Lighting Prize (L-Prize)

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected six winners in Phase Two — the Prototype Phase — of the L-Prize competition. The six teams share a prize pool of $2 million for demonstrating exceptional energy efficiency, connectivity and control, visual quality, environmental sustainability, and attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in lighting design, manufacturing, and application. 

In the Prototype Phase, competitors were invited to submit working prototypes that meet the rigorous L-Prize requirements and exceed the capabilities of currently available products in two categories: Luminaires and Connected Systems. All of the winners demonstrated extraordinary performance and capabilities. Winning luminaires overcame historical tradeoffs between efficacy and quality of light to achieve 160+ lumens per watt with exceptional quality of light performance. All winning luminaires and connected systems are digitally interoperable with other luminaires and connected systems using the D4i™ protocol, moving beyond shortcomings of analog 0-10V and proprietary interfaces. Finally, all of the winning connected systems demonstrated resilience and grid interactive features. Winning systems showed resilience to power, internet, and network disruptions, and the capability to dynamically respond to peak demand and price signals from the electric grid. 

Congratulations to the following Luminaire Track winning teams: 

• Signify Innovation – Bridgewater, New Jersey

Generation Flex: Light Without Compromise is a modular luminaire with groundbreaking efficacy balanced with excellent color quality and novel optics that offer good light distribution with reduced high angle glare. The highly modular design and lightweight form factor provide flexibility and potential sustainability benefits. The team proposed a DEI pilot supply chain program that favors suppliers with DEI programs.

• Lightly – Boothwyn, Pennsylvania 

Low-Carbon Biodegradable Luminaire is an architectural-grade linear luminaire, utilizing locally sourced materials grown in the United States. The high-efficacy luminaire is made of novel, biodegradable materials, including wood, hemp, and wool as alternatives to plastic and metal. The localized production/supply chain uses poplar harvested in the area, and a declare label provides material transparency.

• Grid Interactive Efficient Building Alliance (GiEBA) – San Diego, California 

Helios HPR-LP160is a high-efficacy architectural-grade 2’x4’ troffer with integral networked communications based on the open-source Google Thread wireless protocol. The troffer collects and stores luminaire data beyond the L-Prize requirements, and the built-in wireless capability allows for a basic sensor to be installed without wireless capabilities. The luminaire is designed for disassembly with modular components and easy-to-follow end-of-life diagrams for disassembly and recycling. 

Congratulations to the following Connected Systems Track winning teams: 

• Signify Innovation – Bridgewater, New Jersey 

Interact Next Gen: Light the Way to Building Goals is a simple, scalable wireless solution that interfaces with other building systems. A map-based user interface provides intuitive configuration and control, and role-based apps right-size the capabilities and data to user needs. An all-in-one sensor offers capabilities beyond lighting (e.g., temperature and humidity control, beacon for positioning) and energy harvesting switches provide installation and sustainability benefits with no battery or wiring. 

• Autani – Columbia, Maryland 

Autani Insights 4REAL, with sensing by Leviton, is a highly interoperable system, with a rich feature set of options and capabilities, that uses open standard protocols. Tiered offerings allow the system to be packaged and right-sized for customer needs and level of sophistication. The comprehensive, well-documented OpenAPI-compliant interface allows access to all available datapoints, enhancing value and energy-savings opportunities through integration with other systems. 

• McWong International – Sacramento, California

Bluetooth® Mesh Wireless Lighting Control System is a wireless lighting control system with an easy-to-use, intuitive interface. Non-proprietary Bluetooth Mesh communication protocols enable off-the-shelf components to be used and allow more user choice, futureproofing, and cost reduction benefits. The ability to produce a configuration commissioning report offers a quick, unique, and actionable feature for determining compliance with control narratives or developing designer punch lists. 

Learn more about each submission at the HeroX Teams tab.

If you submitted an idea and were not chosen as a Prototype Phase winner, we encourage you to keep innovating and submit an entry to the upcoming Manufacturing and Installation Phase. In the coming weeks, you will receive an e-mail from the prize administrator with comments and feedback on your submission from the judges who reviewed it.

Thank You for Your Participation

We want to thank all teams for competing in the L-Prize Prototype Phase and we hope you continue to be an active member of the L-Prize community. 

If you have questions, please contact . 

The deadline for L-Prize Prototype Phase entry submissions – for both the luminaire track and connected systems track – has been extended until June 1, 2023. Teams who submitted Intent to Submit forms and have been confirmed as eligible for the Prototype Phase will have until June 1, 2023 to submit their luminaire or connected system entries.

Two L-Prize deadlines are approaching on January 13:

1. Intents to submit for the L-Prize Prototype Phase are due. The Prototype Phase seeks physical prototype systems, emphasizing technological innovation and challenging entrants to think outside standard forms, materials, and price points of commercially available products. Register on the L-Prize HeroX platform, click on “Solve this Challenge,” accept the competitor agreement, then click on “Begin Entry” and complete the Intent to Submit form, providing a brief description of your intended luminaire or connected system.
2. The public comment period to provide inputs on the Manufacturing and Installation Phase requirements is closing. The final phase of the L-Prize will reward production and installation of real products meeting the L-Prize technical requirements. Complete the Comment Form and share your input.

The final phase of the L-Prize will reward production and installation of real products meeting the L-Prize technical requirements. DOE will evaluate entries on technical performance and innovation in addition to U.S. manufacturing content, deployment strategy, and innovative installation models. Up to four competitors will share an award of $10 million. The public comment period to provide inputs on the Manufacturing and Installation Phase requirements closes on January 13. Complete the Comment Form on the L-Prize website and share your input.

Intents to submit are due January 13, 2023, for the L-Prize Prototype Phase. The Prototype Phase has two tracks, one for luminaires and the other for connected systems, and up to six winners will split a prize pool of $2 million. There’s still time to enter! 

Make sure you’re registered on the L-Prize HeroX platform. Click on “Solve this Challenge” and accept the competitor agreement in order to access the full capabilities of the website. Then click on “Begin Entry” and complete the Intent to Submit form, providing a brief description of your intended luminaire or connected system. The complete submission package is due Monday, May 1, 2023. Check out the L-Prize Official Rules for more details.