Connect with us

Austin, TX

Lutron and Meridian Host Austin, TX Specifier Event to Demonstrate the Transformative Power of Light and Sound

Published

on

Lutron and Meridian Host Austin, TX Specifier Event to Demonstrate the Transformative Power of Light and Sound


Lutron and Meridian Host Austin, TX Specifier Event to Demonstrate the Transformative Power of Light and Sound

Bryce Stambaugh

DSC04815

Coopersburg, PA (June 17, 2024) – Lutron Electronics, the trusted leader in architectural lighting, motorized window shades, and lighting control systems, and Meridian Audio, the British Audio Technology Pioneer, recently brought together luxury design professionals to share in a bespoke dining adventure with curated lighting, memorable music, and culinary pairings. The event was produced in collaboration with leading manufacturers’ representative Bell & McCoy and home technology experts Captivate, Inc. The exclusive, invitation-only event emphasized how light and sound can shape experiences and heighten senses in ways that transform fine dining into fine art.

A combination of esteemed local architects and designers attended the event, observing the transformative nature of light and sound through an unparalleled sensory experience featuring Lutron’s Ketra lighting, Palladiom shades, and Meridian audio solutions. The goal? Awaken the senses and immerse guests in magical moments to generate ideas and encourage specifiers to share the promise of luxury experiences.

Advertisement

Six meticulously crafted creations were served from Uchi Austin, an award-winning Japanese restaurant, over the course of the evening. Lighting scenes and sound design were tailored to complement the mood and cuisine, adding a layer of sophistication that enhanced the overall experience without overpowering it.

Demonstration: Light and sound without limits
Two pairs of multi-award-winning Meridian Audio DSP9 Loudspeakers, finished in Piano Lacquer Black and Volcano Orange, immersed diners in authentic, natural, and lifelike sound throughout the venue.

Ketra’s Natural Light solution was integral to the event, offering flexibility in color temperature and light intensity that delivered the bright, white light needed to prepare meals and then transitioned to something softer when it was time to serve and entertain. The minimal profile, beautifully simple Lutron Palladiom Shades integrated seamlessly to help enhance and showcase the space.

“Lutron and Meridian are both focused on addressing the needs and desires of luxury homeowners. With Lutron + Ketra, it’s the power of light. With Meridian, that something is how customers experience sound. Together, our teams delivered a unique multisensory experience of the highest quality for our specifier guests.” said David Weinstein, Lutron’s Vice-President of Residential Sales.

“The evening showcased the great match between Lutron and Meridian, and our shared value propositions. Meridian is in the business of ‘goosebumps’ and our ambition for the event was to elevate the dining experience by seamlessly integrating natural, authentic and lifelike sound with the other sensory elements provided by Lutron and Uchi, enriching every moment with depth and emotion. Feedback from guests was exactly what we all would have wished for. It was very gratifying to hear that our award-winning Reference DSP9 loudspeakers were appreciated as much for their intentional design – ‘functional art’ – as for their powerful, high-end performance,” said John Buchanan, Meridian CEO.

Advertisement

One attendee commented on his personal experience, “This is about creating a 5-star experience for your home,” said Colin Slaughter of Ryan Street Architects. Andrea Alvarez of Matt Fajkus Architecture said of her experience, “Incredible evening. Very engaging and truly amazed by the product and all the possibilities it can have. I am leaving here with some great ideas.”

