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DOE considering changes to LED Lighting Facts program

Aug. 3, 2012
The U.S. Department of Energy's solid-state lighting group has been working on the further development of its LED Lighting Facts program, which created a standardized graphic that specifies certain performance characteristics of LED lighting products as ...

The U.S. Department of Energy's solid-state lighting group has been working on the further development of its LED Lighting Facts program, which created a standardized graphic that specifies certain performance characteristics of LED lighting products as a way to help consumers and designers understand how a particular product compares with more traditional lighting products.

In an e-mail message sent today, the group said it is making some changes to the data available on the LED Lighting Facts label and has considered additional steps to require retesting of the products, but has decided to delay some of those new rules to find a way to avoid piling yet another costly testing requirement on solid-state lighting (SSL) manufacturers.

During the SSL Market Introduction Workshop in Pittsburgh last month, we talked about other changes that the LED Lighting Facts program is planning. These changes would include a requirement for retesting any products that change after one year, and for the program to occasionally sample and test products for quality assurance (QA), with manufacturers bearing the costs for such testing. However, in response to concerns expressed by the industry about the increasing burden of product testing being required by a number of SSL programs, DOE is reevaluating the details and timing of these changes and is considering alternative paths that would reduce the need for additional testing while protecting the reliability of product data in LED Lighting Facts.

The DOE also said the LED Lighting Facts program will be combined with its CALiPER program for testing SSL performance. The two programs will maintain their separate identities and functions, but their databases will be combined with a single portal for accessing data on individual products.

A series of webinars are planned to explain the changes and proposed changes in more detail: "A webinar for LED Lighting Facts manufacturer partners will be held August 3 and August 9 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT, and a webinar for LED Lighting Facts retailer, lighting professional, and energy efficiency sponsor partners will be held from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT on August 1 and August 8. To register for a webinar, RSVP to [email protected] with the date and time in the subject line."