The post Signify achieves its highest-ever EcoVadis score of 88 and Platinum medal appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

In an Awards luncheon held Wednesday 16th September, at Trinity House in London, three finalists were joined by their employers and stakeholders from across the sector to celebrate their achievements. The other two finalists were Samuel Leonard of P A Collacott & Co and Ethan Timmins, employed by Derry Building Services.

Remi was selected as this year’s winner after impressing the judging panel in her application and interview. She demonstrated a strong commitment to the future of the electrotechnical industry and exemplified the qualities that make her an excellent role model for her colleagues, peers and future entrants to the industry.

As the winner of the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year 2026, Remi Newman takes home prizes including a £3,000 cash reward, an overseas study tour in Dornbirn in Austria and VIP tickets to the ECA Industry Awards in October.

ECA Member business Essex Services Group Ltd, Remi’s employer, is also recognised, receiving a one-year BSI subscription and a one-year Electrical OM Licence worth more than £300.

Keith Sanderson, ECA’s Head of Education and Skills said: “This year’s Edmundson Awards candidates were of the highest standard and all performed to an extremely high level. The independent judging panel undertook a challenging and rigorous shortlisting process to determine the finalists for this year’s awards.

Congratulations to the well-deserving winner, Remi, and also to Samuel, Ethan and all of those who entered this year’s awards. It is clear that the future of the industry is in good hands.”

The post Winner of the ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year 2026 revealed appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The post DALI Lighting Awards 2027 open for entries appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The Silhouette Awards is preparing to launch its sixth season, building on five years of mentorship, international connections and support for emerging talent across the architectural lighting design community.

The 2026–2027 programme will be officially unveiled during a special virtual event on Monday 14th September at 3.00 PM UK time. Open to everyone, the event will celebrate the achievements and mentorship journeys of the milestone fifth year, before looking ahead to the next chapter of the global programme and introducing the new Season 6 mentors.

Founded by Katia Kolovea and Eve Gaut, the Silhouette Awards was established to identify, celebrate and support emerging talent within architectural lighting design. Each year, 20 successful mentees are paired with established senior professionals from across the world for a tailored six-month mentorship journey.

The programme gives mentees access to knowledge, guidance and professional insight shaped around their individual ambitions. While every mentorship is different, the shared aim is to create an environment in which emerging designers can build confidence, explore new ideas, strengthen their skills and take meaningful steps forward in their careers.

Season 5 represented an important milestone for the Silhouette Awards. By the close of its fifth year, the programme has already created 100 mentor and mentee partnerships, connecting professionals across countries, cultures and disciplines through a shared commitment to the future of lighting design.

The virtual launch event will provide an opportunity to reflect on some of the relationships and experiences that have shaped the fifth season. Mentors and mentees will share insights from their time together, celebrating not only the professional development achieved through the programme, but also the conversations, connections and exchange of ideas that continue beyond the formal six-month journey.

The event will then turn its attention to Season 6, revealing a new international group of 20 mentors who will each support one emerging designer during the 2026–2027 programme.

• • Alessandra Bertolini | Associate, Xavio Design Limited
  • Alvaro Nieva Montes de Oca | Senior Lighting Designer, Nieva Iluminación
  • Andrea Mantello | Principal/Director, DERA.LIGHTING
  • Annie Eng | Principal/Director, Light Collab LLP
  • Daniel Green | Associate, INTO Lighting/Bloqdigital
  • Elham Souri | Project Manager and Educator, ibb Burrer & Deuring Ingenieurbüro GmbH
  • Glenn Shrum | Principal/Associate Professor, FLux Studio/Parsons School of Design
  • Gopu Avinash Reddy | Senior Lighting Designer, Studio Lumen Lighting Design & Consultancy
  • Jari Vuorinen | Principal/Director, Lighting Design Collective
  • Leah Xandora | Principal/Director, L’Observatoire International
  • Marco Miglioli | Principal/Director, Marco Miglioli ArchiLight Studio
  • Maria Güell Ordis | Senior Lighting Designer, La Invisible
  • Mariana Novaes | Principal/Director, Atiaîa Lighting Design
  • Midory Esquer | OCS Lighting and Controls
  • Mohamed Medani | Principal/Director, Delta Lighting Design
  • Noha Kotb | Founder and Lead Lighting Designer, IntoLighting
  • Regina Santos | Principal/Director, Light Fusion
  • Sergei Kovalenko | Senior Lighting Designer, QPRO
  • Stephan Horn | Principal/Director, o-pium GmbH
  • Stephanie Harris | Associate Director/Head of Lighting, CBG Light Perception

