Competition Administered at Rensselaer Promotes Effective and Sustainable Use of Outdoor Lighting in Public Urban Areas

The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is administering a Latin American Student Luminaire Design Competition sponsored by the AES Corporation and Philips Lighting. The objective of the competition is to promote the effective and sustainable use of outdoor lighting in public urban areas throughout Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Outdoor lighting in urban areas provides a sense of safety and security, draws people in to visit shops and restaurants, improves safety for drivers and pedestrians, and enhances the enjoyment of cities and towns after dark. However, outdoor lighting must be carefully designed to limit potential negative impacts on the environment, such as increased energy use and reduction of views of the night sky.

The design competition is open to full-time students enrolled in programs of industrial or product design, optics, lighting, engineering, architecture, urban design, and other related disciplines at accredited colleges and universities in Latin America. Applicants are asked to design a well-engineered, energy-efficient outdoor luminaire, lighting product, or system suitable for use in public urban areas, such as city or town squares, plazas, and other similar areas. 

The judging criteria will focus on five elements:  originality of design, sustainability, illumination performance, durability, and serviceability, which refers to the ease and cost of both installation and maintenance. Special consideration will be given to luminaires designed for low-income settlement areas or other such locations facing unique challenges. 

Cash prizes (in U.S. dollars) will be awarded.  The first place winner will receive $2,500, the second place winner will receive $1,000, and there will be three third place awards of $500 each. All submitted designs meeting the required criteria will be published collectively at the end of the competition. 

The competition opened Oct. 1, 2012, and runs through March 31, 2012, with winners to be announced in the spring.; For complete competition details and submission requirements, visit www.lrc.rpi.edu/education/AESDesignComp/index.asp.

About the Lighting Research Center
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) is part of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N.Y., and is the leading university-based research center devoted to lighting. The LRC offers the world’s premier graduate education in lighting, including one- and two-year master’s programs and a Ph.D. program. Since 1988 the LRC has built an international reputation as a reliable source for objective information about lighting technologies, applications, and products. The LRC also provides training programs for government agencies, utilities, contractors, lighting designers, and other lighting professionals. To learn more, please visit www.lrc.rpi.edu.

About AES   
The AES Corporation is a Fortune 200 company and is one of the world’s leading power companies providing affordable and sustainable energy in 28 countries on five continents through its diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. AES entered the Latin American market in 1993 and today, AES is the second largest privately owned power company in the region, powering growth in both urban and rural communities. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com.

About Philips Lighting
Philips Lighting is a worldwide leader in developing LED and other lighting technology solutions that aid in the global transition to a sustainable society, while delivering economic, ecological, and social benefits. Philips Lighting serves its customers through a market segment approach which encompasses homes, office and outdoor, industry, retail, hospitality, entertainment, healthcare, and automotive. For these segments, Philips Lighting provides a wide range of offerings from across the entire lighting value chain — from light sources, luminaires and lighting controls to lighting solutions and services. To learn more, visit www.lighting.philips.com.