Advanced Lighting Program Development (BG9702800) Final Report

The report presents a long-range plan for a broad-based, coordinated research, development and market transformation program for reducing the lighting energy intensities in commercial and residential buildings in California without compromising lighting quality. An effective program to advance lighting energy efficiency in California must be based on an understanding that lighting is a mature field and the lighting industry has developed many specialized products that meet a wide variety of light needs for different building types. Above all else, the lighting field is diverse and there are applications for a wide range of lighting products, systems, and strategies. Given the range of existing lighting solutions, an effective energy efficient lighting research portfolio must be broad-based and diverse to match the diversity of the lighting market itself. The belief that there is one solution — a magic bullet, such as a better lamp, for example — that will propel lighting efficiency across all uses to new heights is, in our opinion, an illusion. A multi-path program is the only effective means to raising lighting efficiency across all lighting applications in all building types.

This report presents a list of 27 lighting technologies and concepts (key activities) that could form the basis of a coordinated research and market transformation plan for significantly reducing lighting energy intensities in California buildings. The total 27 key activities into seven broad classes as follows:

• Light sources
• Ballasts
• Luminaires
• Lighting Controls
• Lighting Systems in Buildings
• Human Factors
• Education

Each of the above technology classes is discussed in terms of background, key activities, and the energy savings potential for the state. The report concludes that there are many possibilities for targeted research, development, and market transformation activities across all sectors of the building lighting industry. A concerted investment by the state to foster efficiency improvements in lighting systems in commercial and residential buildings would have a major positive impact on energy use and environmental quality in California.