IES - Illuminating Engineering Society

DOE Office of Hearings and Appeals Approves T8 Fluorescent Lamp Exception

On April 16, 2012, DOE’s Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) granted GE, OSI, and Philips their Applications for Exception for relief from certain provisions of 10 C.F.R. Part 430, “Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for General Service Fluorescent Lamps (GSFL) and Incandescent Reflector Lamps (Lighting Efficiency Standards)”. These provisions take effect July 14, 2012; however, because the 2009 Final Rule also included minimum efficacy for T8 lamps, the rule would have effectively phased out the 700 Series T8 lamps in favor of 800 series types manufactured by the firms mentioned above. Click here to read more.

From the “Subject That Will Not Go Away” Department

Due to the continuing (and seemingly never-ending) discourse on the subject of the incandescent lamp regulations, another lighting organization is weighing in with an article titled “Let’s Set the Record Straight”. The National Lighting Bureau, an independent, multi-disciplinary lighting information communications group based in Washington DC, has been following this issue along with the rest of us and has published their own take on the incandescent lamp situation. Click on the following link to read the article: http://www.nlb.org/index.cfm?cdid=10876&pid=10213

International Code Council (ICC) announces the International Green Construction Code (IgCC); Standard 189.1 included as a compliance option

The ICC has introduced the 2012 IgCC, a new model “green” code for constructing and remodeling buildings. The IgCC is aimed at improving the overall environmental viability of buildings and providing positive impacts on occupant health, safety, and community welfare. ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1 is a compliance option that may be exercised by either the jurisdiction or the code applicant.

For more details, click here to view ASHRAE’s press release.

New EPA Energy Star Specification for CFLs and Integral LED Lamps

Until now, there were two separate Energy Star specifications for CFLs and Integral LED screw-base retrofit lamps. For CFLs, it is (or was) Version 4.3; for LEDs, Version 1.4. The EPA now wants to combine the specs and have one spec that is technology neutral. Public comments were submitted last December on the combined spec, Version 1.0. These were incorporated (or not) into a new draft. This latest draft will be discussed on March 27 between the EPA and the various stakeholders. The outcome of this should be Version 1.1, due in the next several months. As usual, there are advantages, drawbacks, and pitfalls to this approach. Here is a link to the EPA website where you can download the latest draft along with the comments submitted by stakeholders.

DOE Report Characterizes Lighting Market

The long-awaited update of the DOE’s 2003 study is now available. It characterizes the U.S. lighting market in 2010 and includes lighting inventory and energy consumption estimates for the Residential, Commercial, Industrial, and Outdoor markets. Solid State Lighting and Lighting Controls are also discussed. Click on the link below to be taken to the DOE’s Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy website. The report is titled “2010 U.S. Lighting Market Characterization”.

Update on the Incandescent Lamp Regulations

Well, it is January 3, 2012 – the new incandescent lamp regulations have been in effect since the 1st. The regulations have withstood direct challenges by those wishing to repeal those sections of EISA 2007 pertaining to the new minimum efficacy standards. However, on December 15th, a new wrinkle was introduced. On that date, the Federal Energy and Water Appropriations Act was passed including a rider that affects the incandescent lamp regulations.

REINS Act

The Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011 (REINS Act) passed in the House on Dec. 7. This Act requires that any regulatory activity that has an economic impact greater than $100M must be approved by both the House and Senate before going into effect. The bill has been introduced in the Senate, but is not yet up for vote. While some feel this will force regulators to think twice before rulemakings and thereby reduce the regulatory burden, others claim it will cause lengthy delays waiting to get on the Congressional calendar and create a situation whereby all members of Congress will need to be educated on the details of the regulations, introducing further delays.

A confounding issue is created since original legislation (if it is enabling legislation) gives rulemaking authority to the applicable agencies of the Executive branch. This could affect how legislation is written if the authors want to avoid having the ensuing regulatory process amended.

Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-Based Contracting for Energy Savings training

On December 2, President Obama announced nearly $4 billion in combined federal and private sector energy upgrades to buildings over the next 2 years. This investment includes a $2 billion commitment, made through the issuance of a Presidential Memorandum, to energy upgrades of federal buildings using long term energy savings to pay for up-front costs, at no cost to taxpayers.

The Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) will provide technical assistance and project facilitation in support of Federal Agencies' achievement of this goal. FEMP provides technical expertise ranging from building efficiency improvements, renewable energy installations, water use reduction, and operation and maintenance optimization that are ready to assist Federal Agencies. Furthermore, FEMP maintains performance contracts with Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) to provide private investment and expertise for Federal Agencies to finance and install energy efficiency improvements to federal buildings with no up-front costs. FEMP will work with each agency to develop a plan to fulfill this goal in conjunction with the Agency's Strategic Sustainable Performance Plan (SSPP).

White House announcement about the Better Buildings Initiative

Below is a link to an announcement from the White House regarding the expansion of the Better Buildings Challenge and other Better Buildings Initiative programs, including a commitment of $2B to fund upgrades to federal buildings using performance contracts, as well as revisions to the 179D tax incentive.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/02/we-cant-wait-president-obama-announces-nearly-4-billion-investment-energ
Also, here’s a fact sheet about the Better Buildings Initiative.

Lighting Facts® Program

This is a DOE program, originally launched in 2008 and continually updated, designed to assist buyers of Solid State Lighting (SSL) products choose the right product for a particular application. It showcases SSL products for general illumination form manufacturers who commit to testing products and reporting performance results according to industry standards.

The program encompasses a Lighting Facts label, an assortment of tools allowing searches based on several criteria, and identification of products that have received special recognition such as Energy Star qualifications or winning a design competition such as Next Generation Luminaires™. Check it out at http://lightingfacts.com.

The LUMEN Coalition held a press conference on Oct 19, 2011 in Washington DC

News Flash! The LUMEN Coalition, co-sponsored by NEMA, ALA, and the Alliance to Save Energy, held a press conference on Oct 19, 2011 in Washington DC to announce the new website to help inform the market about the upcoming phase-out of the 100W incandescent general service lamp. The website also provided information on the various choices available to the market, including compliant halogen lamps, CFLs, and LED lamps.

LUMEN stands for Lighting Understanding for a More Efficient Nation; it is a group of approx. 40 entities (manufacturers, advocates, States, government agencies, and technical societies) that support the minimum efficacy standards set by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Check out the website: http://lumennow.org

Interested in the building owners’ perspective on “green” codes? Here is an article written by the regulatory affairs group at BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association).

Pet Peeve Dept.: the official title of “90.1” is ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 - 2010; that of “189.1” is ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1 -2009. Most people, for the sake of brevity, refer to them using just the “ASHRAE” part. When I hear this, I am quick to remind the perpetrator about the “IES” part they are excluding. Just saying…. For more details, click here.

Daylighting – Where have all the skylights gone?

Over the last year, I have been asked several times by organizations in Washington, “So, what is the IES’ position on daylighting?” My response was simply, “The IES supports daylighting – why wouldn’t it?”. They were seemingly expecting me to downplay it due to their impression that it reduces the need for electric lighting equipment. While we all know that is a misnomer, the good news is that daylighting is on people’s minds. For more details, click here.

Follow-up to the introduction of the BULB Act, HR. 2417 (noted in the previous entry)

HR. 2417 did not receive the required 2/3 majority vote to pass (2/3 was required since Rep. Barton (R-TX) did not introduce this bill via committee; it was introduced directly to the floor of the House). However, there was a Plan B: a day later, an amendment to the Energy and Water appropriations bill (HR.2354) was tacked on by Rep. Burgess (R-TX). This amendment basically cut off funding to enforce the incandescent lamp standards for general service and reflector lamps. So, the law (based on EISA 2007 minimum standards) is still in effect, but the DOE will not have funds for enforcement, if that is ever necessary. For more details, click here.

BULB (Better Use of Light Bulbs) Act – HR 91

NEWS FLASH! Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) sponsored a bill called the BULB (Better Use of Light Bulbs) Act – HR 91. This bill was meant to repeal the incandescent lamp efficacy standards in EISA 2007 destined to take effect January 1, 2012. There is a new version of the bill introduced in the House – HR 2417. Click on the link to see the wording as of July 6, which will be the bill voted on in the House on Monday, July 11. In sum, 2 provisions were added to the original bill -- one is that no standards can mandate mercury containing lamps (which, of course, the current law doesn't do) and that states are pre-empted from any different action.