Lucent Lighting's Obscura65 downlight takes Build Back Better Green Award

Lucent Lighting has won a Build Back Better Green Award in the 2026 lighting category for Obscura65, an adjustable downlight the awards organiser said is made from 89% recycled material and is 99% recyclable.

The award was one of 18 handed out in the 2026 lighting category, according to the organiser's winners page, which listed 13 projects, three products and one industry initiative. Obscura65 was one of the three products, alongside Holophane Europe's Pebble and DW Windsor's Sierra Solaflex.

The judges gave a record five Platinum awards and 12 Green awards this year, the organiser said.

The product

Build Back Better said Obscura65 had been developed as a modular, maintainable luminaire. Components and LED modules can be accessed and replaced, so a fitting can be repaired or upgraded instead of being discarded in full.

A range of installation kits allows the same luminaire platform to be used across different ceiling types, which the awards page said reduces the need for several product solutions on one scheme.

On performance, the downlight achieves a UGR of below 19, which the awards page said suits very low-glare applications. It is compatible with Lucent's LED35 and LED51 modules, giving specifiers a choice between the high-output LED51-Q HO, the high-efficiency LED51-Q HE and the low-glare LED35-Q.

Warm dim, tuneable white and SuperSpot options are also available, together with Lucent's new Comfort modules for glare control, according to the awards page.

How the Green rating is awarded

Build Back Better's FAQs describe the Green rating as an additional award, given at the judges' discretion to entries with strong environmental and sustainability credentials. It sits on top of the organiser's Gold tier, defined as a candidate showing true innovation and unique points of difference, and its Platinum tier, for an exceptional candidate with the potential to transform its sector. The awards pages do not state which tier Obscura65 was placed in.

Entries go before a panel of 25 senior specifiers, major contractors and end users. Samples are examined and tested, and where appropriate installed by engineers, at the Build Back Better Institute Assessment Centre in Yorkshire. The standard entry fee is £250.

The organiser describes itself as a non-aligned organisation independent of any commercial enterprise or government. It is a brand of Lighting Insider Limited, which Companies House records show was incorporated on 17 January 2020 and is registered as a publishing business.

Background

This is the second year running that Lucent has appeared on the Build Back Better lighting winners list. Its Mix product was among the 2025 winners, according to the organiser's 2025 winners page.

Lucent Lighting Limited was incorporated on 19 April 1993 and is registered in Enfield, London, with a registered nature of business of manufacture of electric lighting equipment, Companies House records show.

According to Build Back Better's FAQs, the 2026 awards ceremony takes place at Circular Lighting Live 2026 on Thursday 8 October 2026. The event, organised by Recolight, is held at The Minster Building, London EC3, and is in its fifth year.