About Lutron Electronics (www.lutron.com)
Founded in 1961, Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., is headquartered in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. From dimmers for the home to lighting management systems for entire buildings, the company offers more than 15,000 energy-saving products, sold in more than 100 countries. In the U.S. alone, Lutron products save an estimated 10 billion kWh of electricity, or approximately $1 billion in utility costs per year. The company’s early inventions— including the first solid-state electronic dimmer invented by Lutron’s founder, Joel Spira—are at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

About Meridian Audio (www.meridian-audio.com)
Meridian is a multi-award-winning British audio technology innovator with a rapidly growing automotive business. In home audio, Meridian is best known for the hi-fi and surround sound cinema products chosen for many of the world’s most astonishing residences and super yachts. For the demanding in-car environment, the company focusses on pioneering DSP and other software technologies, supported by deep expertise in electronics, hardware integration and system tuning. Many of the world’s most ambitious vehicle manufacturers trust Meridian to support their audio system design, adding value to their most premium systems through the addition of the Meridian brand. Meridian is a technology- driven business that invests around 15% of revenue in R&D, ensuring a full pipeline of innovations that deliver exciting upgrade paths for its customers.





Source link

Advertisement

Austin, TX

Venezuelan oil reboot not expected to spur windfall in Texas

Published

on

Venezuelan oil reboot not expected to spur windfall in Texas


With former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro out of power, President Trump said he wants to reboot the oil industry in Venezuela. 

That idea has raised questions about whether it could cause a price spike at the gas pump and a downturn in the Texas oil patch region. 

Advertisement

Now, a spike at the pump and a production slump in the Texas oil patch may not happen this year, but with oil prices down, a budget crunch for state lawmakers may be waiting when they return to Austin in 2027.

What they’re saying:

Advertisement

The situation in Venezuela is creating a lot of political uncertainty, but a Texas energy expert said he is not expecting that uncertainty to cause an oil patch crash or a gas pump pike in 2026.

Prices at the pump are low and despite some recent big swings, up and down, analysts say 2026 could see the lowest prices since the pandemic. That prediction has people like Dale Owens cautiously optimistic.

“Things change so drastically nowadays. I mean, look what’s happening with the government, so anything can affect the price. But right now I’m really happy that it’s stable,” said Owens.

Advertisement

There are big reasons for that local gas price stabilization, and it predates the leadership change in Venezuela, according to Ed Hirs, an Energy Fellow at the University of Houston.

“The first is that the president has asked MBS (Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) and OPEC nations to continue pumping a pace. Number one. Number two, this helps hamstring the Russian economy and its war effort. And that’s also one of the goals of not only the European Union, but of the Trump administration. And number three, we’ve got the midterm elections coming up,” said Hirs.

Advertisement

The price of a barrel of oil is expected to increase slightly because of the uncertainty regarding Venezuela. Texas crude oil production, according to an update released Monday, was stable in December, but state data also showed drilling permits for 2025 were at 369 and that’s down from 459 in 2024.

“When President Trump took office, oil was about $80 a barrel, today it’s under $60 a barrel. We are the high-cost producers in the global commodity oil market, and the cost of drilling these wells has gone up by between 5% and 12%, primarily because of Trump’s steel tariffs. Not only does the imported steel now cost a lot more, but domestic producers raise their So the producers in West Texas and across the Permian Basin are getting squeezed by much lower revenues, $20 a barrel less and much higher cost. It’s not a good capital investment for Wall Street,” said Hirs.

Dig deeper:

Advertisement

The oil industry remains a big part of the Texas economy and the state budget. State lawmakers will return to Austin in 2027 to crunch numbers for a new two-year budget.

“I think they need to be looking at the budget. So the state comptroller needs to be running the numbers now based on lower oil revenues, not only for state lands, for example, for the universities, but for the state tax receipts. And that applies to the counties and cities that rely on these revenues to keep their budgets balanced. It’s going to be lower for longer,” said Hirs. 

Advertisement

There are also doubts about whether the Texas refineries will get a financial windfall if the Trump Administration is able to reboot the oil industry in Venezuela. There are about six refineries in Texas and Louisiana that can process the heavy crude that is located in Venezuela.

“Well, it might help keep them open. But Lyondell just closed down a 100-plus-year-old heavy crude refinery on the Houston Ship Channel because it just doesn’t make any sense to reinvest in it. And it was going to require $750, $800 million of new capital investment just to keep the plant operating at par,” said Hirs.

