Summary

LED Outdoor Wall-Mounted Area Luminaires

Outdoor Wall Mount Lighting: LED vs. HID

Designed to light walkways and building entries and provide security lighting for areas adjacent to buildings. Wall-mounted area luminaires using LED lamps are becoming widely available.

Synopsis:

Exterior wall-mounted security lighting is an LED application that is gaining traction. These luminaires are designed to light walkways and building entries. Because of the directionality of LED light sources, LED wall-mounted area luminaires can deliver uniform lighting on the ground while minimizing or eliminating light pollution.

Outdoor LED luminaires are widely available from a number of manufacturers. The U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) is encouraging research, development, and market penetration of the technology, and is providing resources to develop objective, updated information about the technology. As of early 2015, over 1,300 LED wall-mounted area luminaires were listed in the USDOE LED Lighting Facts database. (U.S. DOE, 2013).

Energy savings over traditional outdoor security lighting may be significant – 30% to 75% – depending on design light levels, technology, and controls. LEDs are particularly well-suited to operate with automatic controls, such as photo sensors and occupancy sensors, which allow light output and power consumption to be reduced during periods of low occupancy. Lamp life could be significantly longer than other lamps in use, making LEDs especially good in hard-to-access locations. The use of "self-cleaning glass or coatings" on fixtures could reduce the need for cleaning, which would make the most of long-life and reduced maintenance claims. The white light is available in a range of color temperatures. Light distribution can be precisely controlled, often providing more uniformity than other technologies. The USDOE predicts that the efficacy of LED lighting products will continue to improve while prices continue to drop (EERE, 2011), (EERE, 2012).

Retrofit kits for existing luminaires are also available. Well-designed retrofit kits can deliver the same benefits of integral luminaires.

Energy Savings: 58%

Energy Savings Rating: Limited Assessment What's this?

Level	Status	Description
1	Concept not validated	Claims of energy savings may not be credible due to lack of documentation or validation by unbiased experts.
2	Concept validated:	An unbiased expert has validated efficiency concepts through technical review and calculations based on engineering principles.
3	Limited assessment	An unbiased expert has measured technology characteristics and factors of energy use through one or more tests in typical applications with a clear baseline.
4	Extensive assessment	Additional testing in relevant applications and environments has increased knowledge of performance across a broad range of products, applications, and system conditions.
5	Comprehensive analysis	Results of lab and field tests have been used to develop methods for reliable prediction of performance across the range of intended applications.
6	Approved measure	Protocols for technology application are established and approved.

Simple Payback, New Construction (years): 6.9 What's this?

Simple Payback, Retrofit (years): 15.7 What's this?

Simple Payback is one tool used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of a proposed investment, such as the investment in an energy efficient technology. Simple payback indicates how many years it will take for the initial investment to "pay itself back." The basic formula for calculating a simple payback is:

Simple Payback = Incremental First Cost / Annual Savings

The Incremental Cost is determined by subtracting the Baseline First Cost from the Measure First Cost.

For New Construction, the Baseline First Cost is the cost to purchase the standard practice technology. The Measure First Cost is the cost of the alternative, more energy efficienct technology. Installation costs are not included, as it is assumed that installation costs are approximately the same for the Baseline and the Emerging Technology.

For Retrofit scenarios, the Baseline First Cost is $0, since the baseline scenario is to leave the existing equipment in place. The Emerging Technology First Cost is the Measure First Cost plus Installation Cost (the cost of the replacement technology, plus the labor cost to install it). Retrofit scenarios generally have a higher First Cost and longer Simple Paybacks than New Construction scenarios.

Simple Paybacks are called "simple" because they do not include details such as the time value of money or inflation, and often do not include operations and maintenance (O&M) costs or end-of-life disposal costs. However, they can still provide a powerful tool for a quick assessment of a proposed measure. These paybacks are rough estimates based upon best available data, and should be treated with caution. For major financial decisions, it is suggested that a full Lifecycle Cost Analysis be performed which includes the unique details of your situation.

