The US Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Orion Energy Systems Inc. of Manitowoc, Wis., a patent for its modular energy-efficient lighting platform called Compact Modular, which the company says can help companies reduce their energy, installation and maintenance costs, along with their carbon footprint. The plug-and-play device does not require hard wiring and can be integrated with other energy-saving devices. The platform is guaranteed to reduce light-related energy costs by typically 50 percent while increasing light levels by 50 percent.