’ philosophy about green applications?
Why did you get started in green energy systems?
What do you hope to accomplish in the next 2-3 years in the green industry?
What are some of the green trends that you foresee for this industry?
Who is Celadon?
Celadon Investments has its roots in W Ventures, a company founded in 2000 primarily as an investment company that focused on funding innovative, niche-market companies. One of the companies that we looked at in the early days was a LED technology company. This was our first introduction to LED products, the market, and several forward-thinking people involved in LED advancements and other sustainable, energy efficient technologies.
Through our work and due diligence we met several highly accomplished, award-winning designers and engineers who have been involved in revolutionizing LEDS, advancing the technology from basic flashlight technology to the extensive and varied lighting applications we have available today. Many of these same individuals are now part of the collaborative team.
Celadon Investments formed in late 2006 to showcase the technical advances in solid-state systems that were not only beautiful lighting solutions but that made going green a financially sound option.
What is Celadon Investments’ philosophy about green applications?
We are forever grateful that as a society we have come a long way in terms of comfort and quality of life. We don’t believe green and efficient change has to come at the cost of life quality. We believe we can go green by enhancing our quality of life and we can do so in a way that makes financial sense.
Celadon Investments’ philosophy of Green Solutions that Make Financial Sense puts the onus on reaching more people and markets with better products that result in greater energy efficiency and sustainability, lowered energy costs and ultimately greater quality of life.
Why did you get started in green energy systems?
The “green” movement has developed from a slogan into a worldwide social movement with a sense of urgency. People and companies want to get off the grid and stop global warming. The market is primed for this kind of sensible green technology. In lighting alone, the industrial and commercial sector represents a $12 billion market. Energy costs are ever-increasing for these sectors — especially in situations where lighting is on 24/7 — it’s no secret that these sectors seek better and more energy efficient solutions.
The Celadon LED (CLED™) product is superior and fits the needs of a significant and growing portion of the marketplace. These lights are designed by highly accomplished designers and award-winning, patent-holding engineers. They give off beautiful illumination.
After experiencing what we call the next generation of lighting — CLEDS™— it was clear there was an enormous opportunity to integrate this superior and soft lighting in the places where people live and work (houses, offices, hotels, to name a few) in addition to enhancing some of the industrial applications that require significant spectral precision, such as agricultural grow lights.
Our goal is to distribute products that are synonymous with quality, energy efficient lighting for life. Because we have a team of designers and engineers, we can very quickly move into custom lighting solutions where appropriate.
What do you hope to accomplish in the next 2-3 years in the green industry?
One of our immediate goals includes expanding the use and understanding of the many and varied applications of LED lights. LED technology has progressed to the point that it supports the premise that green building is not only good for the environment, but it can be beautiful and makes financial sense.
The applications for CLEDS™ today far outshine those of the previous iterations of LEDS — headlights, flashlights and stoplights — and include soft general lighting as well as a wide array of directional and special purpose lighting.
Today’s LED technology is supported by significant scientific progress, which allows us to be much more exacting in the spectral combinations and applications of these lights than its predecessor lighting systems and lends itself to a whole host of residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural lighting needs. From grow lights to street lamps to indoor home or office lighting, the range of colors available and the low energy requirements make LEDS an application that can become ubiquitous in our lives.
Celadon Investments is more than just a lighting solutions investment company; we’re an energy systems solution provider. We’re exploring and tapping into other energy efficiency systems that make sense, including solar panels and other renewable energy sources.
We’re also committed to giving people alternatives. Alternatives that make sense for their specific application, whether it’s a home that seeks lighting commensurate with other sustainable, energy efficiencies incorporated in a development, or the hotel that needs to lower its cost of running lights 24/7, or the shopping center that wants a reliable source of energy that allows it to rely less upon the energy grid.
What are some of the green trends that you foresee for this industry?
Motivation — Individuals and companies alike will increasingly be motivated to get “off the grid” and will look for energy options (e.g., wind, solar, etc.) that lessen our dependency on foreign oil and less desirable domestic energy sources.
Education — We’ll see greater education and wider acceptance of programs designed to help people understand how to live more healthily by improving existing environmental systems or initiating entirely new healthy living options.
Ease — Private enterprise will step in and take a more active role in making a wide array of green solutions more affordable for more people.
New Markets that Reward Green — We’ll see markets made of green — wide acceptance of renewable energy contracts for example, greater options for purchase price agreements and measurable premiums paid for LEED-certified buildings.
More Regulations — For better or worse, we expect to see more legislation pushing green initiatives.
Better Life — This may be wishful thinking on our part, but we believe our country’s “carbon footprint” will decrease as more businesses and individuals take responsibility to lessen their impact on our world.