The energy savings estimates are based upon an electric rate of $.09/kWh, and are calculated by comparing the range of estimated energy savings to the baseline energy use. For most technologies, this results in "Typical," "Fast" and "Slow" payback estimates, corresponding with the "Typical," "High" and "Low" estimates of energy savings, respectively.

TAG Technical Score: 3.84

Details

LED Outdoor Wall-Mounted Area Luminaires

Outdoor Wall Mount Lighting: LED vs. HID

Designed to light walkways and building entries and provide security lighting for areas adjacent to buildings. Wall-mounted area luminaires using LED lamps are becoming widely available.

Item ID: 395

Sector: Commercial

Energy System: Lighting--Fixtures: Outdoor

Technical Advisory Group: 2012 LED Lighting TAG (#5)
Average TAG Rating: 3.5 out of 5
TAG Ranking Date: 04/05/2012
TAG Rating Commentary:

For wall packs, attention to glare important consideration.

Synopsis:

Retrofit kits for existing luminaires are also available. Well-designed retrofit kits can deliver the same benefits of integral luminaires.

Baseline Example:

Baseline Description: HPS wall mounted area luminaire
Baseline Energy Use: 416 kWh per year per unit

Comments:

Baseline use assumes a 70 W HPS (95 W total) luminaire operating 4380 hr/yr.

Manufacturer's Energy Savings Claims:

"Typical" Savings: 70%
Savings Range: From 50% to 75%

Comments:

Manufacturers claim savings of 75% and greater.

Best Estimate of Energy Savings:

"Typical" Savings: 58%
Low and High Energy Savings: 30% to 75%
Energy Savings Reliability: 3 - Limited Assessment

Comments:

Energy savings will depend primarily on the LED wall-mounted area luminaire selected to replace an existing luminaire and the type of luminaire that is replaced. Selecting an appropriate LED luminaire is not a matter of simply matching lumen output; because of the more directional nature of LED sources, LED wall-mounted area luminaires can often provide equivalent lighting performance using fewer lumens than conventional sources. Energy savings will be maximized by selecting an LED luminaire that delivers the necessary illuminance in the target area with appropriate lighting quality for the lowest power density. Energy savings will also depend on LED luminaire quality and longevity, proper installation of the LED lighting system, whether controls are included in the system, and what kind of controls are used.
DOE CALiPER studies have demonstrated energy savings. (US DOE, 2010)

Energy Use of Emerging Technology:

174.7 kWh per unit per year What's this?

Energy Use of an Emerging Technology is based upon the following algorithm.

Baseline Energy Use - (Baseline Energy Use * Best Estimate of Energy Savings (either Typical savings OR the high range of savings.))

Comments:

The energy use of the LED luminaire assumes a 40W LED operating 4380 hr/yr.

Technical Potential:
Units: unit
Potential number of units replaced by this technology: 316,000
Comments:

Based on estimated 15 MWa base load in BPA region

Regional Technical Potential:
0.08 TWh per year
9 aMW
What's this?

Regional Technical Potential of an Emerging Technology is calculated as follows:

Baseline Energy Use * Estimate of Energy Savings (either Typical savings OR the high range of savings) * Technical Potential (potential number of units replaced by the Emerging Technology)

First Cost:

Installed first cost per: unit
Emerging Technology Unit Cost (Equipment Only): $300.00
Emerging Technology Installation Cost (Labor, Disposal, Etc.): $40.00
Baseline Technology Unit Cost (Equipment Only): $150.00

Comments:

Based on prices available through Internet lighting distributors, the cost of LED wall packs range from $200 to $800 and the cost of conventional HID wall packs range from $150 to $500.
LED Price source: http://www.prolighting.com/ledwali.html
HPS Price source: http://www.prolighting.com/hpswali.html

Installation cost is the author's estimate of approximately 0.5 hr @ $70/hr plus disposal.

