GILE 2026 promotes “Light-Enhanced Living” as central theme and vision

After completing its 30^th anniversary last year, Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (GILE) will return from 9th – 12th June 2026 in Zone A and B of the China Import and Export Fair Complex. Building on its legacy as a leading platform for the lighting industry in Asia, the 2026 edition will feature innovations in lighting solutions, fixtures and LED technology.

This year, GILE continues to explore how cutting-edge lighting solutions can harmonise with human well-being, sustainability, and connectivity under the concept of “Light-Enhanced Living.”

Ms Lucia Wong, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, reflected on the success of the 30^th edition of GILE, stating: “Policy-driven initiatives, evolving consumption patterns and marketing models, and accelerating technological convergence are reshaping the lighting industry. For every industry player, this represents more than just technological change, it is a fundamental shift in mindset, business models, and core values. The 2025 edition marked a milestone in the event’s history, celebrating three decades of excellence as a global platform for the lighting industry. Building on the 2025 theme ‘Light for Life’, which focused on how lighting supports and improves our lives today, the 2026 edition will look to the future with ‘Light-Enhanced Living’, exploring how light can transform our lives in unexpected and groundbreaking ways. This new vision highlights how lighting can actively enhance well-being, adapt to our living spaces, and integrate with digital technologies to create smarter environments. GILE 2026 will continue to drive innovation, collaboration, and progress in the lighting industry, with a strong focus on sustainability and shaping a healthier, brighter future for all.”

The concept of “Light-Enhanced Living” is a visionary framework promoted by GILE, exploring the intersection of lighting, technology, and human well-being. Central to this framework are five distinct pillars: Biological, Emotional, Digital, Ecological and Immersive, which together represent a holistic approach to using innovative lighting solutions to improve well-being, foster human connections, and support sustainability.

The 2026 show will bring this concept to life by integrating these pillars into every aspect of the event. Each pillar will be represented through dedicated product categories, curated interactive zones, and a programme of fringe events. The show will highlight how lighting is evolving from a tool for illumination into a comprehensive solution for improving quality of life and addressing real-world challenges such as public health and sustainability.

Biological balance: Light that heals
In today’s world, where people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, artificial light has disrupted the human body’s natural rhythms. Overexposure to artificial light, especially blue light at night, disrupts sleep-wake cycles by suppressing melatonin, while insufficient daylight during the day reduces alertness and energy levels. At GILE, the next generation of Human Centric Lighting (HCL) will take centre stage, offering solutions that goes beyond simple colour temperature adjustments. Lighting is now evolving into a non-invasive health tool, designed to actively combat exhaustion and mood disorders, while also incorporating inclusive designs for neurodiversity. With spectrally optimised lighting that aligns with circadian rhythms, it can improve sleep quality, boost cortisol levels for productivity, and support recovery in healthcare settings.

Emotional spaces: Light that comforts
Light is a fundamental element of architecture, influencing how people perceive and experience spaces. Lighting with a high colour temperature improves concentration and reduces fatigue, especially in low-light periods like winter or nighttime. At GILE, the concept of “Light-Enhanced Lighting” explores the psychological impact of lighting, offering adaptive, AI-driven lighting scenarios that align with human needs and activities. From lighting designed to enhance concentration in home offices to calming, ambient settings for unwinding in living spaces, lighting is evolving into a tool for reducing stress and enhancing comfort. This creates a space which fosters meaningful social interaction, supports personal well-being, and helps people feel a deeper sense of connection to the space.

Digital integration: Light that empowers
Smart lighting has often struggled to deliver on its promise of simplicity and functionality. However, advances in sensor-driven and autonomous lighting systems are redefining its role in smart homes and cities. For example, sensor-rich luminaires now act as the nervous system of a building, going beyond illumination to integrate with intelligent infrastructure. They can detect falls in elderly care, guide traffic in smart cities or optimise energy usage without the need for user intervention. The result is an environment where technology operates invisibly and intelligently, enhancing safety, efficiency and convenience.

 Ecological harmony: Light that sustains
“Life-Enhanced Lighting” emphasises the need to consider all life, not just humans, when designing lighting solutions. As urbanisation increasingly threatens natural habitats, the lighting industry bears a growing responsibility to minimise its environmental impact. GILE 2026 will highlight technologies that balance human needs with environmental preservation. Showcases will include renewable energy lighting solutions, low-carbon manufacturing processes, wildlife-friendly lighting designed to protect migratory patterns and insect biodiversity, and circular design principles that use recyclable materials and modular components. Agricultural lighting breakthroughs, such as adjustable-spectrum LED grow lights, IoT-based environmental light regulation systems, and off-grid greenhouse lighting solutions powered by renewable energy will also prominently feature. This responsible approach ensures that lighting enhances people’s lives while minimising its impact on the environment.

Immersive experiences: Light that transcends
In the age of the metaverse and experiential retail, light serves as a bridge between the physical and the digital worlds. Advancements in lighting are changing the way people experience spaces, enabling immersive storytelling and extended realities without the need for VR headsets. High-density LED displays, projection mapping, and interactive media facades transform static surfaces into dynamic canvases. These innovations also enable “phygital” lighting experiences, where physical light synchronises seamlessly with digital content in gaming, retail, and entertainment spaces. Lighting has therefore evolved from a simple utility into a powerful medium for entertainment and information, turning ordinary spaces into destinations and everyday moments into lasting memories.

The Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition and Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology will be held concurrently. Both shows are part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fairs headed by the biennial Light + Building event. The next edition will be held from 8th – 13th March 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany.

For more information on Light + Building shows worldwide, please visit www.brand.light-building.com.