48 · MONEY
ISSUE 56
PROMO
BRIGHT SPARKS Matthew Grech is the managing director at Glow, a lighting supply studio specialising in architectural lighting design. He speaks to MONEY about his venture and his vision of lighting design for innovative architecture. Can you tell us what drove you to start working in the lighting industry? I completed a seven-year university Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in architecture in London, and came back to Malta in 2008 where I took some time to analyse what I wanted to do. At the time, the architecture industry and economy was not what it is today; in fact, it had just taken a downturn. I was doing some private, freelance architecture work whilst looking for the ‘right’ job to try and obtain my local warrant. One of the projects that I was working on was the renovation of a large office façade which I wanted to illuminate in an advanced and innovative way. Meanwhile, I was also working on some interior projects which also needed new lighting. I started researching about lighting and LEDs – a technology which had been around for a while, but was mainly used in aviation and other similar industries were they needed tiny lights. However, like many other technologies, LEDs were finding their way into the mainstream industry of every day lighting. I was amazed at the overall saving on electricity costs and their environmental benefits; for example, a standard incandescent bulb needs to be replaced approximately once a year – think about the waste that this generates. ‘Energy saver’ bulbs last a little longer but emit a horrible light and are full of toxic chemicals which are then dumped in landfills. LEDs are small, clean, and efficient. I realised that LEDs were the future in lighting and, coming from a business background
Photos by Chris Sant Fournier / MONEY