Retrofit kits can be lower cost than integral luminaires, but not always as the price of integral luminaires continues to decline. In addition, depending on the design of the retrofit kit, the labor hours required to gut an existing housing and install a retrofit kit may be greater than the labor hours required to simple replace the entire luminaire.

Cost Effectiveness:

Simple payback, new construction (years): 6.9

Simple payback, retrofit (years): 15.7

What's this?

Cost Effectiveness is calculated using baseline energy use, best estimate of typical energy savings, and first cost. It does not account for factors such as impacts on O&M costs (which could be significant if product life is greatly extended) or savings of non-electric fuels such as natural gas. Actual overall cost effectiveness could be significantly different based on these other factors.

Comments:

No independent evaluations of the cost effectiveness of LED wall-mounted area luminaires were found. In general, however, cost effectiveness will vary based on a variety of factors, including the electricity rate, maintenance savings estimates, fixture cost and new construction versus retrofit scenarios. Independent field assessments of LED lighting in other outdoor applications have shown a wide range in simple payback periods, from a high of 15 years to a low of 3 years, where avoided maintenance costs are significant and controls are incorporated to maximize energy savings.

In addition, cost effectiveness is expected to improve as LED prices continue to decline. The estimated cost trajectory for LED lighting is well documented by the DOE. Prices are anticipated to drop by approximately 85% between 2010 and 2020, from $181/klm to $24/klm.

Detailed Description:

Wall-mounted area luminaires are designed to light walkways and egress areas and provide security lighting for areas adjacent to buildings. With advances in LED lighting technology, wall-mounted area luminaires using LED sources are becoming widely available. The most common type of wall-mounted luminaires is commonly referred to as a “wall pack.”

Retrofit kits for existing luminaires are also available. Well-designed retrofit kits can deliver the same benefits of integral luminaires. Retrofit kits typically include a complete LED lighting system, including LED modules and/or arrays, optics, driver, and mounting hardware. Retrofit kits can be lower cost than integral luminaires, but not always as the price of integral luminaires continues to decline. Retrofit kits allow reuse of existing housings, which can be of particular benefit for some applications. On the other hand, lumen maintenance, thermal management, light distribution, and physical mounting can be of concern for retrofit kits, as the design must allow for proper operation in a wide variety of housings. For reliable performance, utilize retrofit kits certified for compatibility with the specific make and model number of the existing street lights.

Standard Practice:

Traditionally, wall-mounted area luminaires have used high-intensity discharge (HID) sources, such as metal halide (MH) and high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, as well as fluorescent sources.

Development Status:

LED wall pack lighting has advanced rapidly in recent years, tracking advancements in LED lighting in general. LED wall-mounted area luminaires are widely available from a significant number of manufacturers.

As of early 2015, over 1,300 LED wall-mounted area luminaires are listed in the USDOE LED Lighting Facts database. The Design Lights Consortium includes LED wall-mounted area lights on its Qualified Products List (DLC, 2013), (U.S. DOE, 2013).

The USDOE Commercially Available LED Product Evaluation and Reporting (CALiPER) Program tested LED wall-mounted area luminaires as well as traditional HPS and MH products (as baseline) in their 2009 Round 10 report (US DOE, 2010). Results show that the LED products were generally more efficacious than the benchmark products, but not always. In addition, LED products were found to be capable of meeting or exceeding the light output and efficacy of benchmark products while providing more uniform light distribution. However, a wide range of performance was measured for LED wall-mounted area luminaires and not all models demonstrated these capabilities. CALiPER tested additional wall-mounted area lights in their 2011 Round 13 report and the products showed an average overall improvement in efficacy of about 20%.

Non-Energy Benefits:

LED luminaires promise long life and robust design. In addition, only a gradual reduction in light output is expected over time, not sudden catastrophic failure, which reduces maintenance costs and can significantly reduce the simple payback period. Environmental benefits include no mercury content, so disposal issues and costs are reduced compared to most of the competing technologies. LED “white” light is available in a range of color temperatures. Light distribution is more even than that of most other technologies, sometimes allowing lower light levels or greater fixture spacing while still providing better visibility than traditional sources. LED sources are inherently controllable, without experiencing life degradation with frequent switching. LED lamps eliminate for additional emergency lights in case the power supply is momentarily interrupted, as is the case with HID lamps.

