News Updates for the Week of March 10

1.      DOE Publishes CALiPER Snapshot Report on LED MR16 Lamps – This report utilizes the LED Lighting Facts^® program's extensive product database to help industry stakeholders understand the current state and trajectory of the market for that class of products. The key findings are available for download at: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/snapshot2014_mr16.pdf

2.      DOE Publishes Special CALiPER Report on Retail Lamps - A special report on LED lamps available through the retail marketplace and targeted toward general consumers. The report follows similar reports published in 2011 and 2012. LED replacement lamps are available through many retail outlets, and CALiPER testing offers insights on performance trends from year to year.  For the new report, a total of 46 A19, PAR30, and MR16 lamps were purchased from retail stores in 2013. Instead of a random sample, the products were chosen to answer specific hypotheses about performance. The key findings are available for download at:

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/caliper_retail-lamps-study3.pdf

3.      Toshiba International Corporation Announces Lighting Business Reorganization - Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corporation (TLT), headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan, is responsible for Toshiba’s global lighting businesses and is implementing a reorganization of international operations. As a result, the LED Lighting Systems Division within TIC will discontinue most operations by March 31, 2014. The headquarters’ responsibility for Toshiba Lighting in the Americas will be transferred to Greenstar Lighting Products Inc. located in San Antonio, Texas. Greenstar is a wholly owned subsidiary of TLT. In the Americas, these changes include:

• Transfer of U.S. street lighting operations to Greenstar; 
• De-emphasis of lamps and light bulb products 
• Increased focus on professional grade street and outdoor lighting systems

https://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2010_12/pr2402.htm

4.      Transforming the Lighting Landscape - The L Prize competition will substantially accelerate America's shift from inefficient, dated lighting products to innovative, high-performance products. Just as Thomas Edison transformed illumination over a century ago, the L Prize will drive innovation and set "reach" performance goals for the industry. Sponsored by the U.S. Doe, the L Prize is the first government-sponsored technology competition designed to spur lighting manufacturers to develop high-quality, high-efficiency solid-state lighting products that set leading-edge performance benchmarks for industry. http://www.lightingprize.org/

5.      NEMA Commends House Passage of Energy Efficiency Improvement Act - The U.S. House of Representatives has strong support of energy efficiency and the role it plays in addressing our domestic energy needs by passing HR 2126, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act, by a vote of 375-36.  Key provisions of HR 2126 at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/fact-sheet/energy-efficiency-improvement-act-2014

6.      Top 10 LEED States of 2013 - The USGBC released its ranking of the Top 10 States for LEED, the world’s most widely used and recognized green building rating system. The list highlights the regions around the country that are at the forefront of sustainable building design and transformation. The States in 2013 include: Illinois; Maryland; Virginia; Massachusetts; New York;  California; Oregon; North Carolina; Hawaii; Minnesota; Washington DC (not ranked as it is a federal district). http://www.edcmag.com/articles/95477-top-10-leed-states-in-us

7.      Shopping for Light Bulbs - -Beginning in 2012, everyday light bulbs have to meet new Department of Energy standards for how much energy they use. Bulbs that don't will be phased out over the next couple of years. Along with this move to more efficient bulbs comes a new way to shop for them. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0164-shopping-light-bulbs

8.      New Research Finds Solar Jobs Growing Quickly Across Surprising Mix of States - The solar industry experienced record-breaking job growth across the U.S. last year, according to The Solar Foundation (TSF), an independent 501(c)(3) research and education nonprofit. TSF released new state-specific numbers that show major solar job gains in both traditional and burgeoning markets. California and Arizona continued to lead the way. http://thesolarfoundation.org/solarstates http://ecmweb.com/contractor/new-research-finds-solar-jobs-growing-quickly-across-surprising-mix-states