Today, August 31st is the deadline for submitting your intent to submit forms for the Next Generation Luminaries 2012 Outdoor Competition. The Next Generation Luminaries Solid State Lighting Design Competition seeks to encourage technical innovation as well as recognize and promote excellence in the design of energy-efficient LED luminaries for commercial, industrial, and institutional applications. The competition has eight categories available for submissions.

• Street and Roadway Lighting
• Parking and Area Lighting
• Pedestrian / Walkway lighting
• Building Entry, Safety, and Egress Lighting
• Facade / Structure Accent Lighting
• Landscape and Grounds Lighting
• Decorative Exterior Lighting
• Other (including Solar)

NGL encourages manufacturers like Seesmart to “develop innovative luminaries that are energy-efficient and provide high lighting quality, consistency, glare control, lumen maintenance, and luminary appearance needed to meet specification lighting requirements.”

The contest is not looking for Holiday lights, light sculpture, lighted fabrics, lighted signs, color changing lights, and other light products not designed for general lighting purposes. Though it would be great to see some of the amazing things that artists could do when teaming up with manufacturers.

As part of a manufacturers entry into this competition they are required to register their products with the U.S. Department of Energy program. The LED Lighting Facts showcases LED products for general illumination for companies like Seesmart who commit to testing products and reporting performance results to industry standards.

While there are no fees associated with competition entry, all entries must be completed lights ready for specification. Judges will not be evaluating replacement lamp products, or modules that require combination with other products before they can be specified. For a full list of requirements and judging criteria check out the NGL’s website.