IESBC Announces Its 2016 Vision Award Winners

IESB Awards AES

 

 

 

July 12 2016

The Illuminating Engineering Society of British Columbia (IESBC) has announced the winners of its 2016 Vision Awards. Awarded projects include UBC’s Student Union Building (AES Engineering Ltd.), Simon Fraser University’s Trottier Observatory and Science Courtyard (Integral Group Consulting (BC) LLP), and L’Occitane en Provence’s Vancouver flagship store (Render Light & Planning).

IESBC celebrates outstanding BC lighting engineers and designers for their local and international projects, and aids in the application of international award opportunities and IES’s Illumination Award. The IESBC Vision Awards are stage one leading up to IES’s National Illumination Awards. Submissions for the Illumination Awards open January 1, 2017.

More on this year’s Vision Award winners, all located in Vancouver, appear below.

Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award for Interior Lighting Design

• Project: UBC Student Union Building

• Lighting design firm: AES Engineering Ltd.

The new Student Union Building, a five-storey, 23,000 square meter facility, forms the central piece for a new public square at the entry of UBC (shown above). The concept was to highlight each feature and allow the illuminance and luminance from those features light the space. This also allowed the architect’s concept of clean ceilings, in the atrium to be actualized. Photo credit: PWL Partnership Landscape Architects Inc.

In 1902 Edwin F. Guth founded the St. Louis Brass Company, later renaming it the Edwin F. Guth Company. Mr. Guth’s profound creativity, entrepreneurialism and focus to improve interior lighting are partially represented through 147 patents awarded to him prior to his passing in 1962. This award recognizes exceptional interior lighting projects that balance the functional illumination of space with the artistic application of light to enhance the occupant’s experience.

Award: The Outdoor Lighting Design Award, sponsored by Eaton

• Project: SFU’s Trottier Observatory and Science Courtyard

• Lighting design firm: Integral Group Consulting (BC) LLP

The observatory and courtyard, resulting from a $2.7 M contribution by the Trottier family and SFU, are designed for use by astronomy students, the general public and the Starry Nights@SFU program. The observatory features a six-meter-diameter dome housing a 0.7-metre diameter reflector telescope that is capable of tracking distant galaxies billions of years old. The viewing plaza offers a sundial, space for people to set up their own telescopes next to the dome, and an outdoor gallery featuring illuminated seasonal star charts.

The Outdoor Lighting Design Award recognizes excellence in lighting design and application in all aspects of exterior lighting. The program celebrates achievements in aesthetics, applied technical acumen, creative solutions to demanding site conditions and advancements to the industry in outdoor lighting applications. The goal of the program is to further the understanding, knowledge and function of outdoor lighting as a critical aspect of the built environment. 

IESB Awards SFU

Photo credit: Ema Peter

Award: BC Hydro Lighting Redesign Award

• Project: L’Occitane en Provence Vancouver Flagship

• Lighting design firm: Render Light & Planning 

Located on the southwest corner of Robson and Burrard Street, one of Vancouver’s most prominent retail locations, the 1700-square foot, LED-illuminated retail outlet evokes the creative and intimate environment inspired by Paul Cezanne’s atelier. 

BC Hydro Power Smart presents the Lighting Redesign Award to recognize local talents that bring innovation and energy efficiency in lighting design. The Lighting Redesign Award recognizes quality lighting redesign, or major retrofit installations in existing commercial and industrial buildings, that incorporate advanced energy-saving strategies and environmentally responsible solutions into the overall design, without sacrificing visual interest.  

 IESB Awards Occitane

Photo credit: Johnny Milkovich, Double Vision Photography

Submissions were judged locally based on how well the lighting design met the program criteria. This year’s IESBC judges included Shail Mahanti, Douglas Welch, Matt Davis and Carol Kelley.

IESBC aims to bring together the best of B.C.’s lighting professionals, including lighting designers, engineers, architects, interior designers, manufacturers, representatives and distributors. The organization offers monthly seminars to educate trade and residential designers as well as any one interested in learning more about the lighting industry.  

 

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • Jan 29, 2026 - SATCO Announces Debby Hite as New Brand Loyalty Marketing Manager

    SATCO Announces Debby Hite as New Brand Loyalty Marketing Manager

    SATCO is pleased to announce the appointment of Debby Hite as their new Brand Loyalty Marketing Manager. Debby is an industry veteran with more than a decade of experience helping manufacturers and distributors strengthen channel relationships through strategic engagement and program development. Hite brings extensive experience connecting business strategy with execution, creating initiatives that support… Read More…

  • Jan 29, 2026 - Leviton - Certolux Visioneering (Viscor) Announces Zain Ul Abdin as a New Quotation Specialist

    Leviton – Certolux Visioneering (Viscor) Announces Zain Ul Abdin as a New Quotation Specialist

    Leviton – Certolux Visioneering (Viscor) is excited to announce Zain Ul Abdin as a new Quotation Specialist team member! With over a decade of experience in customer service, quotations, and production coordination in Lighting and Electrical industry, Zain brings a wealth of operational expertise, a dynamic skill set and a customer-centric approach to his role.… Read More…


Design

  • Solar-Integrated Lighting: The Next Big Shift for Outdoor & Public Spaces

    Solar-Integrated Lighting: The Next Big Shift for Outdoor & Public Spaces

    For years, solar lighting was treated as a niche – useful, but not quite ready for large-scale outdoor applications. That perception has officially changed. Today, advancements in LED efficiency, battery performance, and smart control technologies are pushing solar-integrated lighting into mainstream adoption. And for manufacturers, system integrators, and solution providers, this shift is opening one… Read More…

  • Stanpro: Why & How to Adjust Lighting with Seasonal Changes

    Stanpro: Why & How to Adjust Lighting with Seasonal Changes

    Natural light varies from one season to the next, whether referring to brightness, slant or radiant periods. For instance, does your staff add more luminaires or extra light sources to work well in their environment during shorter days of the year? At home, do you close your curtains against the onset of intense radiance at… Read More…


New Products

  • Magic Lite: New 4 Zone RGB+CCT Remote

    Magic Lite: New 4 Zone RGB+CCT Remote

    Magic Lite’s new 4-Zone RGB+CCT Remote is a professional-grade lighting control solution that enables precise management of multi-zone RGB+CCT LED systems. Built with 2.4GHz RF wireless technology, it offers seamless control with a range of up to 30 meters. Designed for both commercial and residential applications, it supports brightness, colour temperature, saturation, and speed adjustments,… Read More…

  • RENO Lighting Introduces STRATOS — Tri-Illumination Translucent Vertical Pendant

    RENO Lighting Introduces STRATOS — Tri-Illumination Translucent Vertical Pendant

    STRATOS redefines vertical lighting with a clean, architectural presence and a uniquely balanced approach to illumination. Designed to deliver glare-free task lighting, its translucent dot-matrix light-guide plate distributes light evenly, creating a soft, ambient glow. The result is illumination that feels natural and comfortable—echoing the brightness and atmosphere of daylight—while adding modern elegance to any… Read More…