WEST WARWICK, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Business Intelligence Group today named Fred Maxik, founder and chief technology officer of Lighting Science® Sustainability Hero of the Year in their 2016 Sustainability Awards program. Lighting Science's shatter-resistant LED lamp, the Durabulb', was also awarded Sustainability Product of the Year for Manufacturing. The Sustainability Awards honor those people, teams and organizations who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission.

"It's both humbling and gratifying to see Lighting Science recognized for our longstanding commitment to sustainability," said Maxik. "Since our inception, we have endeavored to produce high quality lighting that needs fewer materials to produce, requires less packaging, and is energy-efficient and easier to recycle."

"Our judges made it clear that Fred Maxik should be recognized for his sustainability efforts," said Russ Fordyce, managing director, Business Intelligence Group. "His innovation and leadership should serve as a model for organizations around the globe. Congratulations to the entire team."

Fred Maxik's work has long been motivated by sustainability, reimagining how light may be fabricated and delivered in a truly sustainable world. His work for NASA, creating products to help champion human health and agriculture productivity, first in space and now on earth, led to the White House Champion of Change Award. Since then, Maxik has published papers based on the patents he created around the use of light as a potential disinfectant, with huge potential in health care, as well as the developing world. The company's newest line of products, LS Earth, which includes the L-Bar' LED Linear as well as the Durabulb, take a totally fresh look at material usage in relation to industrial design and energy consumption in relation to the amount of lumens produced over time. The goal being to reduce waste, to reduce packaging and create a cradle-to-cradle approach to light. This is the vision that propels Lighting Science forward.

Widely recognized as one of the world's foremost experts in solid state lighting, Maxik has more than 25 years of experience in innovating environmentally-friendly technologies. Founded by Maxik in 2001, the company has grown into a global leader in the LED space, manufacturing intelligent products for consumer and commercial applications. Thanks to Maxik's research and long-term partnership with NASA, today the company is a leading voice in biological lighting, focusing on the health impact of light on humans and agriculture. The company holds more than 400 patents around this topic, more than 200 of which are Maxik's personal patents.

"Earth's resources are finite, but current lighting design and manufacturing is material and infrastructure heavy," said Maxik. "By re-imagining how LEDs are designed, manufactured, packaged, used and hopefully recycled, we can produce energy-efficient lighting solutions that truly push the limits of sustainability."

The Durabulb' Awarded Sustainability Product of the Year for Manufacturing

Launched earlier this year, the shatter-resistant Durabulb' uses about 30% less materials and 80% less energy than comparable incandescent products on the market, making it the most environmentally friendly lighting choice on the market. Thanks to its resilient, polycarbonate exoskeleton, this innovative LED also resists breakage due to impact, vibration or external stresses. It's perfect for a variety of commercial and residential applications, including factories, job sites, commercial real estate, homes, garages and basements. The product's rugged design also allows Lighting Science to make it available in recyclable plastic tubs of 10-20 bulbs, in addition to more traditional two-pack options. As a result, shipping the Durabulb produces about 40 percent less CO2 emissions than standard LED lighting.

As part of the company's ongoing commitment to extended producer responsibility, Lighting Science also offers a take-back program for the Durabulb. After its three-year warranty, consumers will be able to exchange the Durabulb for a 50 percent off replacement coupon.

In recognition of the Durabulb's unique combination of energy efficiency and resilient design, Popular Science magazine named the Durabulb one of its Top 10 Home Products of the Year for 2016.

About Lighting Science

Lighting Science (OTCQB:LSCG) is a global leader in innovative LED lighting solutions that designs, manufactures and brings to market advanced, intelligent products for consumer and commercial applications. We are committed to using the science of light to improve the lives and health of people and our planet by inventing breakthrough, biologically-friendly LED lamps and lighting fixtures. Lighting Science is headquartered in West Warwick, RI, with research and development facilities in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and offices in Shenzhen, China. Find out more about us and our products at www.lsgc.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the Lighting Science Blog.

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executives'those with experience and knowledge'judge the programs. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.