End User Drawbacks:

Product quality: Studies such as DOE CALiPER reports demonstrate that product performance and application suitability vary widely. One particular concern is the shorter life of LED lamp drivers, which may need to be replaced long before the lamp does. Product quality is highly variable and is changing rapidly, so it is important to carefully research and review available information to assess quality, performance, and overall value at the time of purchase. Product qualifications for LED exterior lighting, available through organizations such as the DesignLights Consortium, can be useful in vetting product quality.

First cost and cost effectiveness: LED products can be more expensive than the incumbent lighting technologies. Costs are expected to decline due to technological advances and increased demand, and cost reductions are evident in the marketplace. Evaluating LED luminaires based on total cost of ownership will take into account potential non-energy benefits, such as maintenance savings, which will improve the cost-effectiveness analysis.

Operations and Maintenance Costs:

Comments:

LED sources promise long life with slow lumen depreciation, which could result in lower maintenance costs and longer intervals between product replacements. Typically, assessments of LED lighting have assumed zero regular maintenance costs over the course of their useful life because the technology is very robust and periodic replacement of light sources is not anticipated. However, it may be more realistic to assume some minimal regular maintenance cost for periodic cleaning. The amount of cleaning depends on the application environment. A better understanding of maintenance issues will be gained through experience with long-term operation of LED luminaries.

Effective Life:

Anticipated Lifespan of Emerging Technology: 15 years

Comments:

The useful life of LED technology is typically expressed in terms of lumen maintenance, most often as the number of hours until the lumen output has dropped to 70% of the initial light output (commonly referred to as L70). Well-designed LED wall-mounted area luminaires are expected to have an L70 life of 50,000 to 100,000 hours. Assuming an operating cycle of 11 hours per day, this translates to approximately 15 to 30 years of daily operation.

It is important to note, however, that a fixture may fail before the light source has reached its end of life, due to failure of another component of the fixture such as the electronics – particularly the driver, materials, housing, wiring, connectors and seals. This is true for fixtures with conventional sources as well as those with LED sources, but is likely to be more of an issue for LED fixtures given the very long life of the source.

The effective life of well-designed retrofit kits is expected to be equivalent to that of new luminaires, however can be impacted by the housing in which the retrofit kit is installed. The DLC specifies a minimum required lumen maintenance for retrofit kits that is equal to the minimum required lumen maintenance for new luminaires. This lumen maintenance must be demonstrated in a representative housing.

Competing Technologies:

Wall-mounted area luminaires are available with various light sources, most commonly HID sources (such as MH, ceramic MH and HPS lamps) and also induction sources.

Reference and Citations:

DOE, 08/14/2014. Solid State Lighting
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

DOE, 08/14/2014. LED Lighting Facts
U.S. Department of Energy

EERE, 02/01/2012. 2010 US Lighting Market Characterization
Navigant Consulting, Inc.

EERE, 01/25/2012. Energy Savings Potential of Solid-State Lighting in General Illumination Applications
Navigant Consulting, Inc.

Navigant , 01/01/2011. Energy Savings Estimates of Light Emitting Diodes in Niche Lighting Applications
U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program

E. E. Richman, 11/01/2009. Exterior Lighting for Energy Savings, Security and Safety
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

EERE, 08/24/2011. New and Underutilized Technology: Exterior LED/Solid State Lighting
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

PNNL, 03/01/2008. Demonstration Assessment of Light Emitting Diode (LED) Walkway Lighting, Host Site: Federal Aviation Administration, William J. Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey
U.S. Department of Energy

Terry Clark, 06/09/2010. Straight Talk about LED Luminaires
Finelite, Inc.

