OnSpeX, a division of CSA Group and a global provider of consumer product performance evaluations, inspections and advisory services for manufacturers and retailers, is hosting the judging event for the 2009 Lighting for Tomorrow (LFT) competition, May 14-15, at its 25,000 square-foot state-of-the-art testing facility in Cleveland, Ohio.

Organized by the American Lighting Association (ALA), the U.S. Department of Energy (represented by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), Lighting for Tomorrow is a design and technology competition organized to increase the market availability of energy-efficient residential lighting fixtures and to increase the marketing, promotion, and sales of such fixtures through retailers and the primary distribution channels for the new construction and renovation markets.

"OnSpeX is honored to be chosen by the American Lighting Association and its partners as the host of judging for the Lighting for Tomorrow competition," says Sue Dempsey, Vice President and General Manager, OnSpeX. "We welcome the opportunity to help showcase the newest innovative lighting technologies that will help meet a growing consumer demand for high-efficiency residential lighting fixtures."

Lighting for Tomorrow will be utilizing the OnSpeX laboratory as a venue to evaluate and judge newly-designed energy-efficient residential lighting fixtures. Such fixtures use advanced energy-efficient fluorescent and LED light sources instead of conventional incandescent bulbs. The OnSpeX facilities were chosen because of the technical instrumentation requirements and the expertise of the OnSpeX staff.

This year, the competition is seeking new advanced compact fluorescent lamp CFL dimming systems and leading-edge residential fixtures powered by white-light LED light sources. All fixtures chosen for awards must meet the requirements of the ENERGY STAR Residential Light Fixture program.

Entries receiving Lighting for Tomorrow awards will have been chosen because they address the lighting needs of U.S. and Canadian consumers. "Price, design, quality of light and 'saleability' are important award criteria," according to Terry McGowan, Director of Engineering, American Lighting Association and a LFT organizer. "We know that energy efficiency, by itself, is not enough. Residential lighting fixtures must meet consumer expectations as to appearance, price and function if they are to sell." The LFT judging panel includes lighting designers, showroom owners, home builders and media people as well as energy and technology experts.

As host of the 2009 competition, OnSpeX will provide a judging venue through its laboratory facility. The Cleveland facility specializes in performance evaluations of mechanical, plumbing, electrical and gas products. The lab also performs product comparison tests and verifications of stated claims by manufacturers. OnSpeX provided assistance to the organizers with planning, coordinating, technical reviews, and technical support. Judging will take place May 14-15, 2009 and winners will be announced at the ALA Annual Conference in Palos Verdes, California, September 13-15, 2009. CSA International previously hosted the Lighting for Tomorrow competition at its Cleveland laboratories in 2005 and Atlanta, Georgia in 2007. LFT was first organized in 2003.

Approximately two-dozen electric utilities and energy-efficiency organizations in Canada and the U.S. have combined to pledge more than $150,000 to sponsor the 2009 LFT competition. Winners will be promoted throughout the ensuing year in full color publications, the Lighting for Tomorrow website, articles and press releases, and traveling trade-show exhibits that will appear at major lighting, builder, and energy-efficient products shows. The competition is open to both lamp and fixture manufacturers and, this year, lighting controls manufacturers will compete for the first time.

For more information on Lighting for Tomorrow, including winning examples from past LFT competitions, visit www.lightingfortomorrow.com