[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 115 (Thursday, June 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31456-31459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14703]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Standards: Evaluation
Criteria for the Voluntary Program To Provide Energy Efficiency
Information for Luminaires
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of evaluation criteria and call for program description.
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SUMMARY: The Energy Policy Act of 1992 requires the Department of
Energy (DOE or Department) to support the development of a voluntary
national testing and information program by an appropriate organization
of interested parties for those types of luminaires that are widely
used, and show potential for significant energy savings. Not later than
October 24, 1995, DOE must determine whether the voluntary program,
thus created, is consistent with the objectives set forth in the
legislation. After consulting with stakeholders in two public meetings
to discuss the progress and evaluation of the program, the Department
has developed a set of criteria that will be used as the basis for
making the determination on the effectiveness of the luminaire testing
and information program. With the support of the Department, the
National Lighting Collaborative has developed such a program, and the
Department requests that it, or any other appropriate organization that
has participated in developing the program, submit a program
description before July 14, 1995, for evaluation by DOE, by means of
the criteria published in this notice. The submitted report should
describe the voluntary national testing and information program for
luminaires in detail, specifying how the program meets each of the
evaluation criteria listed in this notice. The report should also
provide a comprehensive status update on the different components of
the program.
DATES: Description and status report of the voluntary national testing
and information program for luminaires must be received by the
Department of Energy by July 14, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Five copies of the reports on the status of the voluntary
national testing and information program for luminaires should be
submitted to: Ms. Sandy Cooper, Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-431, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. Telephone: (202) 586-
7574. [[Page 31457]]
Copies of reports submitted will be available in the DOE Freedom of
Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal
Building, Room E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC,
(202) 586-6020, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Twigg, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building, Mail Station EE-431, 1000
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-8714
Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General
Counsel, Forrestal Building, Mail Station GC-72, 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority
Part B of Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act,
Public Law 94-163, created the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer
Products other than Automobiles. The most recent amendment, the Energy
Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT), Public Law 102-486, identified several new
categories of products and equipment for inclusion in various required
and voluntary testing and information programs to promote energy
efficiency. Voluntary programs were specified for commercial office
equipment, windows, and luminaires. A luminaire is a complete lighting
unit consisting of a fluorescent lamp(s), together with parts designed
to distribute the light, to position and protect such lamps, and to
connect such lamps to the power supply through the ballast.
Section 126 of EPACT directed the Secretary of Energy, after
consulting with industry associations and other interested
organizations, to provide technical and financial assistance to support
a voluntary national testing and information program for those types of
luminaires that are widely used, and for which there is a potential for
significant energy savings as a result of such programs. Under section
126, such program would provide information that, when conveyed to
consumers, will enable purchasers of the equipment to make more
informed decisions about the energy efficiency and costs of competing
products.
The voluntary program would determine the luminaires to be covered;
include specifications for testing procedures; and include information
which may be disseminated through catalogs, trade publications, labels,
or other mechanisms, that will allow consumers to assess the energy
consumption and potential cost savings of competing products. Such
program would be developed by an appropriate organization (composed of
interested persons), according to commonly accepted procedures for the
development of national testing procedures and labeling programs.
Not later than three years after the date of enactment of EPACT
(October 24, 1995), the Secretary shall make a determination as to
whether the voluntary program is positioned to achieve the objectives
established for the testing and rating of luminaires. If the Secretary
determines that the voluntary program is not consistent with the
objectives of the legislation, the Secretary shall, after consultation
with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, develop test
procedures for luminaires. One year later, the Federal Trade Commission
would prescribe labeling rules.
2. Background
Since the passage of EPACT, the Department of Energy has monitored
the efforts of the luminaire industry to develop a testing and
information program through the National Lighting Collaborative (NLC or
Collaborative), a working group composed of the National Electrical
Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the American Lighting Association,
lighting manufacturers, environmental organizations, designers,
national laboratories, and other lighting professionals. The Department
has provided technical and financial assistance to the Collaborative to
help launch and publicize the program. On May 24, 1994, DOE held a
public meeting, at which interested persons were invited to offer
suggestions concerning methods of evaluation, and to obtain updates on
the progress of the Collaborative's voluntary program. A transcript of
the meeting was made available to the public, and comments were
invited.
Comments submitted at the meeting focused on several areas.