Philips, 02/22/2010. Technical Brief Understanding LM-80, Lumen Maintenance, and LED Fixture Lifetime
Philips Color Kinetics

DLC, 01/01/2013. DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List
DesignLights Consortium, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.

US DOE, 05/19/2010. DOE Solid-State Lighting CALiPER Program Summary of Results: Round 10 of Product Testing
U.S. Department of Energy

Rank & Scores

LED Outdoor Wall-Mounted Area Luminaires

2012 LED Lighting TAG (#5)

Technical Advisory Group: 2012 LED Lighting TAG (#5)
TAG Ranking:
Average TAG Rating: 3.5 out of 5
TAG Ranking Date: 04/05/2012
TAG Rating Commentary:

For wall packs, attention to glare important consideration.

Technical Score Details

TAG Technical Score: 3.8 out of 5

How significant and reliable are the energy savings?
Energy Savings Score: 3.9 Comments:

High savings per unit, low savings per measure.
Many of the existing fixture types have fairly low luminaire efficiencies (HPS, CFL), whereas LED fixtures have high optical potential.
Energy savings are well established. In particular, the current BPA program structure requires new LED fixtures to be rated at <50% of the existing fixture wattage. This strategy guarantees 50% savings, and savings could be higher with controls.
I think we are starting to see higher performance products take foot in the market- especially in these applications. I'm still a little suspect about retrofit applications so that is a wild card but the fixtures themselves seem pretty reliable.
The average savings is 730 kWh per unit.
If the product proves to be reliable and have high lumen maintenance savings should be good.
The savings can be incredibly significant but the light level decrease can also be significant. Glare and light distribution can also be significant if the wrong LED fixtures are specified. The DLC seems to be addressing these issues by establishing standards for each category and maximizing the amount of light delivered at high-glare angles.
Well documented. Savings depends on incumbent.
LED's have proven themselves in this application

How great are the non-energy advantages for adopting this technology?
Non-Energy Benefits Score: 4.0
Comments:

Reduced maintenance
LED fixtures claim to have much longer life than CFL and MH, and much improved light quality over HPS. There is also the potential for improved optical control and all of the associated benefits of that (uniformity, dark sky, light tresspass).
LED fixtures promise longer life, with potentially lower maintenance cost.
As this technology improves, I expect the non-energy benefits to grow stronger relative to the incumbent technologies.
O&M costs should be legitimate here-
The nighttime environment will be greatly improved, with the installation of luminaries with lower light output and cutoff.
Depending on what is replaced, occupancy sensors may be available, may meet new code standards regarding efficacy or cut-off better than existing product, hopefully will reduce maintenance and last much longer. May perform better in cold weather.
There is compelling evidence that suggests that humans see better in spaces illuminated by light sources with high S/P ratios. Since most LED luminaires have high S/P ratio light sources, it could be speculated that in general, LED light sources provide an improved quality of light and improve the visibility in the areas being illuminated.
Some uncertainty about life of total package; may be able to reduce stray light, light pollution compared to alternatives
LEDs understood non-energy benefits, all apply to wall-mounts.
Instant on/re-strike, Controllable via occ sensor, PC, etc., Better CRI than many incumbent technologies, Longer life than incumbent technologies.
Improved quality of light (CRI) and brighter visual perception
The loner lifetime and resilience to colder climates may enhance the maintenance benefits
Increased controllability, color quality, color temperature, increased life, reduced maintenance.

How ready are product and provider to scale up for widespread use in the Pacific Northwest?
Technology Readiness Score: 3.9
Comments:

Manufacturers have many models and it should be easy to scale up.
There is a wide range of manufacturers in this market in a variety of price ranges. Additionally most of the major existing manufacturers now have a range of LED products available.
Good products are available, but product quality varies significantly. BPA should require minimum specifications and/or qualifications, such as DLC.
There appear to be a number of good products available. At this moment one might rate this "good", or "better", but I rated it "excellent" based on the expected trend over the next few years.
Sounds really good from what the TAG presented
There are lots of quality products on the DLC list.
Many products on the market and more coming.
Luminaires that have been designed and engineered specifically for LED light sources are ready for widespread adoption in the region. However, luminaires that have been modified or adapted to accommodate LED light sources, may not be appropriate for widespread adoption.
Lot of products available. See DLC list.
Ready now. First cost is only real market barrier at this time
In the recent year there has been quite a few of manufactures offering new and retrofit LED kits; and the numbers is going higher with more robust built
As long as they meet certain criteria to weed out poorly performing products.

How easy is it to change to the proposed technology?
Ease of Adoption Score: 3.8
Comments:

Need a new fixture. However, it is located outdoors so less of a problem coordinating with occupants.
LED wall fixtures can generally be replaced "one for one" with existing mounting and wiring. Also they are often smaller so that there can be benefits of compact size.
Physical retrofit should be straightforward. But as with any lighting fixture, it is important to select a product with distribution and light output to meet the needs of the application.
Sounds really good from what the TAG presented
Very easy to install wallpacks, average height is 8'-10'.
First cost is likely the biggest barrier, possibly there could be a hassle with a local code official unfamiliar with the technology.
In general this is just a simple fixture change that can be performed by any licensed electrician. The challenge is ensuring that the output properties of the LED fixture is appropriate for the space to be illuminated. To me the later is the issue that is of most concern. I would like to see some sort of lighting quality baseline standard for all outdoor LED incentive programs. THE LRC has an interesting model that it has developed as part of the ASSIST program. Below are several links to papers and information sheets explaining the model. Establishing a quantifiable minimum standard that allows for S/P ratio multipliers could be one way to ensure minimum lighting quality for incentive driven applications. http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/solidstate/assist/pdf/AR-VisualEfficacy-Jan2009.pdf: http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/solidstate/assist/pdf/AR-Outdoor-Lighting-Overview-Jan2009.pdf; http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/solidstate/assist/pdf/AR-ParkingLotEvaluation-Revised-Jan2010.pdf; http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/solidstate/assist/recommends/parkinglot.asp; http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/solidstate/assist/recommends/outdoorlighting.asp; http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/parkinglot/#intro
Capitalize on the early-adopters.

Considering all costs and all benefits, how good a purchase is this technology for the owner?
Value Score: 3.6
Comments:

Good payback especially considering the reduced maintenance
There is still a high price premium for this technology, but that is coming down. Also, related, people are used to paying low prices for commodity grade wall fixtures that are already somewhat low operating cost (HPS),and may not be aware of the "need" for change.
I believe LED fixtures will be come the standard for this application. Utilities can lead by providing guidance and incentives for use of high quality LED fixtures.
Good value, but still expensive.
Sounds really good from what the TAG presented
At 50,000+ estimated life, this is a 12 year measure.
If purchaser is in a position to benefit from the long life and use life-cycle costing and incentives are enough it could be a good value. If purchaser plans to leave property soon may not be able to get payback out of it.
Wall mounted area luminaires tend to be used for security lighting and are often on all night long. Given the high hours of operation, this category is among those with the highest energy savings benefits. However, any incentive should require passive operation via, photocell, timer, astronomical clock, or networked control system to prevent operation during daylight periods. Any exterior lighting that operated during the day, when sufficient natural light is present, regardless of light source, is a waste of energy.
Price now only about 20% to 30% higher than quality incumbent. And a year from now price will be 30% lower and efficacy improved 20%.
Done right, this is a great opportunity. It remains important to guide the customer to making a smart choice.

Completed:
6/5/2012 9:46:56 AM
Last Edited:
6/5/2012 9:46:56 AM

Market Potential

LED Outdoor Wall-Mounted Area Luminaires

Last Edited:

10/7/2013 11:45:53 AM by AngelaP

Market Segment:

LED wall-mounted area luminaires can be used in all segments of the commercial market to provide lighting of walkways, egress areas, and building perimeters.

