LEDs Magazine reveals updated categories for 2018 Sapphire Awards

May 17, 2017

Nashua, NH — LEDs Magazine is pleased to announce the categories for the 2018 Sapphire Awards. The program will feature 15 product categories, six new categories based on solid-state lighting projects, and the prestigious Illumineer of the Year category. Submissions will open on June 6, 2017 at ledsmagazine.com/sapphireawards. The program will culminate at the Gala and awards ceremony in Long Beach, CA aboard the RMS Queen Mary in February 2018 during the co-located Strategies in Light, The LED Show, and Lightspace California events.

Solid-state lighting product categories

  • Commercial-Quality SSL Lamp Design
  • Horticultural Lighting
  • ICs and Electronic Components for SSL
  • Indoor SSL Luminaire Design
  • Industrial SSL Luminaire Design
  • LED Drivers
  • Lighting for Health and Wellbeing
  • Linear T8 SSL Lamp Design
  • Modular LED Light Engines
  • Outdoor SSL Luminaire Design
  • Packaged LEDs and OLEDs
  • Smart and Connected SSL Technologies
  • Specialty SSL Design
  • SSL Enabling Technologies – optics, thermal, interconnect, etc.
  • Tools and Tests in SSL Design

New – Solid-state lighting project categories

  • Connected Lighting System
  • Façade or Entertainment Lighting
  • Horticultural Lighting
  • Indoor Architectural Lighting
  • Lighting for Health and Wellbeing
  • Outdoor Street and Area Lighting

The Sapphire judging panel features LED and solid-state lighting (SSL) experts from across the industry. The judges rely on their deep expertise to evaluate nominated products based on company essays that describe the innovation in products along with standard literature such as data sheets and photometric test reports. The judges assign each entry a score of 1–5 Sapphires.

Based on the judges’ scoring, LEDs Magazine selects finalists in each category. Moreover, the program also includes the Illumineer of the Year category where a person or small team of people is recognized for innovative work in the SSL field. Winners are announced at the Sapphire Awards Gala on February 14, 2018 in Long Beach, CA.

LEDs Magazine goes to great lengths to make sure that the judging process is handled in a fair and equitable matter. Every entry is reviewed by a number of judges independently. The judges assigned to each product category are selected to specifically avoid any conflict of interest.

“We are thrilled to announce the categories for the fourth annual Sapphire Awards,” said Editor-in-Chief Maury Wright. “The list is the result of three successful programs that have included the most innovative topics in the solid-state lighting industry, the projects that are accelerating the breadth of lighting applications, and the coveted Illumineer of the Year award. Every company that is chosen and awarded at the Gala next February will embody what it means to use creativity and innovation to drive the industry forward.”

LEDs Magazine will publish details on the Sapphire finalists and winners, as well as releasing the scores for every product entry receiving 3.5 Sapphires on average or higher. Moreover, every entrant will receive a score for their product privately, along with the judges’ comments. To further highlight the achievements and advances recognized by the Sapphire Awards program, category winners and the Illumineer of the Year who are awarded at the Gala will be showcased in additional LEDs Magazine editorial coverage.

LEDs Magazine invites vendors to submit written information, photos, and spec sheets about products that have been released or upgraded in the past year. This information will be used by the Sapphire Awards panel to rank products based on their unique technology or application thereof, innovation, ease of use, efficiency, reliability, and contribution to profitability. Project submissions will be accepted from lighting designers, specifiers, and companies wishing to nominate an SSL project that uses their products.

Learn more at ledsmagazine.com/sapphireawards

About LEDs Magazine
LEDs Magazine is the leading information resource for the global LED and lighting community, serving thousands of readers that specify, design, and manufacture LED-based products for a wide range of end-use applications. Its key value proposition is to offer well-written, unbiased, and informative editorial content to more than 63,000 subscribers. LEDs Magazine provides news and product information on a daily basis in combination with in-depth technical articles, analysis, and case studies. For additional information about LEDs Magazine, visit www.ledsmagazine.com

About the PennWell LED & Lighting Network

The PennWell LED & Lighting Network serves the global lighting industry with a comprehensive series of publications, events and research capabilities covering every aspect of lighting. From the manufacturer to the end user, the PennWell LED & Lighting Network’s mission is to bridge the spectrum of light with the highest level of excellence in editorial, technical content and business development opportunities, providing 360-degree views of the global market. United together, the PennWell LED & Lighting Network’s resources drive innovation and inspire solutions in LEDs and lighting by connecting the technology with the applications of the future. For additional information about LEDs Magazine, visit www.ledsmagazine.com.

About PennWell Corporation:
Founded in 1910 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PennWell Corporation is a privately held and highly diversified business-to-business media and marketing services company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following industries:   Oil & gas, electric power generation and delivery, hydropower, renewable energy, water and wastewater, lasers and  optoelectronics, fiber-optics, cabling, broadband, aerospace electronics, LEDs and lighting, fire and emergency services, and dental.  PennWell publishes over 130 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 50 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, websites, research and database services. In addition to PennWell's headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Company has major offices in Nashua, New Hampshire; London, England; Houston, Texas; San Diego, California; Fairlawn, New Jersey; Moscow, Russia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Hong Kong, China.  For additional information about PennWell, visit www.pennwell.com.

Contact:

Danielle Blanchette
Marketing Manager
LEDs Magazine Sapphire Awards
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1.603.891.9204