Together, the mentors bring experience from practices, studios and educational institutions across the international lighting community. Their varied career paths and perspectives will allow each mentorship to be shaped around the needs, interests and aspirations of the selected mentee.

Katia Kolovea, Co-Founder of the Silhouette Awards, said, “The Silhouette Awards has grown into a truly international community, bringing together people who may be separated by geography but are connected by a shared passion for lighting design and its future.

Our fifth season has once again shown that mentorship is not about following one set path. It is about creating space for honest conversations, fresh thinking and individual growth. We look forward to celebrating those journeys during the virtual event and sharing what comes next as we open the door to Season 6.”

Eve Gaut, Co-Founder of the Silhouette Awards, added, “Reaching the end of a season always gives us a valuable opportunity to pause and recognise what has been created through the programme. One hundred mentor and mentee partnerships is an achievement we are incredibly proud of, but the real impact can be found within the individual journeys, conversations and relationships formed along the way.

As we start to launch Season 6, we are excited to welcome another exceptional group of mentors who share our belief in supporting emerging talent. Their generosity, experience and enthusiasm will help a new group of designers gain the confidence and guidance to take the next steps in their careers.”

The Silhouette Awards is a collaboration between Archifos and Parrot PR & Marketing. Since its inception, the programme has become a celebrated platform for discovering and raising the profile of up-and-coming designers and strengthening the bonds within the global lighting community.

To find out more about the Silhouette Awards, including the sponsors, supporters or the virtual event, visithttps://silhouetteawards.com/ or contact > info@silhouetteawards.com.

The post Silhouette Awards celebrate five years of mentorship as Season 6 prepares to launch appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Organised in association with LSi, the PLASA Awards for Innovation are among the industry’s most respected accolades, shining a spotlight on pioneering technology that advances safety, efficiency and performance through fresh approaches, inventive engineering, and sustainable design.

This year, 43 products were put forward, with the judges ultimately recognising eight innovations. The panel also decided to present the Gold Award, which recognises a product that is a true game-changer for the industry.

The winning products and judges’ comments are listed below:

Singularity – Sig-Net  

The judges commended the extensive collaborative effort behind Sig-Net, predicting it will become a cornerstone of cybersecurity in the lighting industry. Early adoption by numerous manufacturers, many of whom contributed to its development, helps prepare the sector for the upcoming EU Cyber Resilience Act.

Sig-Net serves as a vital platform for industry dialogue regarding the mandatory compliance requirements arriving in 2027. Finally, the judges highlighted its sustainable impact, noting that it extends the lifespan of existing protocols and significantly reduces product obsolescence.

SoundBase – SoundBase 

The judges appreciated the well-designed manufacturer-agnostic workflow in an increasingly hostile RF environment. The collaborative cross-sharing of data has the potential to transform information exchanges across multiple RF users to help improve practical management of on-site frequency co-ordination.

ROE Visual – Vanish Air Rental (VAR) 

The innovative engineering of placing the drive electronics in the perimeter of the panel makes this the first product to be a tourable, transparent screen without a central spine, thereby contributing to a cleaner aesthetic.

