As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to reduce energy waste in our nation’s buildings and help save Americans money by saving energy, the Energy Department has announced the winners of the fifth annual Next Generation Luminaires Design competition for indoor lighting at the LEDucation 7 conference in New York City. Sponsored by the Energy Department, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and the International Association of Lighting Designers, the competition promotes excellence in the design of energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) commercial lighting fixtures, or “luminaires.” Solid-state technologies, which include LED and organic light-emitting diode technologies, have the potential to save Americans $30 billion a year in energy costs by 2030.
A panel of 11 judges from the architectural lighting design community evaluated nearly 100 indoor entries based on lighting quality, appearance, serviceability, efficacy, value and dimming. The “best-in-class” winners represent three different manufacturers and cover three distinct indoor areas:
- Juno Lighting Group: Awarded “best-in-class” for its Trac-Master T254L Cylindra track-mounted accent luminaire.
- Digital Lumens: Awarded “best-in-class” for its XLE-3-10 Xpress high-bay industrial luminaire.
- Acuity Brands/Lithonia Lighting: Awarded “best-in-class” for its W Series LED stairwell luminaire.
In addition to the three “best-in-class” winners, 25 other entries were judged as meeting the rigorous requirements of the competition. These recognized winners represent a wide range of manufacturers and applications, including linear lighting, linear pendant, personal task, under-cabinet, wall washing and utility lighting. Four additional products, which were not otherwise recognized, were noted for their color-adjusting capabilities. More information on all of the winning entries is available at the Next Generation Luminaires website.
As part of the Energy Department’s efforts to accelerate solid-state lighting technology advances from laboratory to marketplace, the department works with private industry, universities, and national laboratories to provide technical assistance and support research and development. In addition, the department provides support for a wide range of market introduction activities, including technology demonstrations, commercial product testing, buyer and user guidance, and standards development. For more information about the DOE solid-state lighting portfolio, visit EERE’s Solid-State Lighting website.