TESLA AWARDS
Staying true to its mission, the NLB created the Tesla Awards to honor lighting projects that promotes human performance, health and wellness, safety and security, preservation of nighttime lighting quality, and overall occupant satisfaction. The winning projects showcase the value of lighting, but they also demonstrate best practices.
TESLA AWARDS
The National Lighting Bureau is announcing the Call for Entries for the 7th annual Tesla Awards. This program recognizes excellence in lighting projects that, through the creative use of lighting systems and controls, illustrate the value of lighting including but not limited to: improved visual performance, promotion of health and wellness, environmental impact including reduced light pollution/preservation of nighttime lighting quality, enhanced safety and security, and increased overall occupant satisfaction.
The main intent of the Tesla Awards is to promote best practices for a wide variety of indoor and outdoor lighting applications. The program aims to do more than highlight beautiful architecture by recognizing projects that provide a narrative and “how to” guide for others with similar application challenges.
WHO CAN SUBMIT
The Tesla Awards program is open to new construction or retrofit lighting projects for all types of indoor and outdoor applications. Anyone may enter a project. Lighting design and implementation teams may include lighting designers, manufacturers, agents, distributors, facility managers or engineers, building owners and occupants.
Submitted projects should have been completed within the 2023, 2024, or 2025 calendar year.
Submitted projects should have been completed within the 2023, 2024, or 2025 calendar year.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Judging criteria include: Innovation, Application effectiveness – adherence to high quality lighting principles, Energy effectiveness – includes controls strategy, Universality – how readily the design applies to other applications, Sustainability – includes ease of maintenance, use of recycled materials in product/packaging or materials that are recyclable, ability to be repaired, and other measures of environmental impact.
Special credit points can be awarded at the discretion of the judges for extra project challenge and project impact – e.g., budget, timing, location challenges/limitations, and social benefit (community impact, pro bono projects, historic preservation, etc.)
SPECIAL CITATION - INNOVATIVE LIGHTING CONTROLS
Submitted projects will be eligible to receive a Special Citation Award for innovative lighting controls design and implementation, co-sponsored by the Lighting Controls Academy.
New for 2026
Special Citation - Exemplary Residential Lighting
A special solicitation for exemplary residential lighting designs co-sponsored by the American Lighting Association. Submitted residential projects will be eligible for a Special Citation Award for Exemplary Residential Lighting. Projects will be judged on innovation and application effectiveness with even more emphasis on the illustration of best practices that can be adopted across similar residential applications including but not limited to single-family, multifamily and 55+ housing.
Submissions Deadline February 2, 2026
Anyone may enter a lighting design project for the Tesla Awards. Submitted projects should have been completed within the 2023, 2024, or 2025 calendar years. Submissions should be entered via the designated online submittal process found below.
Final Submission Deadline: February 2, 2026 | Entry fee: $100
Final Submission Deadline: February 2, 2026 | Entry fee: $100
Early Bird Deadline: January 19, 2026 | entry fee: $50
For more questions please contact Mary Beth Gotti at marybgotti@gmail.com.
Tesla Awards Winners Announced
Winners will be announced during LEDucation April 14-15, 2026 in New York City at the NLB booth. All LEDucation attendees and Tesla Award winners are invited to watch and participate. The exact date and time will be announced closer to the date.
When completing the Tesla Awards submission form, please remember to download the Photography Release form.
Should you need more time to complete the submission form, use the Save & Resume button at the bottom of the form.
Should you need more time to complete the submission form, use the Save & Resume button at the bottom of the form.