ALA Engineering and Technology Report Released
1. 2017 Lighting for Tomorrow
Promotion of the 2017 winning products is underway. Product displays and published materials are on the LFT web site and will be part of LightFair, the ALA Conference in Asheville and others. An ALA webinar describing the products, including behind-the-scenes comments from the judges, was presented January 9 as the ALA’s first member webinar of the year. Overall, more than 120 products were received and judged. 23 were given awards.
Product Categories LED luminaires
LED retrofit kits
LED replacement bulbs
OLED luminaires
Lighting controls
Ceiling fans and light kits (new)
Connected lighting products
Filament-style LED bulbs
All winning products are ENERGY STAR qualified.
There will be no LFT competition in 2018 due to changes in the lighting rebate programs of the sponsoring utilities. However, a planning conference will be held just prior to the June Dallas Market in the ALA Conference Center with utility and industry stakeholders invited to determine the future of LFT.
2. 2018 ALA Engineering Committee Meeting
The 2-day committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, July 31 and August 1 at the Intertek Laboratories in Chicago (Arlington Hts.).
3. Status of Technical Requirements for Residential Lighting Energy Savings Standards, Codes and Legislative Programs
- EPA ENERGY STAR: Program staff is attending LIGHTOVATION to measure manufacturer/retailer interest and expects to develop simplified lamp and fixture requirements with lower testing costs. ENERGY STAR reported at their Partners’ Meeting that, for residential lighting, the job was only “half done”.
An ENERGY STAR Report, “The Light Bulb Revolution” summarizes the
- California Energy Commission: Title 20 – new performance and listing requirements became effective on 1/1/18. All products must be listed on the CEC’s MAEDBS Database before they can be sold. Bulb products must be specially marked.
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DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes: These homes use 25-50% less energy than conventional homes and have ROIs of 20%+. Some 14,000 are now recognized countrywide. The DOE has added “smart lights” (connected lighting) to the roster of approved products. All ceiling fans and 80% of fixtures/bulbs must be ENERGY STAR listed.
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NRCan: Working jointly with ENERGY STAR, NRCan is accepting nominations for awards for ENERGY STAR participating manufacturers and retailers for 2018. Deadline for nominations is 3/2/18. Information is at:
http://alturl.com/z3jj6 NRCan continues its efforts to align its lighting requirements with the U.S. DOE requirements.
- 2020 NEC: Code proposals and initial public comments have been received. New: Proposed standards for wiring of horticultural lighting.
- UL/CSA Standards: Tri-national luminaire standard U.S., Canada & Mexico (UL1598/CSA250.0/NMX-J-307/1) which has been in development for several years is now complete and expected to be published in the 1st. quarter of 2018.
4. Connected Lighting/Connected Homes:
5. ANSI/NEMA C-137 Lighting Systems Committee:
Completed Work:
- C137.0 Definitions. Published 12/17.
- C137.32 PoE Cabling Standards. Published.
Current Work:
- LED driver standards
- Driver/sensor communications standard
- Cybersecurity
- 0-10V control interoperability
6. ALA/IES Collaboration Work – Residential Lighting Standard
The new joint ANSI standard on residential lighting, RP-11 has been approved by the respective boards. Editing is complete and copy is ready to send to the printer. It will be available in both printed and electronic forms in a few weeks. Initial availability will be via the IES Bookstore with special pricing for ALA members. Plans to introduce it to ALA members via webinar and presentations during the June Market are underway.
7. New Building Standards & Residential Lighting
After 20 years during which building standards focused on energy and environmental concerns, there are new standards being written and implemented that focus on the comfort, health and well-being of people. This development strongly supports the ALA quality lighting story and represents an opportunity for improved lighting, consumer satisfaction and industry growth.
Examples of Building Standards oriented toward Energy Efficiency/Environment
- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED). Developed and administered by the Green Building Council, LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world (50,000 projects in U.S. and Canada combined). Installations in 182 countries. LEED is voluntary. Building owners and developers apply for LEED certification.
- International Energy Conservation Code (ICC). International Code Council and DOE Energy Codes Program (BECP). This code is typically adopted by states and localities and becomes mandatory.
- California Title 24. A mandatory energy efficiency building code for California buildings and most remodeling projects.
WELL: A Building Standard oriented toward human health and well-being
International WELL Building Institute. (October, 2014)
- Developed by Delos (a NYC company sometimes called “wellness real estate”)
- Now 120 million square feet in 31 countries registered/certified.
- WELL includes lighting design: “A standard that incentivized good lighting for humans and … a better visual environment for people.”
- Voluntary requirements, certification process, 3 levels (silver, gold, platinum)
- Cost to certify (sliding scale based upon square footage.) Initial certification and support fees approx. $0.54/sq.ft.
- New, existing, multi-family and single home residential buildings
- WELL includes requirements for:
o Air
o Water
o Nourishment
o Light
o Fitness
o Comfort
o Mind
- WELL lighting requirements specify:
o Solar glare control
o Low-glare work area design
o Color quality
o Surface design (reflectance, texture, color)
o Automatic shading and dimming controls
o Right to light
o Daylight
o Light-at-night considerations
o Circadian emulation (fixtures, sources, controls)
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