The energy efficient lighting standard for LED lamps and fixtures set by Design Lights Consortium (DLC) is gaining wider acceptance by utility companies for rebate. However, most people may not be aware that the standard itself is still evolving. Here is a summary of DLC requirements for 4-ft linear LED T8:
As opposed to the previous standard, the current one includes lighting efficacy and the adjustment of minimal light output requirements to accommodate directional LED light source.
However, when it comes to picking the right energy-efficient lighting products for actual projects, the DLC standard is merely a baseline, as it fails to consider other important factors:
• Installation time and costs can vary as much as 400%, depending on the LED tube lamp
• Few qualified LED tube lamps work with existing lamp-holders and most require the replacement of lamp-holders.
• Some LED tubes provide electrical shock hazard protection while others do not.
• Many LED tubes do not provide the extra protection needed when maintenance crews mistakenly insert a fluorescent tube into a fixture converted for LED tube use only, thereby exposing maintenance crews to risk and the subject company to work-related liabilities.
The first two factors mentioned above affect your overall project costs, the payback time and the ROI (return on investment). The last two factors are liability issues that are often overlooked until it is too late. To get the most for your money and have peace of mind, remember to include all these factors in your lighting project considerations.
