August 22, 2024

These Lighting Brands are Driving Progress

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Above: Mark Lien shares an overview of the GREEN CREATIVE Universal CCT Select Emergency Tube

Ten companies collected 56 of 91 accepted products in the latest IES Progress Report

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Progress Committee has once again delivered its annual evaluation of innovations in the art and science of lighting, presenting the 2024 Progress Report. This report, a respected tradition within the lighting industry, serves as a barometer of technological advancements and design trends across the globe. The 2024 edition was unveiled on Saturday, offering a comprehensive overview of the latest products, research, publications, and design tools that are shaping the future of lighting.

Tejal Thakur, the Chairperson of the IES Progress Committee, provided insight into the rigorous evaluation process that led to the selection of the final entries for this year’s report. The committee meticulously reviewed 124 submissions, introduced to the market between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024, before curating a final list of 91 items. These submissions spanned a wide range of categories, including light sources, luminaires, materials, power supplies, controls, and luminaire accessories, alongside design tools and publications.

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Leaders and Noteworthy Trends

RAB Lighting and Signify emerged as top contenders in the 2024 Progress Report, each securing the acceptance of 14 products. Notably, 12 of Signify’s accepted products came from Cooper Lighting Solutions.

For the second consecutive year, Acuity Brands, North America's largest lighting company, found itself in a tie with Green Creative, a much smaller company. Both companies had seven products accepted into the 2024 report, marking a slight increase from the six products each had included the previous year.

Above: Ten companies had multiple products included in the 2024 IES Progress Report

However, not all brands maintained their momentum. Current, which had six products included in 2022 and three in 2023, saw just one product make the cut this year, the ED18 LED Replacement Lamp, part of the Current GLI product segment. It’s important to note that pursuing Progress Report’s inclusion is voluntary, and companies may place varying levels of emphasis on achieving recognition from the IES.

The total number of submissions in 2024, though significant, reflects a broader trend of fluctuating participation over the years. While this year’s 124 submissions represent an increase from some past years, they are still well below the peak of 265 submissions recorded in 2014.

Progress Report Analysis

A tradition of the Progress Report is for longtime committee member Mark Lien to offer his insightful analysis of this year’s report, delivered in his engaging, professorial, and avuncular manner. Some of Lien’s analysis and observations:

Historical Context: Mark Lien reflected on his experience on the committee since 1991, noting that the late 1990s saw a decline in excitement as traditional lighting technologies became fully mature, leading to fewer innovations.
LED Revolution: The first significant movement in solid-state lighting occurred around 2005, marking the beginning of a revolution that continues to progress rapidly.
Fusion of Technologies: Lien highlighted a current trend where lighting products are increasingly integrating technologies from adjacent industries, leading to more innovative solutions.
Incremental Changes: While there are still some incremental advancements, the focus has shifted towards more meaningful technological fusions.
Category Breakdown: The internal committee has categorized submissions, noting a decline in material advancements and the absence of certain innovations like solar integration into lighting.
Horticulture and Circadian Lighting: The report included nine submissions related to circadian and health-related lighting, with an increased interest in horticulture lighting.
AI Integration: The first AI product was submitted this year, showcasing the influence of the solid-state lighting revolution on enabling advanced technologies like AI in lighting.
Feature Integration: A significant trend this year is the integration of new features into luminaires, with 40 new features combined in products, including 29 color-tunable and selectable products, the highest ever recorded.
Miniaturization: The trend towards miniaturization continues, with lighting products becoming smaller, following the pattern seen in other digital technologies.
CONGRATS TO ME!: The Illuminating Engineering Society awarded itself with four inclusions – all publications, no products.