| As previously reported by LEDs Magazine, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a new agreement on September 30, 2009, which is designed to enhance the Energy Star Program and facilitate better coordination between the two agencies (see News).
In a letter addressed to Energy Star lighting manufacturing partners, energy efficiency program sponsors and stakeholders, Alex Baker, Energy Star Lighting Program Manager for the EPA, has given further details on the Energy Star lighting program.
Baker’s letter says that no later than November 30, 2009, DOE and EPA will release a more detailed proposal outlining anticipated Energy Star program enhancements for 2010, including a proposed approach for integrating various elements of the Energy Star lighting program.
“Among other things,” says the letter, “it is EPA’s intention to streamline the qualification process and paperwork related to Energy Star qualification of lighting products, as part of the process of integrating potentially duplicative and overlapping specifications.”
Baker says that it is also EPA’s intention to retain key elements of the DOE-developed Energy Star specifications for Solid State Lighting and Integral LED Lamps, including testing according to the IES LM-79 standard, as appropriate.
“The process to integrate the lighting specifications will be consistent with Energy Star Guiding Principles, and open to partner and stakeholder review through a series of public comment periods resulting in final version(s) that go into effect after sufficient transition time.
Until this task is complete, partners will continue to be able to qualify products using existing specifications and contracting support to the Energy Star Program.
EPA wishes to thank partners and stakeholders in advance for their participation in these processes to further strengthen the Energy Star Program.” | 
