International lighting partnership reaches landmark milestone in record time
Lexington, MA - The international lighting partnership, DesignLights ConsortiumTM has marked its biggest milestone yet listing its 10,000th high efficiency solid state lighting (SSL) product on its Qualified Products List. The list features cutting edge SSL products that meet the DLC's strict energy efficiency, quality, and performance guidelines. Being listed on the Qualified Products List helps an SSL product be considered for incentives by utility efficiency programs in the US and Canada.
Launched in October 2009 and managed by Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), the DesignLights ConsortiumTM (DLC) Qualified Products List (QPL) (www.designlights.org) provides a central place for manufacturers to submit products for qualification and for utilities and energy efficiency program administrators to distinguish high performing products for use in their incentive programs. With the exponential growth of the Solid State Lighting industry each year, the DLC continues to see exponential growth in the number of products applying for placement on the QPL.
"Reaching the 10,000 mark makes it all the more mind boggling to think of the choices consumers have when designing lighting systems, considering that the QPL listed just 1,000 products a year ago," said Jon Linn, Commercial Programs Manager at NEEP. "A year ago the one thousand products listed on the DLC QPL came from twenty nine manufacturers. Today, the QPL shows 118 participating manufacturers. When we started the QPL two years ago we expected to see products from among a dozen or so of the most active fixture manufacturers. Now, we have ten times that many and we constantly see familiar names and new ones, large and small, coming up with novel solutions to design and configure high efficiency lighting."
The DLC QPL covers a wide range of SSL products for use in many of the most common commercial applications. Outdoor products cover about 68% of the verified products listed with indoor products covering about 32%. "This doesn't necessarily indicate market activity," advised Linn. "But it is a sign that there are a lot of choices available."
"The growth of the DLC QPL is truly remarkable," said Sue Coakley, Executive Director of NEEP. "The list's nineteen product categories fills the gap for SSL products not covered by ENERGY STAR and also sets the bar for products currently in the market that don't yet meet suitable efficiency guidelines. The DLC and its QPL are prime examples of NEEP's work pushing the envelope of energy efficiency in the Northeast." "The DLC has filled a gap in the market by setting performance criteria for products which are critical to energy efficiency programs and continued growth in the SSL market," said Marilyn Dare, Commercial Lighting Project Manager at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. "The number of new products on the list demonstrates how the DLC continues to lead the market and serve as an important resource in support of market transformation."
To find out more about the DLC Qualified Products List, review listing criteria, and apply online visit http://www.designlights.org/solidstate.about.php.
ABOUT NEEP
NEEP is a non-profit organization that transforms the way we use and think about energy. Through advocacy, collaboration and education we focus on three areas where we believe energy efficiency can have the greatest impact: buildings, high efficiency products & best practices. Our unique approach helps bring together all stakeholders to accelerate energy efficiency and highlight its impacts on the region, the economy, and the planet. For more information, visit www.neep.org.
ABOUT DESIGNLIGHTS CONSORTIUM
The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) is committed to bringing affordable, energy-conscious utility service and lighting design practices to the Northeast. Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc. (NEEP) is spearheading this campaign to educate the marketplace, encourage energy-saving design practices, promote efficient lighting products, and develop tools to assist lighting providers. The DLC manages the SSL Qualified Products List, which benefits everyone who is interested in advancing solid state lighting in the commercial sector. Manufacturers need only to submit product data once to be considered for 33 utility and state efficiency programs throughout the US and Canada. Utility efficiency program administrators save time not having to review individual product specifications and can be assured that DLC QPL fixtures are quality products that will deliver expected performance and energy savings. For more details and to view a list of our Sponsors, visit www.designlights.org.