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Version 5.0 of the Technical Requirements is designed to balance the trade-offs between efficacy, quality of light related to performance and wellbeing, and cost considerations of lighting products on the QPL. Quality of light must go hand-in-hand with energy efficiency if long-term energy savings are to be realized.
Objective: Increase the minimum efficacy requirements for listing on the QPL without sacrificing quality of light of listed products.
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Controllability refers to the capability to control a light source by dimming it; turning it off or on in response to a sensor or signal; or changing the color (or spectrum) of light over time to mimic sunlight, among others. Increased controllability of lighting can save more energy and provide higher quality of light by enabling the ability to tune lighting to just what is needed or preferred for a person, task, or application.
Objective: Increase lighting controls adoption to better realize energy savings and improved quality of light.
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Quality of light describes the aspects of light that impact productivity, performance, comfort, aesthetics, mood, safety, health, and wellbeing. Lighting that provides comfortable, safe environments for people is critical, leading to wider adoption and persistent energy savings.
The DLC is providing information about the quality of light properties of listed products in its proposed Technical Requirements V5.0 for the following topics. Click the green info buttons to learn more.
- Color Quality Color quality refers to two performance aspects of light: the color of light emitted by a product (chromaticity) and the color of the objects illuminated by that light (color rendering). Poor color quality can be associated with negative effects, ranging from a decrease in comfort and wellbeing, to potentially dangerous impacts due to errors in judgment or color discrimination.
- Flicker Flicker describes fluctuations in light output of a fixture over time. SSL products with poor flicker performance carry potential health and safety impacts, such as lowered visibility, headaches, eyestrain, or simple annoyance. Flicker-free operation is fundamental for safe and comfortable lighting.
- Glare LED products with good optical design and glare control will shield the eye from exposure to high-contrast, bright light. Low-glare design supports task performance, comfort and safety, and prevents glare-related headaches and eyestrain. With good, high quality optical design, energy efficiency and glare control do not need to be mutually exclusive.
- Optical Distribution For comfortable and safe working and living environments, light should be effectively directed to the areas where illumination is desired and/or needed. The direction and distribution of light can be customized using several methods of optical design, such as lenses, refractors, reflectors, louvers, or baffles. Luminaires that fail to provide good optical control do not direct light where it is needed, wasting energy and creating unwanted light spill (e.g. light trespass and sky glow).
Objective: Improve the quality of light in the built environment, helping to ensure safe, comfortable, and productive settings for people, mitigating negative impacts of electrical light, and realizing lasting energy savings.
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