What’s next:

Advertisement

Stocks for several oil companies did increase on Monday. Chevron, at one point, had a 10% stock price surge, mainly because Chevron is the only U.S. company operating in Venezuela. Other energy-related companies also saw an increase, like Exxon, as well as industry suppliers like Baker-Hughes and Halliburton. 

The action on Wall Street came after President Trump said he wants energy producers to pay for the oil production rebuild. Hirs described the administration’s plans as being “naive.”

Advertisement

Past attempts to rebuild another country’s oil infrastructure seem to back up the doubts raised by Hirs. In 1989, after the Soviet Union collapsed, companies like Exxon went in to rebuild — only to get kicked out later by the Russians. Hirs also noted the rebuilding effort in Iraq, started by President George W. Bush, hasn’t returned production there to pre-war levels. And it’s the same story for Libya, which was done under President Obama.

The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski and previous coverage

AustinTexas PoliticsDonald J. Trump
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Austin, TX

Homes are selling fast in Austin — but two Texas cities are faster

Published

on

Homes are selling fast in Austin — but two Texas cities are faster


A “for sale” sign is displayed near a home on April 24, 2025 in Austin, Texas. The Texas capital had one of the highest home turnover rates among U.S. metros between September 2024 and August 2025.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Even as the average U.S. home turnover rate remains at its lowest since the 1990s, Texas remains one of the leading states for new residents. An August 2025 study deemed Austin the biggest boomtown in the country, with significant jumps in population, housing units and gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

A new analysis by Realtor.com identified the top 10 U.S. metros with the highest real estate turnover rates in 2025 — and nearly half are found in the Lone Star State.

Article continues below this ad

Advertisement

But why is a high turnover rate a good thing? Hannah Jones, a senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com, breaks it down.

“Markets with higher turnover tend to function more fluidly than markets with lower turnover, with a healthier balance of active buyers and sellers,” Jones said. “The markets with the highest turnover are typically more affordable and supported by robust for-sale inventory, particularly from new construction.”

Here’s a look at the four thriving Texas cities.

4 Texas metros among top 10 with highest turnover

Advertisement

Among the top 10 U.S. metros with the highest turnover were San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and Houston — but such healthy growth didn’t happen overnight.

Article continues below this ad

“Metros like San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin have seen significant building activity over the past five years, which has helped temper home price growth and expand options for buyers, ultimately encouraging more frequent home sales,” says Jones.

Here’s what local real estate professionals had to say about each city:

No. 2: San Antonio

Advertisement
Downtown San Antonio
San Antonio Express-News file photo

Daniel Cabrera, owner and founder of Sell My House Fast SA TX, attributes much of the area’s high turnover to job relocations and “equity unlocking.”

Article continues below this ad

“Corporate hiring and military rotations provide constant job openings,” he said, adding, “People in San Antonio are monetizing appreciation and resetting life logistics, not panic selling. They are selling to repay debts, relocate for their relatives, and escape the commute for more space.”

Sain Rhodes, real estate expert for Cleve Offers, also emphasized the relationship between demand and sales.

“San Antonio is a city where sellers are riding the wave of demand,” Rhodes said. “Last quarter, I personally relocated clients from high-tax states like California to San Antonio. Sellers are taking advantage of this window of opportunity and not waiting around.”

No. 5: Dallas

Advertisement
Dusk view of the skyline in Dallas, where the pandemic-era shift to remote work exacerbated already-high office vacancy rates. The same is true in other Texas metros.

Dusk view of the skyline in Dallas, where the pandemic-era shift to remote work exacerbated already-high office vacancy rates. The same is true in other Texas metros.

Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buye/Getty Images

Harrison Polsky, director of luxury sales at Douglas Elliman in Dallas, observed how rising home values were enticing homebuyers in DFW.

Article continues below this ad

“In Dallas-Fort Worth, we’re seeing a healthy increase in homeowners putting their properties on the market, which reflects strong buyer interest and vibrant market activity,” Polsky said. “Many people are taking advantage of rising home values to move into larger homes, upgrade to newer properties, or relocate closer to family or work.”

