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Lighting Awards 2026

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Categories

The DALI Lighting Awards celebrate excellence across both Application and Innovation categories, recognizing outstanding projects that demonstrate creativity, technical expertise, and real-world impact.

Application Categories

 Details:
Residential

Lighting projects for residential settings, including both interior and exterior applications


Examples:

  • Single-family home lighting design
  • Multifamily housing interior and exterior lighting
  • Smart home lighting solutions
  • Residential landscape lighting
Commercial Interior

Indoor lighting for various commercial environments

Examples:

  • Architectural and entertainment lighting
  • Healthcare and educational facilities
  • Retail and hospitality lighting
  • Office & workspace lighting
Commercial Exterior

Outdoor lighting for various commercial environments

Examples:

  • Office building and retail center exterior lighting
  • Parking lot and garage lighting
  • Commercial facade architectural lighting
  • Outdoor lighting for hotels and resorts
  • Commercial property landscape lighting
Industrial

Lighting projects for industrial environments, including production, storage, and utility facilities.

Examples:

  • Manufacturing plants and warehouses
  • Industrial facility lighting, production areas and storage spaces
  • Utility and energy facility lighting, including power plants and substations
  • Logistics and distribution centers
Smart Cities and Infrastructure

Lighting projects that support connected, sustainable, and resilient urban environments.

Examples:

  • Street, roadway, and area lighting
  • Transportation hubs such as airports, train stations, and bus terminals
  • Public infrastructure including bridges, tunnels, and highways
  • Connected lighting with sensors and IoT for smart city services

Innovation Categories

Details:

Best Use of D4i Recognizing innovative applications of DALI D4i technology in lighting systems, including enhanced data communication, energy management, and advanced control capabilities.
Best Emergency Lighting Integration Celebrating exceptional designs and solutions that effectively incorporate emergency lighting, ensuring safety, reliability, and compliance with standards during emergency situations.
Best Human Centric Design Honoring projects that prioritize human well-being by utilizing lighting solutions that support health, comfort, and productivity through dynamic and adaptive lighting environments.
Best Integration into Other Building Systems Highlighting projects that excel in integrating lighting data with other building systems, such as HVAC, security, and energy management, to enhance overall building performance and efficiency.
Innovation in Lighting Recognizing cutting-edge technologies, and advancements in lighting control solutions.
Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Highlighting projects that excel in sustainability, energy conservation, and environmental impact.
Smart and Connected Lighting Honoring advancements in smart lighting systems, IoT integration, and connected lighting solutions.
Best use of DALI+ or Gateways Recognizing outstanding implementations of DALI+ or DALI gateways (Parts 341 & 342), including Thread and Bluetooth, to enable advanced wireless connectivity and seamless integration.

Judges will determine which categories are the best fit for the project being short-listed.

 

Entry criteria

► All types of lighting projects linked with DALI technology can be nominated. We welcome projects in all geographical regions.

► Projects do not have to exclusively use DALI. Entries should explain how DALI combines with other technologies, where appropriate. Materials should explain why DALI was chosen, and the benefits achieved by using DALI (see "What information is required?" below for more details).

► There is no cost to enter.

► Entries can be submitted by any organization, whether or not they are a DALI Alliance member. Entries should provide the names/roles of all parties involved with the project, including suppliers of DALI products, particularly the control system(s).

► Multiple entries are allowed.

► Each project should only be submitted once, even if it may be relevant to multiple categories.

► Judges will determine the most appropriate category for each project. Each project is eligible to receive one award only.

► Entries will be rejected if products do not comply with DALI Alliance trademark usage rules. If you are unsure about this requirement, please contact us at awards@dali-alliance.org.

► Eligible projects will have been completed between January 2023 and November 2025. Partially completed and ongoing projects will be considered, provided that images and tangible results are already available. Projects completed before January 2022 will not be considered.

► Images are required for all entries; these should be available for use without copyright restrictions. By entering you agree to publication of images and project information for use on the DALI Alliance website and for any promotional purposes relating to DALI and these Awards. Selected projects will be described in detail on our website – see examples from previous year's Awards.

 

What information is required?

► Your name and email address

► Name of your company or organization

► Names and roles of all parties involved, including suppliers of DALI products and control systems

► Project title

► Project location

► Completion date

Eligible projects must have been completed between January 2023 and December 2025. Partially completed or ongoing projects are accepted if images and tangible results are available. Projects completed before January 2023 are not eligible.

► Category (optional)

You do not need to select a category. Judges will determine the most appropriate category for each project.

► Describe the project and explain how DALI is used – Maximum of 3000 characters (with spaces)

Describe the scope of the project, including challenges faced, and how DALI was used. Include the quantity, type, and purpose of DALI devices and systems involved.

► Does your project use any of the following features?

Select any that apply (optional):

  • Emergency lighting
  • Colour control for human-centric lighting
  • Luminaire data (Part 251)
  • Energy data (Part 252)
  • Diagnostics data (Part 253)
  • D4i luminaires and components
  • Zhaga-D4i luminaires and components
  • Integration of DALI into a BMS

► Why was DALI chosen, and what benefits did it provide? – Maximum of 3000 characters (with spaces)

Explain why DALI was selected, and what advantages it brought to the project. This may include:

  • Digital lighting control or open standards
  • Energy efficiency, sustainability, or environmental impact
  • Ease of installation, predictive maintenance, or reliability
  • User experience, wellbeing, or comfort
  • Integration with BMS, IoT, or other systems
  • Use of D4i or Zhaga-D4i certified products

You may include customer feedback (e.g. from building owners, FMs, or end users) or share any video links or website content to supplement your entry.

► What makes your project stand out? – Maximum of 1000 characters (with spaces)

Highlight the key features that make your project worthy of a DALI Lighting Award.

► Images

At least one image is required for each entry. You may submit up to 5 images (maximum 10MB each).

A top-level drawing or lighting schematic is recommended but not essential.

Images must be free of copyright restrictions. By submitting, you grant permission for use in DALI Alliance promotions and on the website.

 

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