Architectural SSL's Product Innovation Awards (PIAs) showcase the latest and greatest advancements in the lighting industry. Here are the 2023 honorees in the downlights category.
VRDL Vandal Resistant Downlight, Luminaire LED
For its subtle aesthetic, Luminaire LED’s VRDL might seem surprisingly strong, designed for impact, ingress, and ligature resistance; it passed IP66 after IK10 testing. The NSF2-rated downlight has a ¼"-thick polycarbonate lens, in 4" or 6" apertures, and vandal-resistant center pin reject Torx hardware. The dimmable downlight outputs up to 4,000 lm in several CCTs and offers warm dimming and red and amber options to support human-centric lighting design. Offered in flanged or flangeless construction in a range of finishes to support different design objectives. It also qualifies for Buy American requirements. luminaireled.net
Acrobat Wall Wash Optic, Creative Systems Lighting
Delivering uniform light that can intuitively be directed in any direction, this wall washer highlights only the desired area without shadowing or glare through CSL’s patented silent Vu optics. Its light module snaps into place separately from the housing at the end of installation; it can also fit into tight spaces and be adjusted independently from the housing. Available with round or square reflectors and trim and in multiple finishes and CCTs. A decorative cover snaps in place for a clean aesthetic. csllighting.com
Aculux WarmDim Solution, Aculux/Acuity Brands
Enjoy the golden hour of light indoors and every evening with this patented, user-controlled technology for Aculux’s AX3 and AX4 series of downlights. WarmDim smoothly warms color temperatures (3000K to 1800K) during dimming while maintaining a 90+ CRI and 1-step MacAdam ellipse of the black body locus for color consistency. With WarmDim, the 3" and 4" recessed downlights come in a range of distributions, from 10° to 60° beam angles or a batwing distribution. The AX series also offers tunable white technology (2700K to 5000K) with a 2-step MacAdam ellipse. aculux.acuitybrands.com
579e LED Modules, Modular International Inc.
Developed to deliver high lumens, low wattages, and a high CRI at a reasonable price, each 579e module—available in 50mm-, 70mm-, and 90mm-diameter lumen packages—delivers more than 108 lm/W. They can work in 98% of Modular International’s standard product lines. The company prioritizes sustainable procurement and product development practices by sourcing domestically produced raw materials, excepting LED components and third-party drivers. Many fixtures using the 579e modules contain 60%-90% recycled content. The manufacturer’s reclamation program welcomes back 579e modules at their end of life for responsible recycling or reuse of metal components. modularinternational.com
Gotham EVO/Incito 4" and 6" Emergency Battery Backup Cylinders, Acuity Brands
To provide emergency backup power for cylindrical lights, Gotham's integral battery pack, which requires no power canopy, comes in a 6W emergency battery and provides up to 2,500 lm and 4,500 lm for 4" and 6" cylinders, respectively. For higher ceiling applications needing higher output during emergencies, the remote sidecar option offers 7W, 10W, and 15W batteries with 24" conduit length that can power the 4" cylinder up to 5,000 lm and the 6" to 8000 lm. The recessed gear housing hides the 10W emergency battery and can achieve the same output as the remote sidecar. All three backup options comply with NFPA 101: Life Safety Code and can deliver constant light output for 90 minutes in a power outage. gothamlighting.acuitybrands.com
X Series 2" Modular Downlights, DMF Lighting
Featuring a housing trapdoor and tool-less, field-changeable trims, modules, and optics, this serviceable 2" downlight provides design flexibility and post-installation access from below the ceiling plane. To ease installation, the downlights are shipped with a patent-pending collar to minimize the risk of overcutting drywall. The downlight or adjustable (360° rotation and 35° tilt) light modules, which house integrated drivers, deliver 750 to 1,500 lm—comparable to 3" and 4" downlights in 10' ceilings, according to DMF. The X series is offered with round and square apertures in several trim finishes and colors; it also includes a family of cylinders. Title 24 JA8 and RoHS compliant and Declare-listed. dmflighting.com
ID+ 2" Cylinder Family, Focal Point
With its miniaturized form factor, this cylinder is suited for ambient, wall wash, task, and accent lighting. Delivering 500 to 1700 lm, the fixture features a 50° cutoff for brightness control and visual comfort, along with a super short cone with Solite lens for uniform light output and 20° to 90° beam spreads. Available in a variety of CCTs, CRIs, and two warm dim ranges at 90 CRI that mimic the black body curves of halogen and incandescent lamps. Optional housing details include a glowing or non-glowing reveal, knife edge, and a warm or clear diffuse reflector; the fixture can have a cord, fixed stem, or 50° swivel stem. focalpointlights.com
Hyphen, Fluxwerx
This family of discrete recessed or surface-mounted luminaires delivers short and distinct linear light via an ultra-narrow optic channel in the ceiling plane. The 10" or 20" luminaires offer single or twin optics and create dashed paths no wider than a finger while outputting between 800 and 3700 lm at up to 125 lm/W. Available in three distributions—65° wide, 45° medium, and a 25° × 75° narrow ellipse—that are suited for highlighting elements in retail and hospitality environments, contiguous vertical surface coverage, and increased on-center spacing in corridors. The adjustable, surface-mounted version can deliver a 60° lateral range of motion, while the recessed version offers trim or trimless fixed options. fluxwerx.com
