The closing date of Eskom’s 2014 Energy Efficient Lighting Design Competition (EELDC) is running near, with the closing date set for Friday, 15 August. An independent panel of judges with expertise in the field of lighting design and energy efficiency has been announced by Eskom to judge the entries. These judges include Sindile Ngonyama (South African Institute of Architects), Annemarie Meintjes (Visi Magazine), Chris Gryffenberg (Gauteng Department of Education), Pierre van Helden (LED Lighting South Africa), Andrew Wex (Eurolux), Enock Zikalala (Beka) and David Krynauw (previous professional EELDC winner).

Visually impaired Solomon (Solly) van Belling, representing a group-community project from Emmaüs in George, a centre for adults with mental and physical disabilities, was awarded the Most Promising Designer special award with prize money of R10 000 in 2012.

Van Belling has only have 5% of his sight, but his vision and talent to create a winning lamp got him through to the finals. He was the first person with limited sight to take part in the Eskom Energy Efficient Lighting Design Competition. He has about 5% vision in one eye and no vision in the other. He also has impaired hearing.

Made from old tea bags, wire, masking tape, material and gold paint, Van Belling’s tree light is a sight to behold and an asset for any home. The leaves of the tree are made from the tea bags Solly used previously. These were then dried and with the assistance of this friends were carefully cut out and attached to the wire branches.

The theme of the 2014 competition is: ‘Celebrate 20 years of democracy’, and the total prize money of R200 000 is divided between three categories, namely full-time students, professionals and secondary school learners between 14 and 20 years. In addition to designing and building a working prototype, entrants have to prepare a budget, submit a sketch and photographs for each entry, and also have to comply with strict safety and quality standards.

The criteria that will be used by the judges to evaluate the entries are:

- Innovation and uniqueness of design;
- Cost-effectiveness;
- Use of an energy efficient light source;
- Marketing potential;
- Environmental friendliness of the design;
- The extent to which the design is aesthetically pleasing;
- Practical implementation, for example the ease with which the design can be manufactured by local SMMEs;
- Compliance with the applicable SABS standard;
- Promotion of the concept of energy efficiency;
- The extent to which the design will create jobs; and
- Budget

The competition is supported by the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMiSA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of South Africa (IESSA), the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi), Voltex, Eskom eta Awards and 49M campaign, the SABS, Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), Gauteng Department of Education, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal Science Centres, Eurolux and the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers.

The competition is organised under the auspices of a steering committee consisting of Latetia Venter (Eskom), Barry Bredenkamp and Lauren Steyn (Sanedi), Elsie Coetzee (NMiSA), Enock Zikalala (Beka) and Robert Henderson (Eskom).

For more information, visit www.lighting-design.co.za, phone 021 949 7419/083 293 2848 or email [email protected].