No. 7: Austin

Advertisement
The Austin Skyline from the campus of the Texas School for the Deaf, Oct. 7, 2025.

The Austin Skyline from the campus of the Texas School for the Deaf, Oct. 7, 2025.

Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman

Speaking of rising home values and job relocation, those are also among the factors driving turnover in Austin — according to local real estate broker Noá Levy, of The Boutique Real Estate powered by eXp Realty.

Article continues below this ad

“During the [COVID-19] pandemic, Austin experienced rapid price appreciation, and many buyers moved here quickly and for many reasons,” Levy said. “In the last couple of years, political reasons, cost of living, desire to return to their previous areas, and even job relocation have been a factor in deciding to move away from Austin and Texas in general.”

Even those who bought before the pandemic maintain big equity.

Advertisement

“So people feel maybe now that interest rates came down a little bit, it may be the moment to take advantage of gains from the appreciation we saw from 2020 to 2022,” Levy added.

No. 9: Houston

The downtown Houston skyline is photographed from Sabine Street Bridge Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in Houston.

The downtown Houston skyline is photographed from Sabine Street Bridge Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in Houston.

Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Down in Houston, the factors contributing to high turnover seemed much the same, according to HoustonHomeTools.com founder Ahmed Harhara.

Article continues below this ad

Advertisement

“A lot of people bought homes during competitive market conditions, and now that lifestyles or budgets have changed, they’re adjusting by relocating sooner than planned,” Harhara said. “Turnover doesn’t necessarily reflect dissatisfaction; it reflects how dynamic the market has become.”

Heather Shepherd, a real estate agent at Douglas Elliman in Houston, listed off the reasons she’s repeatedly heard from those selling: rising homeowners insurance premiums and property taxes; commute fatigue; lifestyle upgrades; and new-construction pressures.

“Some older neighborhoods feel squeezed or overshadowed, and builders are starting to buy the older homes for new construction,” Shepherd said.

Top 10 US metros with the highest turnover

The following table shows the 10 metros with the highest turnover between September 2024 and August 2025.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Rank Metro Median list price Turnover rate
(per 1,000 housing units)
1 Kansas City, Mo. $380,000 45 sales
2 San Antonio $329,000 45 sales
3 Indianopolis $320,000 45 sales
4 Las Vegas $471,975 43 sales
5 Dallas $425,000 42 sales
6 Nashville, Tenn. $536,739 42 sales
7 Austin $489.859 42 sales
8 Charlotte, N.C. $438,348 42 sales
9 Houston $358,000 40 sales
10 St. Louis $295,900 39 sales



Source link

Continue Reading

Austin, TX

Texas Tech lands K-State LB Austin Romaine out of transfer portal

Published

on

Texas Tech lands K-State LB Austin Romaine out of transfer portal


The Texas Tech football team landed its first commitment out of the transfer portal on Sunday.

Kansas State transfer linebacker Austin Romaine announced his commitment on social media. A second-team all-Big 12 selection this season, Romaine joins Texas Tech with one year of eligibility plus a redshirt year available.

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound linebacker has been a fixture in the middle of the Kansas State defense since his true freshman season of 2023 — when he earned five starts and was named Big 12 defensive freshman of the year, an award he shared with his new teammate Ben Roberts. He started all 12 games in 2024 and had 66 tackles, six quarterback hurries, an interception and a fumble recovery in 2025.

Advertisement

What Kansas State transfer Austin Romaine brings to Texas Tech football

Romaine will likely be seen as Jacob Rodriguez’s replacement as the other starting linebacker next to Roberts next season. It would also indicate John Curry will remain at the STAR (the hybrid linebacker-safety position) in which he excelled this season.

For his career, Romaine has three forced fumbles (all in 2024) and had his first career fumble recovery and interception in 2025.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending