Excellence in Lighting Awards 2026 Nomination
The Electric League announces its presentation of the Excellence in Lighting Awards at the Hall of Honor & Excellence in Lighting Awards 2026 on Thursday, October 22 at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Ballroom. Once again, recognition will be presented to individuals and/or firms who have designed and installed exemplary lighting projects completed in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
Submission deadline is April 30, 2026.
The categories of lighting projects that will receive awards are (but not limited to):
Excellence in Lighting Award for Exterior Lighting
Excellence in Lighting Award for Interior Lighting
Excellence in Lighting Award for Historical Lighting
Excellence in Lighting Award for Lighting Artistry
Please note these categories are not final and subject to change based on submittals. You may direct your submission into one of the above categories, but the jury will examine your application and have ultimate authority on its designated category.
Judging Panel:
The Panel of judges will consist of eight (8) industry experts and one alternate. Judges will review project submittals and photographs. On-site visit of projects will be done.
Entry Conditions:
All entries are to be of new or rehabilitated projects completed within the time frame of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025. The criteria for award selections will be made on the basis of originality of design, energy efficiency, meeting budgetary considerations and other factors that made both the design and installation exemplary in achieving the desired goals. Projects may be residential, commercial, industrial or institutional.
Awards will be judged based on entry form and the on-site review of each project by our jury. You must describe each project with accompanying digital photographs. Should a question arise regarding the eligibility or category of a project, the Judges shall make the final determination.
All entries and accompanying materials will become the property of ELWP. By submitting an entry, the entrant grants the ELWP a broad, non-exclusive royalty-free license to copy, distribute, and otherwise use the entry and all accompanying materials (including text, image, or other forms) both related and unrelated to the ELWP Excellence in Lighting & Electrical Construction Awards Program. The entrant is responsible for making the ELWP aware of any required photo credit or restrictions that must accompany an image.
All entries that are selected to be toured by the judges will need to be available from April 30 to June 30, 2026.
Requirements:
1. Each submission must be accompanied by 3 to 10 digital photographs of the completed project. These need not be professional photographs. The project will not be considered if photos are not included.
2. The project must have been completed within the timeframe of January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2025.
3. Please provide a description outlining the lighting design project and how the design and installation met the client’s requirements. (250 to 500 words)
Judging criteria:
Complexity of the Problem
Describe the project story and challenges, may include the scope of the project, challenges of visual tasks, energy limitations, style and structural requirements, budget limits and maintainability
Concept
Lighting Concept: lighting design within the architectural environment and site features, Controls and Integration
Controls Concept: Utilization of controls effectively to energy management and visual needs. Proper application of controls to applied support and design
Integration: Lighting equipment integrated into building and site successfully
Solution and Execution
Performance Criteria Achieve: Design meets complexity of the problem and project engages an innovative approach to the lighting solution
Visual Comfort: quality appropriate for the user, solution addressed viewing comfort, glare and control ratios
Energy and Environmental Design Implementation: Design achieves stated goals for the energy performance and night sky preservation and delivers beyond basis energy goals
Please note that photographs of project MUST BE SUBMITTED. Please submit here: