News Updates for the Week of October 15

1.     Existing Buildings are Poised for Upgrades - Department of Energy (DOE) regulations targeting electromagnetic T12 ballasts and 4- and 8-ft T12 lamps have eliminated a majority of these products from the market, forcing owners of these lighting systems to upgrade to more-efficient lighting systems. As more than 430 million linear 4-ft T12 lamps alone are still in use, according to DOE--with T12 lamps accounting for about 30 percent of 4-ft linear fluorescent lamp sales in 2011, according the National Electrical Manufacturers Association--this is a major untapped opportunity to save energy.  http://www.ies.org/lda/HotTopics/LED/9.cfm

2.     LEDs Power Greener Lighting - A recent report by the U.S. DOE finds that, of the three most common choices, LEDs are the most efficient and friendliest to the environment. The report, “LED Manufacturing and Performance,” compares LEDs, incandescents and CFLs. It examines every stage of their life cycles, including manufacturing, assembly, transport, operation and disposal. CFLs bested LEDs in only one of 15 measurements: their contribution to landfills. The aluminum contained in an LED’s large heat sink causes a greater environmental effect because of the energy and resources consumed in its manufacturing. The report projects that, in five years, the environmental effects of LEDs will be significantly lower than today’s LED products, based on expected near-term improvements in LED technology. http://www.ecmag.com/?fa=article&articleID=13886

3.     NEC 2014 Outlook - The 2014 National Electrical Code (NEC) development process is in full swing with the NEC technical committees acting on 3,745 proposed new articles and revisions. New and improving technologies and industry advances are driving changes into the electrical industry at an accelerated pace. Important factors—such as energy conservation, reduction of oil dependency and preservation of existing electrical infrastructures—are driving many changes. Future NECs will place significant emphasis on energy management and effective energy solutions. http://www.ecmag.com/?fa=article&articleID=13901

4.     NEMA Publishes Annual Standards and Products Guide - The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published the 2013 edition of its "Electrical Standards and Products Guide," a comprehensive listing of NEMA electrical standards as well as an extensive directory of manufacturers and their products. It is used by military, government, and private buyers who work in lighting, motors and industrial controls, transmission and distribution, transportation, medical imaging, architecture and construction, and other industries that specify and use electrical equipment.  No charge reprints at: http://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/NEMA/espg_nxtbook/

5.     LEDs Dominate and are Set to Take Over $1.8 Billion U.S. Flashlight Market - ElectroniCast Consultants, a market research firm covering LEDs and electronic devices, reports that the United States flashlight (torch) market reached $1.824 billion in 2011. The company says that LED flashlights dominate the product mix. Additionally, the LED flashlights are forecast to gradually displace the other light-source types of flashlights which include: Halogen, Argon/Krypton Incandescent, Xenon Incandescent, Fluorescent and High-Intensity Discharge (HID). In 2011, Rechargeable LED flashlights held the leadership position in relative market share. http://www.sslighting.net/news/?id=122151#top

 

6.     Acuity Brands Sheds Lumens on Energy Savings - The P Series LED Downlighting Modules have a bar-setting efficacy of 70 lumens per watt, which is more than 86% more efficient than incandescent luminaires. They are designed for general-purpose lighting in residential and light commercial applications.  They use advanced Center2Edge technology to dim seamlessly from full illumination, creating the look and feel of a single-point source. Center2Edge technology triggers the module’s LED board to act like an incandescent point source while dimming. 10/8 HCN

7.     RAB Lighting Rates LED Products for 100,000 Hours of Life - RAB Lighting announced that it now rates its LED-based lighting fixtures for 100,000 hrs of life, equating to 27 years based on a 10-hr usage day. The extended rating for the SSL products is based in part on the TM-21 standard for projecting LED component lifetime that was released by the IES last year. http://ledsmagazine.com/news/9/10/5

8.     ARCHITECTURAL SSL Product Awards Open to Submissions - The publishers of ARCHITECTURAL SSL magazine have announced the third annual Architectural SSL Product Innovation Awards. Manufacturers are invited to enter these awards by the deadline of November 9, 2012. http://www.architecturalssl.com/pia/