The EdisonReport team diligently attends major lighting tradeshows worldwide, searching for outstanding products to recognize annually. This recognition celebrates the “best of the best” in lighting for the year. Traditionally, LightFair and LEDucation have served as the primary launchpad for new products in North America. However, as the industry evolves, many innovations now debut through press releases, YouTube videos, or LinkedIn announcements. LightTrades™ showcases our curated selection of the Top 10 products of the year, highlighting the best in innovation, regardless of their launch method.
I discovered the following products through various sources: 4 appeared at Light + Building, 2 at LEDucation, 2 at NYControlled, 1 in our magazine designing lighting, and another in a personal home in Croatia.
Casambi, Salvador
This product came to my attention a few days before Light + Building in Frankfurt, where it was showcased during a presentation by CEO Mark McClear and his team.
Salvador, Casambi’s innovative series of DALI controllers, marks the company’s strategic entry into the wired lighting control market. Moreover, Salvador introduces unmatched flexibility by enabling wireless, wired, and hybrid lighting control solutions. This aligns with Casambi’s mission to deliver seamless and intuitive lighting experiences. The Salvador series supports key protocols such as DALI, Bluetooth® Low Energy, and EnOcean. As a result, it ensures full interoperability across various lighting installations. With Salvador, wired and wireless devices integrate seamlessly within Casambi systems. This integration offers users endless possibilities for feature-rich and customizable control. The first two form factors—Salvador 1064 and Salvador 2064—simplify commissioning, installation, and everyday use. Both emphasize user-friendliness and system reliability for optimal performance.
By bridging wired and wireless networks, Salvador extends the lifespan of lighting installations, enhances sustainability, and lowers costs, positioning Casambi as a versatile and future-ready solution provider in the lighting controls industry.
Current, Aira
The Aira is a product that was first launched at LEDucation earlier this year, however, I first saw at NYControlled after I interviewed Tom Cunningham, VP of Controls and Life Safety at Current.
The Aira Open Center Linear Pendant combines refined aesthetics with advanced technology and exceptional photometric performance. Its unique design allows visibility through the center of the luminaire, providing an elegant scale without adding visual weight overhead. Featuring a semi-direct (25/75) distribution with extra-wide direct and low-peak indirect lighting, Aira optimizes fixture spacing and maximizes lighting power density. The integral driver, battery, and control options simplify installation, making it a practical choice for contractors. Additionally, its complementary luminous open center connectors (L, T, X) enable the creation of custom lighting patterns, adding versatility to its functionality.
With customizable housing and crossbar inserts, Aira adapts seamlessly to the aesthetic palette of any space, delivering both performance and sophistication.
ERCO Lighting, Axis Showcase Lighting
At the ERCO booth at Light + Building in March, I spent considerable time with Mark Sieber, President of ERCO Lighting. He introduced me to this remarkable luminaire.
The ERCO Axis sets a new benchmark for display case lighting, combining exceptional lighting quality with precision and versatility. Moreover, it is designed to showcase valuable and sensitive exhibits with unmatched accuracy. Axis ensures colors are reproduced perfectly and details highlighted without distortion, creating striking visual accents. With a CRI of up to 97 and a precise color location of 1.5 SDCM, it guarantees a flawless appearance. Even after 50,000 operating hours, the LEDs maintain 90% of their brightness (L90/B10). Additionally, its three interchangeable light distributions—spot (17°), flood (30°), and wide flood (45°)—can be adjusted on-site without tools. This flexibility allows for delivering both strong accents and broad, uniform illumination.
Axis is developed with sensitive exhibits in mind, meeting strict conservation standards by eliminating UV light and maintaining an extremely low damage factor (0.140 – 0.187mW/lm). The luminaire’s infinite dimmability down to 1% allows for precise control of illuminance, achieving up to 450lx at a distance of 1.6 feet, which can be reduced further with neutral density filters.
Gotham IVO™ Family
Gotham launched the IVO™ family at LEDucation earlier this year.
The IVO™ family of downlights sets a new standard for lighting performance, visual comfort, and versatility. Featuring Bounding Ray™ Technology, these downlights control glare and enhance architectural features. This reduces visual fatigue for occupants while delivering exceptional comfort. The industry-leading Perfect Color™ Technology provides precise, clean light with a 0.5-step MacAdam ellipse. This far exceeds the typical 3-step standard found in most downlights. Patent-pending optics deliver crisp, consistent beams with field-interchangeable options. Beam angles range from 10 to 60 degrees in 5-degree increments, alongside smooth batwing distributions for uniform illumination. With trim options like Cone and Bevel, in flanged, flangeless, and millwork styles, the IVO™ family ensures outstanding design flexibility.
Designed for performance and adaptability, IVO™ downlights deliver lumen outputs from 500 to 6,000 lumens with efficacy reaching 101 LPW and L90 at 60,000 hours. The shallow design accommodates up to 3,000 lumens within a 2-inch plenum depth, while the upcoming deep-regressed design will offer up to 4,500 lumens with a 4.5-inch height. A tool-free twist-and-lock mechanism allows for easy field adjustment of trims and optics, enhancing installation flexibility. Compatible with multiple dimming protocols, including nLight® Air, DMX, DALI, and 0-10V, the IVO™ family meets a wide range of control requirements. Built for durability, it supports indoor, damp, and wet location configurations, providing a complete solution for any architectural lighting need.
iGuzzini Trick eᵐ
This light was first introduced to me at the stunning home of its lighting designer, Dean Skira, in Croatia.
