NLB announces call for entries for the 2026 Lighting Transformation Awards

NLB announces call for entries for the 2026 Lighting Transformation Awards July 10, 2026 | 1:46 pm CDT

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Design

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NLB announces call for entries for the 2026 Lighting Transformation Awards

By

Larry Adams

July 10, 2026 | 1:46 pm CDT

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The National Lighting Bureau announced a Call for Entries for the third annual Lighting Transformation Awards. This program, co-sponsored by the International Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO), recognizes excellence in lighting retrofit projects, defined as those projects involving minimum alteration of existing building materials. 

Through the creative use of lighting systems and controls, these projects illustrate the value of lighting, including but not limited to improved visual performance, promotion of health and wellness, positive environmental impact including responsible outdoor lighting practices, enhanced safety and security, and increased overall occupant satisfaction.

The main intent of the program is to promote best practices for a variety of indoor and outdoor lighting applications. The program aims to recognize and showcase projects that provide a narrative and “how to” guide for others with similar lighting retrofit challenges.

All submitted projects will be eligible to receive the Special Citation award for “exemplary controls design and implementation,” co-sponsored by the Lighting Controls Association.

Anyone may enter a project for the Lighting Transformation Awards. Projects should have been completed within the 2024, 2025 and 2026 calendar years. Submissions should be entered via the designated online submittal form.

The entry fee is $100 per project submission. For an early bird entry fee of $50, completed forms should be submitted no later than August 14, 2026. The final submission date for all project entries is August 28, 2026.

Judging criteria for the retrofit projects include:

Thoroughness in determining retrofit design options

Documented improvement in lighting quality (including but not limited to - before and after light levels/uniformity, glare control, color enhancement, post-installation occupant surveys)

Energy effectiveness (including controls strategy), including before and after energy usage. 

Universality - how easily does the design apply to similar applications

Sustainability (including but not limited to - ease of maintenance/serviceability, user interface effectiveness, use of recycled or recyclable materials for product and packaging) 

Special credit points (up to 20 points) can be awarded at the discretion of the judges for extra challenges and project impact - e.g. budget, timing, location challenges/limitations, and social benefit (community impact, pro bono projects, historic preservation).    

The NLB encourages that supplemental data beyond images and lighting specs be included to facilitate the most effective judging (e.g., planning documents, meeting minutes, social media comments).

Winning projects will be recognized during the 2026 NALMCO Annual Convention and Trade Show in Phoenix, Arizona, October 11 - 13, 2026.

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About the author

Larry Adams

| Editor

Larry Adams is a Chicago-based writer and editor who writes about how things get done. A former wire service and community newspaper reporter, Larry is an award-winning writer with more than three decades of experience. In addition to writing about woodworking, he has covered science, metrology, metalworking, industrial design, quality control, imaging, Swiss and micromanufacturing . He was previously a Tabbie Award winner for his coverage of nano-based coatings technology for the automotive industry. Larry volunteers for the historic preservation group, the Kalo Foundation/Ianelli Studios, and the science-based group, Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST).

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