• Focus On Sapphire Awards (MAGAZINE)

    Narrow margins between submissions in the seventh Sapphire Awards prove the industry has moved beyond energy efficiency to distinguish products with premium architectural, light quality, and intelligence capabilities.
    Nov. 3, 2021
    8 min read

    CARRIE MEADOWS reports on the technology entries that scored 3.25 Sapphires and above.

    In the September issue of LEDs Magazine, we celebrated the annual Sapphire Awards winners, detailing key features that earned recognition for enabling technologies, systems, and solid-state lighting (SSL) end products across categories from packaged LEDs to drivers and electronics to disinfection, horticultural, and circadian lighting applications. Although our announcement of the winners was held online only Aug. 24, 2021, during the week of the Strategies in Light virtual event, the accolades were earmarked with a very real appreciation for the hard work and ingenuity demonstrated by LED and SSL stakeholders during the past year under challenging and ever-changing conditions.

    Even as the 2020 Sapphire Awards ceremony was held last February, chief editor Maury Wright had remarked that the judging process becomes more difficult each year as the industry responds to top the previous year’s level of performance improvements and innovation in materials, installation, form factor, efficacy, and many other qualities exhibited by the entries received.

    As we have in years past, we release the scores of products that received 3.25 Sapphires and above. The quality of informational materials included with each submission greatly impacts the judges’ ability to determine merits of the products alongside their intended use and specifications. While we offer numerical scores here, this is no paint-by-numbers evaluation process. A product receives 3 Sapphires minimum if it is deemed suitable for commercial deployment. To receive 3.25 Sapphires and above, a product must perform efficiently and reliably, contribute to profitability, and demonstrate ease of use. If a product is judged to deliver superior performance in terms of high efficacy, appropriate light distribution, excellent light quality for the intended application, and/or added value in installation or commissioning, integration, controls, and intelligent features, it would receive a score of 3.75 Sapphires or above. There are many levels of refinement in between these scores.

    Many of the judges noted that attention to aesthetic details even in what may be considered the most utilitarian of luminaires helped SSL products score big. The words “functional” and “flexible” appeared multiple times alongside “elegant” and “beautiful,” demonstrating the panel’s appreciation for delivering on photometric standards for light delivery, light color, and light quality; the ability of controls to achieve granular operation; and the appearance of simplicity belying the complexity of modern engineering and design.

    *Editor’s note: All companies are listed based on the submitted company name at the time of awards entry.

    3.25

    Acuity Brands

    Incito 4-in. direct-indirect wall-mount cylinder — Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Brilli Wellness Lighting

    Brilli Bright Clean antimicrobial 5/6-in. recessed LED fixture Visible Light Disinfection Technology

    CATI B.V.

    FCS (Floating Chip Solutions) material and interconnect technology Specialty SSL Design

    Elemental LED

    GRAZE X fixture by Diode LED Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    Elemental LED

    LO-PRO UL Listed wet-location junction box by Diode LED ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    Laser Components USA, Inc.

    High-power UV-C LED 6060 SMD packaged LEDs — Specialty SSL Design

    Sonneman

    Intervals recessed downlights Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    3.50

    Acuity Brands

    Aculux Lini linear downlight Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Acuity Brands

    EVO and Incito 2-in. Tilt and Rotate Cylinders Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Acuity Brands

    Juno R620L track head with adjustable beam Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Acuity Brands

    nLight AIR Autonomous Bridging Technology (ABT) Smart and Connected SSL Systems

    ConTech Lighting

    Gallery XL tracklight — Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Cooper Lighting Solutions

    Metalux VHS Selectable Lumens LED high bay luminaire Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

    Elemental LED

    OMNIDRIVE X dimmable driver by Diode LED LED Drivers

    Fulham

    HotSpot 4W constant-power emergency LED driver Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

    Hatch Lighting

    V-LOC Key programmable constant-voltage LED drivers LED Drivers

    Horticulture Lighting Group Corp.