The iGuzzini Trick eᵐ is an innovative lighting system that emphasizes emotion and architectural expression over pure utility. Additionally, it features a DMX control system for precise adjustments to intensity, color, and light direction. This makes it ideal for dynamic environments like museums, galleries, and retail spaces. Trick eᵐ delivers unique effects, including clean, precise lines and 360° lighting. As a result, designers can highlight architectural details, create striking patterns, or build captivating atmospheres. Furthermore, its versatility allows seamless integration into both indoor and outdoor spaces. Supported by its weather-resistant IP66 rating, Trick eᵐ ensures reliable performance in various settings.
This lighting solution offers a blend of form and function, giving designers the ability to sculpt light and transform surfaces into artistic displays. Trick eᵐ stands out with its ability to create bold visual statements or subtle nuances, adapting to projects of all scales. Whether for cultural settings, hospitality, or landscape designs, Trick eᵐ pushes the boundaries of traditional lighting, offering precision, creativity, and an enhanced user experience that elevates both emotional and architectural impact. Read the original article here.
Landscape Forms, Northport Area Light
To my knowledge, I have not seen this product in person. However, I first came across it in our sister magazine, designing lighting (dl). I found it visually stunning and was immediately inspired to learn more about it.
The Northport Area Light provides a modern reinterpretation of the classic acorn streetlamp, a staple of American design heritage. Instead of a traditional glass globe, the iconic “acorn” shape is subtly conveyed through the negative space at the top of the luminaire. Moreover, the design adds a contemporary touch while honoring its historical inspiration. Inside, an optional LED element evokes the charm of gas lamps or early filament bulbs, fostering a sense of nostalgia and enhancing the connection to place. The Northport was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP.
Lighting Services Inc, LX Select
The LXSelect™ first caught my attention in the below YouTube video by Ken Kane, Executive Vice President, Lighting Services Inc, and I later had the chance to see the product in person at NYControlled.
LXSelect™ fixtures feature magnetic mount technology, allowing users to quickly replace the module to update the LED rating (Lumens/CRI/Wattage) and color temperature in seconds. Furthermore, it sets itself apart by offering a wide range of initial lumen packages from 270 to 1500. Additionally, the fixtures provide flexible beam control and a full range of internal accessories for precise manipulation of light distribution.
LXSelect system can be controlled with 0-10V, DMX or Lutron EcoSystem protocols. The LSI CONTROLTrack™ option allows for unparalleled flexibility for controlling an entire track run or individual fixtures from a simple wall device, all the way through the most sophisticated control systems.
Tweener Lighting System
The Tweener Lighting System caught my eye as we featured it in the Top 10 MUST SEE Products of LEDucation. As a former tennis player (people always said, “Funny, you don’t look like a tennis player”) and a current pickle ball player, I can appreciate good court lighting. The Tweener makes the old fashioned 1000-watt Metal Halide system look ridiculous.
The Fence Mounted Tweener Lighting System is designed for seamless integration at a height of 9-10 feet on existing fences, minimizing visual pollution and light spillage beyond the court area. As a result, it is ideal for locations with strict lighting regulations. Additionally, installation and maintenance are straightforward and cost-efficient, requiring no permits or heavy equipment and allowing for completion within one to two days.
Adhering to USTA and ASBA standards, the system provides uniform coverage with 300 Lux for a single court and 250 Lux for dual courts, resulting in up to 30% savings for individual courts and more than 50% for two-court configurations.
Targetti USA, Catirpel
“The Catirpel morphs into the form of a caterpillar in a tree, our fixtures weave into the surroundings, casting an enchanting spell of versatility.” Hervé Descottes, L’Observatoire International
At Light + Building, I spotted Hervé Descottes at the Targetti booth and stopped to say hello. That’s when I discovered his latest design, The Catirpel. I was immediately captivated by its ingenuity. On display, it elegantly wrapped around the branches of a tree, blending complexity with an appearance of simplicity. I was delighted to learn that The Catirpel is a finalist at Light Middle East, which is just a month away and was a 2024 LIT Lighting Design Award Winner.
CATIRPEL is a flexible modular outdoor system designed for landscape and architectural applications that require great installation flexibility and accurate light control. Designed to enhance nature, CATIRPEL is ideal for irregular curved or undulating surfaces.
You can easily integrate it into any environment, and it provides individual control of each luminaire module. The ball joint system lets you freely aim each module and secure it in place with a locking screw. It comes in 2400K-4000K, IP66, with a 90Ra.
Zumtobel, CIELUMA installation
Zumtobel made headlines at Light + Building by unveiling the world’s largest continuous ceiling light, a record-breaking achievement confirmed by a Guinness World Records official. Before the show began, I received a private briefing, as the information was embargoed until the judge’s arrival. Ultimately, the official confirmation marked a significant milestone for Zumtobel.
The CIELUMA installation spans 45 meters in length and 4.5 meters in width, covering over 200 square meters. The ceiling light’s fabric weighs 100 kilograms. Zumtobel confidently creates similar installations up to 100 meters long as a single unit.
This installation is not only an engineering feat but also an acoustic solution that enhances the atmosphere of the space, featuring dynamic color changes throughout the presentation. Dubbed as a new generation of ‘functional lighting systems,’ the textile stretches 45 meters by 4.5 meters and was introduced as a one-piece fabric.
Go Deeper:
View our 2023 LightTrades Here
View our 2024 LEDUCATION Top 10 MUST SEE Products Here