Lighting
LED Lighting Facts®
Today’s marketplace features an increasing number of LED products, from desk lamps to outdoor lighting. Independent testing conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE) in 2008 revealed that some of these products do not deliver on their performance claims. Concerns included low light output, lifetimes that are shorter than reported, and poor or inconsistent color quality. Such shortcomings could discourage consumers and businesses from accepting LED lighting. (Similar problems in the quality of CFLs slowed early market acceptance.) These shortcomings could hamper the remarkable energy savings potential — up to 25 percent of U.S. light energy use — that this new lighting technology could deliver.
To address the problem, in 2009, D&R developed the LED Lighting Facts Program to introduce transparency to the solid-state (SSL) supply chain and assure buyers that product performance claims were not exaggerated. Partners pledge to use the program’s LED Lighting Facts label and document the performance of products they manufacture, sell, distribute, or promote based on industry-standard testing. The LED Lighting Facts label provides a quick summary of product performance data. D&R reviews submitted products and supporting documentation and approves products to use the label.
In just three years, LED Lighting Facts has positioned itself as a foundation for the SSL industry on which all of the market players rely. The program showcases LED luminaire manufacturers who commit to testing products and reporting performance results according to industry standards. It also gives lighting buyers, designers, and energy efficiency programs the essential information they need to evaluate and select products for their projects and for promotion to clients and consumers. The website also includes a tool just for utilities and efficiency program sponsors that allows them to list incentive programs publicly and identify eligible products from the program database. To review all the available resources and a list of products and partners, go to www.LightingFacts.com.
Below are two examples of the LED Lighting Facts label. One showcases the five required label metrics, and the other features the two new optional metrics: LED lumen maintenance and warranty.
Standard Label
Standard Label with Optional Metrics
CFL Third Party Testing
The ENERGY STAR CFL Third Party Testing and Verification Program began in December 2008 to accompany the release of version 4.0 of ENERGY STAR’s criteria for compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). The program verifies that ENERGY STAR labeled CFLs on store shelves meet ENERGY STAR’s performance requirements. D&R established the program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and continues to administer it for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
DesignLights Consortium
In November 2010, D&R began working with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) to help DesignLights Consortium, a collaboration of utility companies and regional energy efficiency organizations, raise awareness of the benefits of efficient lighting in commercial buildings. This work includes processing manufacturer applications for inclusion in DLC’s Qualified Products List for solid-state lighting fixtures, assisting manufacturers in the application process, advising DLC about adding and removing product categories, upgrading and maintaining the solid-state lighting portion of the DLC website, and marketing DLC and its benefits to utilities and the SSL industry.