Lighting
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 substantial energy savings that this new lighting technology could deliver a remarkable 25 percent of U.S. light energy use.
To address the problem, in 2009, D&R developed the Lighting Facts Program for DOE to boost consumer confidence that LED products perform as advertised. Partners pledge to use the program’s Lighting Facts label and then document the performance of products they manufacture, sell, distribute, or promote based on industry-standard testing. Similar to a nutrition label, the 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.
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 to evaluate and select products for their projects and for promotion to clients and consumers. Find a list of products and partners at www.LightingFacts.com. Check out the anatomy of the Lighting Facts label from the sample below:
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.