Event Lifting Limited – ELL Smart Chain hoist 

By collating much of the chain hoist’s data into a centrally accessible database, ELL has enabled simple access to real-time and historical information of a hoist over a network. The capability to test brakes individually without removing covers was particularly notable, as was the facility allowing users to check maintenance and compliance history at the scan of a QR code or NFC chip. It is hoped that these innovations will support safer and more efficient working practices.

Doughty Engineering – Pre-Rig Quick Trigger Clamp 

Innovation comes in many forms, sometimes a simple change can make a significant difference. The judges enjoyed the clamp’s straight-forward design and ability to solve many practical yet obvious issues. Rather than drive square pegs into round holes or round pegs into square ones, this product allows the user to secure either safely.

LaserAnimation Sollinger – Unreal 120 

A high level of attention to detail in the manufacturing process has led to a genuine step-change in terms of output power density for a given beam size in a considerably smaller, lighter and more cost-effective format. The judges noted the sophisticated white colour balance management, the promised reliability and high degree of beam accuracy.

Chauvet Professional – unrival App  

A free app that makes addressing and managing a lighting rig easier on site and in the warehouse, with multiple users able to access the same information in real-time. Although working best with Chauvet’s products using its proprietary NFC chips, the app still allows for users to integrate any other fixture helping to improve communication and workflow with the novel use of self-generated QR codes.

The winner of the Gold Award is: 

Powersoft – SpeakerMATE  

The judges were truly impressed with the bi-directional communication and real-time ability to monitor passive speaker systems using existing speaker cables. The inclusion of a microphone and inclinometer opens up new verification opportunities in a wide variety of sound reinforcement applications including PAVA, touring and more.

Easily retrofitted or included in new products, the judges expect this to be widely adopted in the future with additional features developed and incorporated as it gains traction within the industry.

In addition to the winners, the judges also chose to commend four products, which are:  

Disguise – Mapping Matters 

In a year that has seen increased use of AI, the judges commended Disguise for its practical, focused and responsible use of AI in its products, building on the company’s previous PLASA Award for the technology. The judges felt that integration of AI into the workflow was appropriate and represents a genuinely useful and potentially time-saving suite of features, without compromising individual designer intellectual property.

d&b audiotechnik – U-Series  

The judges felt that the U-Series represented a highly flexible approach to speaker deployment. However, it was the networked cabinets that particularly caught the judges’ attention, demonstrating an advanced use of Power over Ethernet to a level that can be considered suitable for a wide range of professional applications. The N-version shows the potential for PoE powered systems to compete with other more traditional speakers.

Polar – Areal Upmix Engine 

Commended for providing a brand-agnostic interface for low-latency spatial audio, it affords users a stepping-stone into the world of immersive sound that is both easy and intuitive to use. It potentially allows a wider range of immersive options from standard stereo sources.

Robe – GLINT and AERIS (as in GigaPointe) 

By careful attention to the detrimental impact of potential contaminants within a head of a moving light, Robe has developed multiple mechanisms to maintain a cleaner internal environment within a fixture, thereby potentially reducing maintenance intervals and costs as well as prolonging the optimum performance. The judges highlighted AERIS alongside the previous innovations that will be adopted across the product range contributing to long-term reliability.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! 

Applications for the 2027 PLASA Awards for Innovation will open in Summer 2027.

The post PLASA Awards for Innovation 2026 winners announced appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The Awards provide a great opportunity to share best practice, promote electrical safety, gain recognition, and give clients and customers confidence in products and services.

Whether you are a manufacturer bringing a safety product to market, an organisation that has created an initiative to reduce electrical hazards, a housing association enhancing electrical safety for residents, or a team improving electrical safety in the workplace, the awards are designed to recognise the people and projects making a real difference to the industry.

The awards are open to all individuals and organisations based in the UK with a notable interest in electrical safety, they are free to enter, open to all and you can nominate yourself, another individual or an organisation.

Entering is an opportunity to showcase best practice, celebrate innovation, and demonstrate a commitment to raising standards in electrical safety across the UK. It can also help build trust with clients, customers, tenants, and partners by highlighting the impact of your work.

