The CLD certification is an evidence-based assessment of your proficiency in lighting design over seven domains of practice. Candidates are required to submit two types of evidence:
Every completed application is evaluated by trained reviewers. The evaluation process takes approximately four to six weeks.
Practitioners should be the ones to define the architectural lighting profession. However, in the absence of an officially codified definition, a real risk existed that those outside the profession and others in the legislative or public spheres would seek to define it instead.
As a result, the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) initiated conversations with stakeholders from around the world within the lighting profession and industry to determine whether it would benefit the profession to create a certification that identified and assessed the unique abilities of architectural lighting designers. These conversations also involved stakeholders from related professions such as architecture and interior design.
Based on these discussions, the IALD assembled an international credentialing task force in 2010 to continue the conversation and determine the feasibility of a global certification. The Professional Lighting Designers' Association (PLDA) played an important role by providing representation on the task force. After extensive international research involving surveys, webinars, in-person interviews, and meetings, the task force decided that a pressing need existed for a globally recognized professional certification and set about developing one.
The CLD certification program is governed by the CLD Commission. This rotating governing body meets regularly to provide guidance and set the direction for the certification.
Chair, Rosemarie Allaire, CLD, FIALD Vice Chair, Barbara Horton, CLD, FIALD Bernie Tan-Hayes, CLD, IALD Maria del Pilar Toro-Ortiz, CLD, IALD Yah Li Toh, CLD, IALD