Targeting lighting designers, the session will examine regulatory programs and awards programs, and provide a first-hand look at what designers should demand in SSL products.
Mor will cover the National Testing Laboratories (NTL), Energy Star, Lighting Facts Label, Lighting for Tomorrow (LFT), and Next Generation Luminaires (NGL) regulatory and award programs. Mor asks, "Why do we need all of these labels?" He notes good characteristics such as improvements in color, energy use, binning, and size. But he also notes that the programs have generated market confusion and fake labels among other issues.
Consider the Energy Star program. Mor laments that "The program doesn't address quality." He also asks, "Who knows what it will be after this year?" The latter question refers to the recent announcement that the DOE will pass operational control of the Energy Star program to the EPA, and the two US governmental agencies have had separate, differing SSL specifications.
Mor also points out that some manufacturers misuse labels. Some for instance use the Energy Star Partners label and try to imply Energy Star compliance. Mor states, "The Energy Star Partners label just means that you paid your money to join the organization."
Still Mor will cover many positive points of the Energy Star program. For instance, the SSL criteria includes eight nominal CCT (correlated color temperature) levels, four-step color spatial uniformity, and seven-step color maintenance.
Perhaps the strongest message will come in Mor's description of the requirements that Lightswitch Architectural places on SSL manufacturers. Mor states, "We demand to see two sample products with the exact same CCT." They also demand a written binning policy for the luminaire – not a binning policy of the LED supplier. Attend the seminar and you will learn more about issues such as end-of-life and warranty requirements.
Mor is a lighting designer and partner at Lightswitch Architectural. He blogs regularly on SSL issues.
Strategies in Light 2010 is the longest-running and largest high-brightness LED and lighting conference. The conference is slated for February 10-12 in Santa Clara, CA.