Regarding the specifications for testing procedures, it was proposed by
the National Lighting Collaborative that NEMA Standard LE5, the
``Procedure for Determining Luminaire Efficacy Ratings for Fluorescent
Luminaires,'' be accepted as the standard testing and rating method for
the program. This Luminaire Efficacy Rating known as ``LER'' is
expressed in lumens per watt (the ratio of light output from the
luminaire in lumens, to the energy input to the luminaire in watts),
and is proposed to be reported in the voluntary consumer information
program. The Collaborative reported that the selection of the Luminaire
Efficacy Rating test procedure has received consensus support within
the luminaire industry, having been balloted according to the formal
standards-making balloting procedures per the by-laws of NEMA, as
accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Based
on that consensus, the Department of Energy will accept the efficacy
rating known as the ``LER'' as the fundamental comparative measure of
the voluntary luminaire program.
NEMA Standard LE5 also contains a suggested format for other
information related to the luminaire and its photometric data,
including luminaire efficiency (the percentage of light output from the
luminaire compared with the light output from the lamp(s) without the
luminaire). As noted by the New York State Energy Office, NEMA Standard
LE5 will also permit the alternative of separate reporting of the
luminaire lumen output by its components (luminaire efficiency, total
lamp lumens, and ballast factor). Manufacturers will continue to report
luminaire efficiency as part of their photometric reports.
In addition to including an indicator for the luminaire category
and the LER in lumens per watt, the International Association of
Lighting Designers proposed that the LE5 reporting format be modified
to include a measure for the quality of light. The Collaborative
agreed, but since the quality of light metric needs to be developed,
the LE5 will at first include an acknowledgement in the foreword that a
numerical value for lighting quality will accompany the LER after the
development of the measure is completed and balloted. The reporting
format also provides information on the estimated annual lighting
energy cost per 1,000 lumens of light output, assuming 3,000 luminaire
operating hours per year, and 8 cents per kilowatt-hour electricity
cost (the 1993 average commercial sector electricity rate).
It was recommended by the Collaborative that luminaires be tested
according to prescribed test procedures in laboratories that are
accredited through the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation
Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The Collaborative identified the following luminaires as widely
used, with a potential for significant energy [[Page 31458]] savings
for inclusion in the program: (1) Recessed Lensed 2'x4' (4 lamps); (2)
Recessed Lensed 2'x4' (3 lamps); (3) Recessed 2'x4' (2 lamps); (4)
Recessed Parabolic Louvered 2'x4' (4 lamps); (5) Recessed Parabolic
Louvered 2'x4' (3 lamps); (6) Recessed Parabolic Louvered 2'x4' (2
lamps); (7) Wraparound (2 and 4 lamps); (8) Strip (1 lamp); (9) Strip
(2 lamps); and (10) Industrial (2 lamps). The Department supports the
Collaborative's suggestion that the covered luminaires should
collectively represent approximately 80 percent of the fluorescent
luminaire market to satisfy EPACT's requirement to cover luminaires
that are ``widely used.'' If the data submitted to the Department in
the program description support previous claims that these categories
represent 80 percent of the fluorescent luminaire market, and show
potential for significant energy savings, their selection appears to
provide a reasonable base for the initial phase of the program.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (Council)
addressed issues concerning the long-term operation of the voluntary
program, and the ability to confirm market targets and percentages.
With respect to the information to be provided to consumers, it said
that information in catalogs and other marketing materials should
explain that the use of lower-efficacy lamps as replacements in
luminaires would lower the energy efficiency. Regarding the selection
of luminaires to be included in the program, the Council urged that a
mechanism be established to add new luminaire types that gain market
share in the future. The Council also brought up data collection and
tracking energy efficiency trends as possible areas of information
needed. Finally, it urged that the voluntary program meet specified
percentage targets of manufacturer participation over time: 25 percent
of luminaires covered by the program after the first year, 50 percent
the second year, and 75 percent the third year. The Department agrees
that participation levels should be included in the report on the
voluntary luminaire program. These issues are addressed in the
evaluation criteria, infra.
Other public meeting comments centered on how to verify that 80
percent of the fluorescent luminaire market is covered by the 10
categories selected for the program, and how to evaluate whether the
new energy efficiency information is reaching its target audiences. To
address these issues, the Collaborative submitted a revised program
description on July 28, 1994. It proposed that NEMA would collect data
on luminaire market shares from manufacturers to verify that the
categories selected for the program represent 80 percent of the market.
Regarding future data collection on sales of LER-rated luminaires, it
was suggested that manufacturers provide sales data to the Bureau of
Census. NEMA would also inform DOE of the number of companies whose
catalogs show the new energy information. The International Association
of Lighting Designers, a member of the Collaborative, would be
responsible for tracking press coverage, and would develop a survey on
awareness of the program to be used by manufacturers' representatives,
distributors, and specifiers. The Department views these data
collection methods as appropriate for tracking the development of the
program.
On January 5, 1995, DOE held another public meeting to discuss the
Department's proposed evaluation criteria with persons interested in
the development of the voluntary program. Members of the National
Lighting Collaborative asked that the means by which manufacturer
participation would be measured be clarified in the evaluation
criteria. That section has been changed to reflect the suggestions of
the Collaborative that manufacturer participation be measured as a
percentage of the sales of LE5-tested fixtures (measured in dollars) to
the total sales of listed products covered by the program.
3. Evaluation Criteria and Procedures
The Department of Energy will evaluate voluntary consumer
information programs for luminaires against the following criteria. In
order to make its determination, the Department is requesting that any
program description be submitted to the Department no later than July
14, 1995. The submitted description should include information
explaining how the voluntary national testing and information program
for luminaires addresses each of the elements described below.
a. Program Organization: Since the Energy Policy Act specifies that
the voluntary program should be developed by an ``appropriate
organization (composed of interested parties),'' the Department will
assess the composition and procedures of the group developing the
program to determine if it reflects a consensus position within a broad
spectrum of the lighting community.
b. Coverage: In order to determine which luminaires are widely used
and show a potential for significant energy savings, the Department
will require data supporting the selection of the specific luminaire
categories to be included in the initial phase of the voluntary
program, and for verifying the stated market coverage with documented
data sources. Those luminaires selected shall comprise approximately 80
percent of the fluorescent luminaire market. In anticipation of new
products gaining market share and replacing some of those included in
the initial phase of the program, a plan should be shown for including
new products in the future.
c. Testing and Rating: In order to evaluate the program's testing
procedures, the Department will compare the proposed test procedures to
existing test procedures, such as those published by the Illuminating
Engineering Society (IES), and the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI), to verify the accuracy and validity of the
procedures. The proposed testing and rating program should provide
consumers with a consistent standard of measurement for comparing the
energy efficiency of the luminaires covered by the program.
d. Information Program: In order to assess the effectiveness of the
energy efficiency information provided to consumers, the Department
will evaluate the implementation plan to determine how different
audiences, such as managerial, technical, and procurement, have been
targeted. Provisions in the program for the use of catalogs, labels, or
other materials shall be explained. Concerns over the possible
substitution of lower-efficacy replacement lamps and other components
shall be addressed. Examples of new energy efficiency information
materials shall be submitted.
e. Manufacturer Participation: In order to assess whether the
voluntary program proposed is a broad-based, national program, the
Department will require some indication of manufacturer participation.
Recognizing that a national program takes both time and resources to
achieve its objective, it is reasonable to establish targets of
manufacturer participation, which would gradually increase as the
program expands over time. Expectations are that approximately 25
percent of the industry wide shipments (measured in dollars) of the
listed products (total) will have energy efficiency information
published in the supporting sales literature by one year from the date
of publication of this notice. The percentage would become
approximately 50 percent in 2 years, and approximately 75 percent in 3
years. A plan for documenting the [[Page 31459]] participation levels
shall be submitted by July 14, 1995.
f. Publicity: If the voluntary program is to be effective, a
companion effort must be made to inform a wide range of lighting
decision-makers of the new energy efficiency rating for luminaires. The
Department will assess what strategies have been developed and launched
to promote the program. A plan for evaluating professional awareness of
the program shall be submitted.
g. Market Data: To establish a baseline and provide a means to
track luminaire efficacy over time, a system for data collection and
reporting, such as reporting to the Bureau of Census, should be
established. A plan for this data collection and reporting shall be
submitted, along with recommendations for ways DOE might evaluate
energy savings and energy efficiency trends in the industry.
h. Continuation of the Program: A plan should be established that
will enable the luminaire testing and information program to be self-
perpetuating, and to include new products as they become significant in
the marketplace. A second evaluation by DOE in 1 to 2 years may be
necessary to monitor the progress of the program.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 12, 1995.
Christine A. Ervin,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 95-14703 Filed 6-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P