What is the GE Edison Award Program?
The GE Edison Award is an annual program sponsored by GE to recognize excellence and quality in professional lighting designs that employ significant and creative use of GE light sources (lamps and/or LEDs) in a lighting design project. Learn more about the GE Edison Award Program.

Is this something new from GE?
No. In fact, presentation of the 2007 GE Edison Award in May 2008 will mark the 25th anniversary of the GE Edison Award. See previous winners.

Who is eligible to enter?
The GE Edison Award competition is open to professional designers, architects, engineers, and consultants (except GE employees) who have made significant use of GE light sources in the submitted project.

When must the project be installed?
Only installations completed between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007 may be submitted for the 2007 GE Edison Award competition.

Must all the light sources in the project be only GE light sources?
No. Each entry is judged on the degree of achievement through the primary use of GE light sources, but the lighting installation need not be achieved exclusively through the use of GE light sources.

What criteria are used to judge submitted projects?
Entries are judged using a point scale based on the following criteria: functional excellence (15 points); architectural compatibility (15 points); effective use of state-of-the-art lighting products and techniques (15 points); appropriate color, form and texture revelation (15 points); energy effectiveness (15 points) and cost effectiveness (15 points). Additional features can earn up to 10 points.

How is it determined which projects are selected for the various awards?
Awards of Excellence are given to those projects that are judged to have best met the design criteria outlined in the GE Edison Award Entry Rules. The ultimate winner of the GE Edison Award is that project, chosen from the Awards of Excellence, that is judged to have exceeded the performance of the others, based on the design criteria outlined in the GE Edison Award Entry Rules. Awards of Merit are given to those projects that are judged to be superior lighting designs that meet the design criteria outlined in the GE Edison Award Entry Rules, but not at the same level of achievement as the Awards of Excellence. Criteria for awards for sustainable design and residential design are described below.

What about energy- and environmentally-friendly designs?
Energy-effectiveness is one of the key criteria used to judge entries. Special recognition, an Award for Sustainable Design, is given to those projects that minimize the use of resources and show exceptional regard for other environmental concerns, while providing high quality lighting. Additional requirements for consideration in this category are described fully in the Entry Rules. Learn more about the Award for Sustainable Design.

What are the criteria for the Award for Residential Design?
Residential lighting projects submitted as entrants to the GE Edison Award competition are also entered into a special category established for residential lighting design projects only. The top residential lighting design - which will be selected by the judges based on existing entry criteria - will be recognized to receive an Award for Residential Design.

Why did you add an Award for Residential Design?
The Award for Residential Design was instituted to encourage the submittal of residential lighting projects into the GE Edison Award competition. More

How does a lighting professional submit an entry?
Please see 2007 Entry Rules & Eligibility and Terms & Conditions for details.

Why are you requiring digital images instead of 35 mm slides, which were required in the past?
Several factors influenced our decision, including (i) the quality and technology of direct digital photography have improved dramatically, (ii) use of digital photography is quite prevalent, and (iii) other award programs have converted to requiring digital project images. See Submitting Images for tips on submitting digital images.

Can entries be submitted via the Internet?
No. Entries must be submitted by mail.

When is the entry deadline for the 2007 competition?
Entries for the 25th annual GE Edison Award Program must be received no later than 10 January 2008. Refer to Call for Entries for more details.

What is the mailing address for entries?
Entries should be submitted to:

Who judges the competition?
Each year a different panel of lighting professionals, including one representative from GE, evaluates all qualifying entries. These entries remain anonymous throughout the judging process and are evaluated equally, regardless of type or size of project.

How is the GE Edison Award Winner determined?
Projects scoring the highest number of points qualify for Awards of Merit or Awards of Excellence. The GE Edison Award winner is selected from among the recipients of Awards of Excellence.

What do the winners receive?
Winners of Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit, Awards for Sustainable Design and the Award for Residential Design are recognized with personalized plaques. The GE Edison Award Winner receives a personalized Steuben crystal trophy and continued publicity throughout the following year.

What does the owner of the winning installation receive?
A distinctive plaque will be presented to the owner of the winning installation.

How are winners notified?
Winners of the Awards of Merit, Awards of Excellence, Awards for Sustainable Design and the Award for Residential Design are notified by telephone, e-mail and/or mail on or before 17 March 2008. The identity of the annual GE Edison Award Winner remains confidential until it is announced at the Awards ceremony.

Where and when is the Awards ceremony?
The Awards ceremony is traditionally held the evening before the opening of LightFair International. Designers who submit valid entries to the yearly competition receive personal invitations to the event. The 2007 Awards program will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on 27 May 2008.

Where can more information be obtained?
Complete details are available at www.geedisonaward.com.

What if I can't find the answer I need?
E-mail your specific GE Edison Award entry questions to ge.edisonaward@ge.com, and include the word "QUESTION" in the subject line.