Winners will also be invited to a Parliamentary reception in the Churchill Room in the House of Commons on 10^thNovember, offering an opportunity to celebrate their achievements, be presented with an award and network with others committed to enhancing electrical safety.

Categories to enter are:

• Product of the year
• Paul Skyrme Electrical Safety Initiative of the year
• Changemaker of the year
• Derek Thompson Industry Service Award

Fraser Herd, Chair of the ESR Workplace group, said: “The Above and Beyond Awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase some of the incredible work organisations and individuals do to enhance electrical safety. We look forward to a great Awards year!”

The post ESR Above and Beyond Awards 2026 deadline for entries extended appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

“The EcoVadis Platinum rating confirms the Zumtobel Group’s consistently pursued path: for us, sustainability is not a single project, but an integral part of our business. This success is only possible thanks to the joint commitment of our teams and the continuous implementation of our sustainability strategy. At the same time, we see this award as an incentive to continue advancing our ambitions – in the interests of our customers and partners, our employees and the environment,” says Alfred Felder, CEO of the Zumtobel Group.

Measurable sustainable development

The Zumtobel Group’s progress to the Platinum level demonstrates one thing above all: sustainable development always goes hand in hand with transparent reporting. Throughout the entire value chain, the company is implementing concrete measures with quantitative targets as part of its sustainability strategy – consisting of the Net-Zero, Circular Economy and Partner of Choice goals. Regulatory frameworks, such as the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards), under which the Zumtobel Group reports on its progress in sustainability, are a significant catalyst for creating transparency.

The post Zumtobel Group receives Ecovadis Platinum Rating appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Luminaires from the EDITIONS series by Zumtobel have been recognised at the recent prestigious design awards: The compact TALUNA table lamp won the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” Award 2026 in the “Lighting and Luminaires” category. Only the best products in each category receive this quality seal. In the same category, the SKENA free-standing luminaire was awarded the Red Dot Award 2026. At the Austrian State Prize for Design 2026, on the other hand, the SOLENA glass tube luminaire was one of three nominated favorites in the running; SKENA received one of 14 special recognitions. With THE EDITIONS, Zumtobel offers a curated series of lighting solutions that are developed in collaboration with international architecture and design firms and lighting planners for exclusive architectural projects and set particularly high standards of design and functionality.

The TALUNA table luminaire impressed the jury of the Red Dot Design Award with its minimalist, forward-looking design, reliability and sustainability. At TALUNA, the design, construction, and number of components used are reduced to the absolute essentials. Timeless elegance, replaceable LED illuminant, recyclable materials such as sheet steel, and high manufacturing quality ensure the luminaire’s durability and substance. The housing made of bent sheet steel emphasises the minimalist style. The joints of the light housing are not welded. This reduces power consumption during production. Available soon in ten subtle pastel shades, TALUNA blends harmoniously into any room and makes a strong statement.

With the SKENA free-standing luminaire, another product from THE EDITIONS collection has received the Red Dot Design Award. SKENA is the result of a collaboration with the Hamburg-based office BAID Architektur and a customised answer to the requirements of modern working environments. The luminaire is perfect for open work zones or even double workstations. With the help of integrated sensors, it permanently adapts the light to the daylight and the presence of people in the room. With the optionally available swarm function, several luminaires can also be connected to form a so-called light cloud in order to create optimal workplace lighting as well as a pleasant atmosphere.

SOLENA made it into the top three products in the “Capital Goods” category at the Austrian State Award for Design 2026 and was thus nominated for the winner’s podium. The suspended luminaire was developed together with the architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron and the lighting designer Reflexion AG for the sustainable office building HORTUS. The luminaire combines design, function and aesthetics with a distinctive signature and radical simplicity. The result is high-precision light, efficient illumination and a fine shimmer of light that accentuates structures and gives the room atmospheric depth. SOLENA combines sustainability and design quality in one luminaire: designed to be modular, maintenance-friendly and recyclable, it impresses with maximum efficiency and visual excellence. In 2025, SOLENA was honored with the “Red Dot: ‘Best of the Best’” design prize for its outstanding product design.