    HLG Scorpion Diablo horticultural fixture Horticultural Lighting

    iGuzzini North America

    Ghost for cladding Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    iGuzzini North America

    Palco InOut floodlight Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    Inter-lux

    Box Cove 2 indirect luminaire Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    Keystone Technologies

    MR16 Transformer KTET-20-1-LED-FDIM — ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    Keystone Technologies

    XFit SmartPort Gen 2 sensor ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    MaxLite

    c-Max lighting controls Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

    MetroSpec Technology

    Linear360 Modular LED Light Engines

    Nichia Corporation

    NF2W585AR-P8 dual-function LED Visible Light Disinfection Technology

    Xicato

    Xicato AC Driver (XAD) LED Drivers

    3.75

    Aleddra LED Lighting

    UV-free air-sanitizing desktop lamp Visible Light Disinfection Technology

    A-Light

    Aloft tubular luminaire system Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    BIOS Lighting

    BIOS SkyView Wellness table lamp Circadian Lighting Technologies

    Blossom LLC

    WH-1000 V1 horticultural luminaire Horticultural Lighting

    Digital Lumens

    SiteWorx application suite Smart and Connected SSL Systems

    Elemental LED

    AlphaTECH X linear LED lighting by Diode LED Modular LED Light Engines

    Eureka Lighting

    Outline projector luminaire Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Green Creative

    REFINE VHO PAR38 lamp Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    GrowFlux, Inc.

    GrowFlux Dimmer lighting controller Horticultural Lighting

    Infineon Technologies

    BCR601/BCR602 linear LED controller IC ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    Keystone Technologies

    XFit Color Select Power Select linear high bay Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

    The Lighting Quotient

    elliptipar S51x Family luminaires Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    Lumenpulse

    Lumencore downlights Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    LUXTECH LED Modules

    LUXroll Modular LED Light Engines

    MetroSpec Technology

    FacetCore — Modular LED Light Engines

    Signify

    Bodine BSL20B6-Cold emergency LED driver Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

    SLD Laser

    LaserLight fiber coupled SMD module Modular LED Light Engines

    Solais Lighting

    Solais Lucie family tracklighting Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Traxon e:cue

    ProPoint Kontour family Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    4.00

    A-Light

    Align magnetic lighting system Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    Bolb, Inc.

    Transparent deep-UV LED UV LEDs and Systems

    B Plus L Technologies Inc.

    QX7 programmable Bluetooth mesh wireless control LED drivers LED Drivers

    Cooper Lighting Solutions

    Metalux Perceive LED Specification Series Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

    Energy Harness Corporation

    Active Airflow UV-C fixture UV LEDs and Systems

    Environmental Lights

    Continuous LED strip light – 2400K/6500K Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    Environmental Lights

    Continuous LED strip light – RGB Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    Environmental Lights

    REVI Drive DMX controlled power supply LED Drivers

    Espen Technology

    Espen emergency inverter, Model #VEMB15W-10V (C) Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

    Fluxwerx Illumination

    Portal multi-mount luminaire Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    Igor

    Nexos Intelligent Disinfection platform UV LEDs and Systems

    Infineon Technologies

    NLM0011 wireless configuration IC ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    Innovations In Optics Inc.

    LumiDLP – 35W UV LED DMD illuminator Specialty SSL Design

    Inventronics

    EUM-Bx Series LED Drivers

    Light Cognitive

    LC Skylight Circadian Lighting Technologies

    Luminis

    Hollowcore pendant Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    Mean Well USA

    LCM-25/40/60KN LED driver LED Drivers

    Nichia Corporation

    NCSU334B deep-UV LED UV LEDs and Systems

    Osram Opto Semiconductors

    Osconiq C 2424 Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

    Osram Opto Semiconductors

    Oslon Square Hyper Red horticultural LED Horticultural Lighting

    Power Integrations

    LYTSwitch-8 controller IC ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    Samsung Electronics

