Optronic Laboratories : Light Measurement Experts

October 29, 2009…The U.S. Department of Energy announced 37 ambitious research projects that will receive some $151 million in funding. The DOE says that the projects could fundamentally change the way we use and produce energy. One of the selected projects includes the development of low cost crystals for LED lighting. This project to develop novel crystal growth technology will be by Momentive Performance Materials. The company says the development could dramatically lower the cost of producing light emitting diodes (LEDs). According to Momentive Performance Materials, this higher quality, low-cost material would offer significant breakthroughs in lowering costs of finished LED lighting.

Courtesy LighTimes

October 15, 2009…The Solid State Lighting Design Summit, slated for Nov 3-4 for the New York/New Jersey region, and then Dec 1-2 for the Los Angeles area, announced today key additions to its 2009 NY/NJ agenda lineup, Avriham Mor, a partner at Lightswitch Architectural and Margaret Newman, Chief of Staff of the New York City Department of Transportation. Mor has recently completed a series of new and retrofit LED lighting projects, including Chicago’s new Wit hotel, and the 55 E. Munroe building. Newman is overseeing current evaluation programs in New York City aimed at eventual deployment of LED-based solutions for street and pedestrian lighting across the city of 10 million people. According to the conference organizers, the additions are all designed to align with the “quality-only” theme of the 2009 event, in which not just speakers, but any companies or products that will receive audience exposure are thoroughly vetted to assure that the quality commitment is apparent and that performance matches claims.Jeffrey I. L. Miller, principal of Pivotal Lighting Design, and president of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) added, “I was co-chair of the inaugural Summit in 2008, and liked what I saw coming together. I have re-joined the team as co-chair for the new Los Angeles event simply because I don’t see anywhere else where this kind of information and education has been available this broadly to lighting decision makers. Whether one comes from the design, architecture or facilities side of things, solid state lighting represents a new world, and no one at the decision maker level can afford to be caught behind this curve.”

“The 2008 SSL Design Summit set the precedent as the first-of-its-kind networking conference dedicated exclusively to bring together lighting and sustainability decision makers with LED lighting manufacturers and technology providers,” commented Tom Griffiths, conference organizer and publisher of Solid State Lighting Design Online. “For 2009, we’ve recognized the value to lighting decision makers to have someone provide not just the education in ‘how to’, but actual vetting, so that products they see or hear about are among the top tier and could reasonably be assumed to deliver success in their projects.” (NY/NJ event details at the embedded links, or visit www.SSLsummit.com for series information).

Courtesy

LIGHTimes/SSL Design Staff

October 20, 2009…The U.S. Department of Energy has published its summary report from from the 2009 DOE Solid-State Lighting (SSL) Manufacturing Workshops, held April 21–22 in Fairfax, Virginia, and June 24–25 in Vancouver, Washington. The DOE reports that more than 350 total participants including: chip makers, fixture and component manufacturers, and others, joined the department at its workshops to discuss issues related to materials, equipment, and other factors that influence SSL product quality and cost. The Fairfax workshop attendees identified key obstacles and made recommendations to achieve lower-cost, higher-quality SSL products. The DOE used this input to develop a “strawman” roadmap for review at the Vancouver workshop. The DOE contends that the final version of the roadmap reviewed and revised during the Vancouver workshop, represents industry consensus on the expected evolution of SSL manufacturing. The DOE says that the workshops are part of its first steps in the launch of a new DOE SSL research and development (R&D) manufacturing initiative to enhance product consistency and quality and to accelerate cost reductions through manufacturing improvements.

Courtesy SSLighting Design News Staff

October 6, 2009…The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have jointly issued a statement outlining each agency’s responsibilities and roles in the Energy Star products program. The EPA and DOE agreed to coordinate efforts to expand and enhance both the National Building Rating Program and the Energy Star program. According to the statement, the Energy Star products program will be improved with expanded coverage, more frequent updates, enhanced efforts on product testing, and a new effort to recognize super efficient products.The agreement stipulates that the EPA will be the brand manager for the Energy Star and Super Star for products program including marketing, outreach, monitoring and verification, and setting the performance level(s). Performance levels will be set using established, and consistent principles for the Energy Star brand. The statement indicated that generally, products in the top 25% will qualify as Energy Star and the top 5% will qualify as Super Star.

The statement notes that the DOE will increase its efforts in monitoring and verifying test procedure compliance and the development of Federal test procedures and metrics in support of the EPA. The EPA will maintain the master database of Energy Star and Super Star products and test results. The EPA will also develop the lists of new products to be added to the Energy Star and Super Star program for consideration by the Governing Council.

Courtesy SSLDesign News Staff

October 8, 2009…In a webcast conference call today, representatives from the US Department of Energy explained the latest revisions to the draft Energy Star criteria as it applies to outdoor area and roadway solid state lighting. The third draft version of the criteria is set to be released. The second draft version of the Energy Star criteria for outdoor SSL applications was released July 1, with stakeholder comments accepted through July 31.After reviewing the public comments and questions, the DOE made several revisions, including reducing the required efficacy of the luminaire from being at least 20 percent above the efficacy of the 75 percentile of high intensity discharge lights in the same applications. The new requirement mandates the SSL source to merely perform as well as the 75th percentile of HID incumbents. Additionally the DOE decided to add pole-mounted (decorative) luminaires, wall mounted luminaires, and ceiling mounted luminaire subcategories to category A.

Courtesy SSLDesign News Staff

October 8, 2009…In a webcast conference call today, representatives from the US Department of Energy explained the latest revisions to the draft Energy Star criteria as it applies to outdoor area and roadway solid state lighting. The third draft version of the criteria is set to be released. The second draft version of the Energy Star criteria for outdoor SSL applications was released July 1, with stakeholder comments accepted through July 31.

After reviewing the public comments and questions, the DOE made several revisions, including reducing the required efficacy of the luminaire from being at least 20 percent above the efficacy of the 75 percentile of high intensity discharge lights in the same applications. The new requirement mandates the SSL source to merely perform as well as the 75th percentile of HID incumbents. Additionally the DOE decided to add pole-mounted (decorative) luminaires, wall mounted luminaires, and ceiling mounted luminaire subcategories to category.

Courtesy: SSLDesign News Staff

October 6, 2009…The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have jointly issued a statement outlining each agency’s responsibilities and roles in the Energy Star products program. The EPA and DOE agreed to coordinate efforts to expand and enhance both the National Building Rating Program and the Energy Star program. According to the statement, the Energy Star products program will be improved with expanded coverage, more frequent updates, enhanced efforts on product testing, and a new effort to recognize super efficient products.The agreement stipulates that the EPA will be the brand manager for the Energy Star and Super Star for products program including marketing, outreach, monitoring and verification, and setting the performance level(s). Performance levels will be set using established, and consistent principles for the Energy Star brand. The statement indicated that generally, products in the top 25% will qualify as Energy Star and the top 5% will qualify as Super Star.

The statement notes that the DOE will increase its efforts in monitoring and verifying test procedure compliance and the development of Federal test procedures and metrics in support of the EPA. The EPA will maintain the master database of Energy Star and Super Star products and test results. The EPA will also develop the lists of new products to be added to the Energy Star and Super Star program for consideration by the Governing Council.

Courtesy: SSLDesign News Staff