“THE EDITIONS embodies our aspiration to rethink light, developed for exclusive projects in forward-looking design. We bring enthusiasts together and empower creative minds to realize visionary ideas, push boundaries and inspire others,” said Matthias Menke, Vice President Atelier at Light Zumtobel.

Photo credit: Isabel Bechter.

The post Luminaires from THE EDITIONS series awarded the Red Dot: Best of the Best Award 2026 and nominated for the Austrian State Prize for Design 2026 appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The Silhouette Awards, co-founded by Eve Gaut and Katia Kolovea, marked its fifth milestone anniversary year on 4th June 2026 with an in-person celebration at the BDP in London, bringing together more than 85 lighting professionals alongside a global programme of speakers, mentors, mentees, and international contributions from across the lighting industry.

Established in 2021, the Silhouette Awards were created to address a gap within the lighting industry: while many awards recognise completed work and established practice, few focus on the people shaping the profession – particularly those at the beginning of their careers. Built as a global mentorship platform, the programme connects emerging lighting designers with experienced practitioners to build guidance, knowledge-sharing, and long-term professional development. Now in its fifth year, the initiative has grown into a truly international community spanning 100 mentor-mentee pairings, 42 countries, and a continuously expanding network of practitioners committed to supporting the next generation of lighting designers.

The celebration event was structured as a two-part experience, beginning with a conference programme that featured keynote talks, mentor + mentee conversations, emerging voices, and international contributions from across the Silhouette Awards network. This was followed by a celebration and networking reception where guests gathered for drinks, food, meaningful conversations, and entertainment.

A key moment of the conference element was the contribution of the Silhouette Awards ‘Global Voices’, featuring recorded reflections from lighting professionals across India, the UAE, Hong Kong, Australia, Greece, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, the United States, Russia, and beyond. These voices reinforced a central message that while careers unfold across different countries, cultures, and time zones, the challenges, ambitions, and opportunities within the lighting industry remain remarkably similar. Contributors included Iftikhar Ilyas, Siddharth Mathur, Eugenia Cheng, Dr Emrah Baki Ulas, Petros Kitsantas, Sudipti Varadharajan, Valeria Coghi, Sam Koerbel, Farahbee Rahman, Anthony G., Valery Gorelova, Martin Klaasen, and Mashaarah Bhatia, each sharing personal insight, encouragement, and reflection for the next generation of designers.

Alongside this, the event featured a speaker programme shaped by the Silhouette community itself, including Michael Grubb (Year 1 Mentor) delivering the opening keynote, alongside Melissa Toasa and Sacha Abizadeh (Year 4), Tiago Winer and Fabiana Nery Pardhanani (Year 4), Gary Thornton (Year 2 Mentor), Marci Song (Year 1 Mentor), Xueqi Du (Year 5 Mentee), Maria Laura Polselli (Year 5 Mentee), Tiziana Regalado (Year 4 Mentee), Andra Munro (Year 3 Mentee), and Kristina Allison CEng FSLL MCIBSE (Year 2 Mentor). Each speaker contributed with perspectives shaped by mentorship, career development, and the defining experiences that shape a lighting design career.

Across both the conference and the networking celebration, the evening highlighted how mentorship within the Silhouette Awards extends beyond structured guidance, creating lasting relationships that support confidence, identity, and professional growth. What made the evening particularly special was the people who brought it to life. Mentors generously shared their experience, mentees openly reflected on their journeys, and speakers contributed with honesty, personal insights and courage. The celebration was further enriched by a live saxophonist – Stacey Westbrook from Parrot PR and Marketing, alongside a silhouette artist creating bespoke keepsakes for guests, adding to an atmosphere filled with food, drinks, laughter, and a strong sense of community.