    LM283N+ LED Circadian Lighting Technologies

    Samsung Electronics

    LM301H EVO horticultural LED Horticultural Lighting

    Signify

    Bodine BSL06M emergency LED driver Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

    Signify

    Bodine BSL07B2-4Hour emergency LED driver Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

    Xicato

    Xicato Intelligent Gateway (XIG) Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

    Xicato

    Xicato Intelligent Module (XIM) Modular LED Light Engines

    Xicato

    Xicato Smart Controls Smart and Connected SSL Systems

    4.25

    Acuity Brands

    SAF product family Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    Elemental LED

    AlphaTECH X linear LED lighting by Diode LED Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    eLumigen

    High CRI Class 1 Division 2 fixture Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

    Eureka Lighting

    Mill acoustic luminaires Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    Inter-lux

    20Linear Perimeter linear system Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    IOTA

    IOTA ILBHI emergency driver Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

    Kenall Manufacturing

    SimpleSeal CSERO/CSERI cleanroom luminaires Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

    Lumenpulse

    Lumenblade — Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    Lumileds

    Luxeon 3030 HE Plus Deep Dimming Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

    Lumileds

    Luxeon SkyBlue LEDs Circadian Lighting Technologies

    Luminis

    Bellevue Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    Maxim Integrated Products

    MAX25605 6-Switch sequential LED controller for automotive lighting systems ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

    McWong International

    TruBlu interoperable Bluetooth-Zhaga-DALI controls Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

    Osram Digital Systems

    Indoor and outdoor D4i/DALI-2 certified programmable LED driver LED Drivers

    QuarkStar

    Q-Wall asymmetric linear fixture Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    Sollum Technologies

    SF4 smart LED lighting system Horticultural Lighting

    4.50

    Eureka Lighting

    Celeste decorative pendant Indoor Decorative and Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

    LED Linear

    ULTIMA linear lighting Indoor Cove, Strip, Specialty, and Lamp Design

    The Lighting Quotient

    elliptipar style S151 outdoor adjustable asymmetric luminaire Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design

    Nichia Corporation

    H6 Series LEDs Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

    2021 Sapphire Awards Judging Panel

    Maury Wright, LEDs Magazine

    James Benya, Benya Burnett Consultancy

    Carl Bloomfield, Intertek

    Chris Brown, NextGen Lighting

    Kandice Cohen, Trane Technologies

    Basar Erdener, LED Linear USA, Inc.

    Monica Hansen, LED Lighting Advisors

    Kasey Holland, DesignLights Consortium

    Michael Kershner, Innovative Lighting Consultants

    Brad Koerner, Cima

    Clifton Stanley Lemon, Strategies in Light

    Carrie Meadows, LEDs Magazine

    Levin Nock, DesignLights Consortium

    Axel Pearson, DesignLights Consortium

    Leora Radetsky, DesignLights Consortium

    Willem Sillevis-Smitt, Lumileds

    Philip Smallwood, Fluence by Osram

    Aaron Smith, Finelite

    Robert Steele, Strategies in Light

    Erik Swenson, Nichia Corp.

    About the Author

    Carrie Meadows

    Editor-in-Chief, LEDs Magazine

    Carrie Meadows has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing and media industry. She worked with the PennWell Technology Group for more than 17 years, having been part of the editorial staff at Solid State Technology, Microlithography World, Lightwave, Portable Design, CleanRooms, Laser Focus World, and Vision Systems Design before the group was acquired by current parent company Endeavor Business Media.

    Meadows has received finalist recognition for LEDs Magazine in the FOLIO Eddie Awards, and has volunteered as a judge on several B2B editorial awards committees. She received a BA in English literature from Saint Anselm College, and earned thesis honors in the college's Geisel Library. Without the patience to sit down and write a book of her own, she has gladly undertaken the role of editor for the writings of friends and family.

    Meadows enjoys living in the beautiful but sometimes unpredictable four seasons of the New England region, volunteering with an animal shelter, reading (of course), and walking with friends and extended "dog family" in her spare time.

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