Lighting

Over the last decade, the U.S. lighting market has undergone a number of regulatory and technological changes that revolutionized the way we think about lighting. The rapid evolution of solid-state lighting (SSL), such as light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, represents the most significant technological advancement that the lighting industry has experienced in generations. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the adoption of solid-state lighting technologies has the potential to cut projected electricity consumption 46 percent annually by 2030. At the same time, this new technology is creating an entirely new set of questions regarding future opportunities, concerns and technical considerations for lighting designers, building owners and efficiency program managers. In some cases, rapid change has left the industry vulnerable to the potential risks caused by substandard products and exaggerated claims.

To support and promote energy efficiency in lighting, MEEA develops and maintains resources to facilitate the adoption of advanced lighting in homes, facilities and utility programs across the Midwest to realize their full energy saving potential.

MEEA Resources

Midwest LUMEN: The Lighting Utility Midwest Exchange Network (Midwest LUMEN) was the region’s hub, connecting utility employees who manage lighting efficiency programs. Members met throughout the year to strengthen programs through peer-to-peer consultation, collaboration and informational presentations. In 2020, in light of changes to utility programs and a general shift in the industry, the LUMEN collaborative was discontinued. LUMEN members were encouraged to transition to the R&D Collaborative to continue to benefit from the creative environment they had enjoyed as a part of LUMEN.

To find out more information on any of MEEA’s SSL resources, please contact Nick Moshage at nmoshage@mwalliance.org or 312.784.7259.

Upcoming Events and Webinars: MEEA organizes and promotes webinars and workshops around the region by providing technical guidance and real-world case studies to end users, the lighting industry and others. View the MEEA Calendar for upcoming events and webinars.

LED Street Lighting Resources: MEEA maintains a series of webpages about LED street lighting, including general guidance, a case study library, technology glossary, financing and financial analysis guidance, technology guidance and information about lighting control systems.

Street & Outdoor Lighting Resources

National Solid-State Lighting Resources

U.S. Department of Energy: U.S. DOE’s comprehensive program on SSL provides industry, efficiency program administrators, and the public with many free resources including:

  • CALiPER: The Commercially Available LED Product and Evaluation Reporting Program (CALiPER) performs independent laboratory testing of commercially-available SSL products and publishes comprehensive reports.
  • Conferences and Workshops: Each year, U.S. DOE hosts SSL workshops around the country that provide attendees with cutting edge information about the technology. Separately focused on low-level research and development, manufacturing developments and challenges and market impacts, these workshops offer information suitable for a wide range of audiences.
  • MSSLC: The Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium is a group dedicated to sharing information among members and the public on integrating SSL into street and area lighting applications. Membership is open to municipalities, utilities and other efficiency organizations.
  • LED Lighting Facts: Lighting Facts is a voluntary program of U.S. DOE that is designed to recognize products from manufacturers that have committed to using industry-recognized testing methods and to report product results. The website provides a searchable product database that allows users to filter results with a number of performance criteria.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR®: The U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program has developed performance specifications for, and maintains a qualified product list of, light bulbs and light fixtures for residential uses. ENERGY STAR® qualification serves as a fundamental requirement of many utility incentive programs across the nation.

DesignLightsTM Consortium: The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) is an initiative by partners in the energy efficiency industry to develop performance specifications for commercial solid-state lighting products and advanced lighting controls. The consortium also maintains qualified product lists covering a wide range of commercial applications.

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America: The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) is a lighting industry organization made up of manufacturers, lighting designers and others.