At its core, the ambition of the Silhouette Awards remains unchanged: to embed mentorship as a fundamental part of professional life within the lighting industry, ensuring emerging designers have access to the guidance, insight, and support needed to thrive.

Eve Gaut, Parrot PR and Marketing, said, “Reaching our fifth year is a real milestone for the Silhouette Awards, but what matters most to us is the community that has grown around it. The honesty, generosity, and commitment of everyone involved continue to shape this programme in ways we could never have predicted.”

Katia Kolovea, Archifos, added, “The lighting industry is global, but what connects us is far deeper than geography – it’s shared challenges, ambition, and a willingness to support one another. The Silhouette Awards has always been about creating space for those connections to happen, and seeing mentors, mentees, and global voices come together like this was incredibly powerful.”

The Silhouette Awards extends a sincere thanks to the specific event sponsors for their invaluable support in making the 5th anniversary celebration possible. Conference Sponsor Signify Lighting Academy, Evening Reception Sponsor Studio Due, Entertainment Sponsorformalighting, Official Tote Bag Sponsor OneEightyOne, Official Press Partner darc media, and Venue Partner BDP.

Applications for the next round of the Silhouette Awards open mid-September 2026 for mentees, with the Mentor Open Call for the 2026–2027 cohort already live. The programme welcomes emerging lighting designers with up to 8 years’ experience as mentees, and experienced practitioners with 15+ years in the field as mentors.

The Silhouette Awards is a collaboration between Parrot PR and Marketing and Archifos. Further information and updates are available at silhouetteawards.com.

The post The Silhouette Awards marks fifth anniversary with global celebration of mentorship and community appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Run in association with LSi, the awards are independently judged by a team of trusted industry experts. Entrants will have the opportunity to present their products to the judges on-site at PLASA Show 2026, with the winners announced at the show on the evening of Monday 7th September.

All shortlisted products will be showcased on the Innovation Gallery, at the heart of the PLASA Show, from 6th – 8th September, and online in the show’s Virtual Innovation Gallery.

The Awards for Innovation are open to everyone, whether you’re a PLASA member, exhibiting at PLASA Show, or simply have something truly innovative to share.

If you submit your entry by Friday 31st July, you could save up to £220 with the Early Bird rate. Plus, your entry will benefit from inclusion in LSi’s PLASA Show Preview in the bumper September issue. Winners will also receive coverage in the October issue.

“Winning a PLASA Award for Innovation was a proud moment for our team, giving real recognition to the creativity behind our product and raising its profile across this unique industry,” comments Lois Williams of Luminous Showtech, who took home an award in 2025 for the innovative Hydra-Storm Rain Machine. “Launching the Hydra-Storm Rain Machine at PLASA Show 2025 and being able to call it ‘award-winning’ from the start was the perfect introduction.”

He continues: “We’d highly recommend entering the PLASA Awards for Innovation. It’s one of the few platforms that truly celebrates innovation in our industry and gives new ideas the spotlight they deserve. Beyond the recognition, it’s a unique chance to showcase your product in the Innovation Gallery, letting visitors see the product for themselves and sparking conversations.”

Up to eight products will be selected for a coveted Award for Innovation, and one standout could be honoured with the Gold Award. There’s also a dedicated Sustainability Award available for products that demonstrate meaningful environmental impact.

2025’s winners included a mix of boundary-pushing brands from across the industry – including Sennheiser, which won Gold for Spectera – the world’s first wideband, bidirectional wireless ecosystem. Other winners included:

• Disguise for its AI-powered Ask Ald3n software

• Powersoft for its NOTA 142 lipstick-size amplifier

• Doughty Engineering for its UK-manufactured Light Weight Quick Trigger

• Robe for its hyper-innovative ProFrost

• Vari-Lite for its next-gen luminaire, VLHive 151 Digital FX

The final deadline for entries is Friday 21st August 2026. 

To find out more and submit your entry, head to: www.plasashow.com/awards

The post 2026 PLASA Awards for Innovation open for entries appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.