The Energy Star Solid-State Lighting program is now effective. On September 23, New York-based Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) formally adopted LM-80-2008, "Approved Method for Measuring Lumen Depreciation of LED Light Sources." With the approval of LM-80, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has in place all of the industry-recognized test procedures needed for qualifying products as Energy Star rated.
The next step for DOE is to help manufacturers get Energy Star qualified products to market, according to Richard H. Karney, P.E., DOE Energy Star Products Manager. To help manufacturers navigate the qualification process, DOE has created the "Manufacturer's Guide for Qualifying Solid-State Lighting Luminaires." This document outlines the performance benchmarks that Energy Star-qualified products must meet, identifies testing facilities approved to conduct Energy Star testing, and establishes the protocols manufacturers must follow to submit this information for approval. This document is designed to complement the Energy Star SSL Criteria version 1.0. In the future, the manufacturer's guide will be updated to reflect the expansion and evolution of the Energy Star SSL program.