Regional Fit:

Outdoor lighting is prevalent nationwide, but may be especially useful in the higher latitudes of the Pacific Northwest, where days are short and sunshine is lacking during several months of the year. Outdoor LED wall-mounted area lighting will be applicable in the region as an efficient lighting option in this region.

Zones:

Heating Zone 1, Heating Zone 2, Heating Zone 3, Cooling Zone 1, Cooling Zone 2, Cooling Zone 3

Load Shape:

Other - Street & Area Lighting (Photo Sensor Controlled)

Performance Trajectory:

The estimated performance trajectory for LED lighting sources is well documented by the DOE. Luminaire efficacy is predicted to double from 70 lm/watt in 2010 to 145 lm/watt in 2015. The LED Lighting Facts program has published a Product Snapshot2 that provides an analysis of the products listed in the LED Lighting Facts database. The Product Snapshot found that “the efficacies of listed commercial outdoor luminaires, including area and roadway, parking garage, and wall packs, are all increasing at approximately 17 lm/watt per year, near DOE’s Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP) projections in 2011.”

Cost Trajectory:

The estimated cost trajectory for LED lighting sources is well documented by the DOE. Prices are anticipated to drop by approximately 85% between 2010 and 2020, from $181/klm to $24/klm.

Product Supply and Installation Risk:

LED outdoor area lights are available from a large number of manufacturers, including the large, well-established lighting companies, and the number and size of the suppliers are growing. DOE and the lighting industry are focused intensely on developing LED technology and manufacturing capability. No potential product shortages are anticipated.

Technical Dominance:

LED lighting is a new technology that is gaining traction in exterior applications. LED sources promise long life – over 50,000 hours – with slow lumen depreciation. As a directional light source, LED luminaires can be designed to provide a more even light distribution than incumbent technologies, which can save energy by eliminating the wasted “hot spot” of light typical of high-intensity discharge (HID) and induction lights.

LED lights are inherently controllable, and can be combined with occupancy and/or daylight-based control capability to reduce energy consumption. Environmental benefits include no mercury content so disposal issues and costs are reduced compared to most of the competing technologies. LED lighting performance is well documented in numerous independent assessments. However, long-term performance data do not exist, due to the early stage of the technology’s development. Additionally, product quality is highly variable, so it is important to carefully research and review available information to assess quality, performance, and overall value before making a purchasing decision.

Product qualifications for LED exterior lighting available through organizations such as the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) are useful in vetting product quality. Given predicted improvements in source efficacy and decline in price, LED lighting is expected to continue to gain market share.

Target Customer:

The primary end user of LED wall-mounted area lighting is a commercial building owner. Others who are key to implementing this technology are lighting distributors, lighting contractors, electricians and lighting designers who specify and install the lighting.

Market Channels:

Traditionally, specification-grade lighting products for the commercial market have relied on manufacturers’ representatives and distributors to sell products. Manufacturer’s representatives provide technical support to lighting designers, architects, and other specifiers to help them select appropriate products. Distributors execute the sale with contractors and commercial customers, and handle shipping and distribution. LED lighting products that are offered by established lighting companies are using these traditional market channels.In addition, a significant number of LED lighting products are now available directly from manufacturers through Internet sales and other direct methods. These companies are often startup in nature and the owners frequently have a background in electronics rather than lighting. But as the industry has grown, some of these “LED-only” lighting companies, such as CREE, have become significant players in the lighting market and are available through traditional lighting distribution channels.

Regulatory Issues:

The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) develops specifications and qualifies products for commercial LED lighting, including LED wall-mounted area lights. The DLC lists the products that qualify on their Qualified Products List (QPL: http://www.designlights.org/solidstate.about.QualifiedProductsList_Publicv2.php). Many utilities require that products included in incentive programs have DLC qualification. Some utilities accept only the top-performing products on the list.

The Lighting Design Lab maintains a list of qualified LED lighting products on behalf of several utilities in the Northwest, including Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, Snohomish PUD, Tacoma Power, the Energy Trust of Oregon, Bonneville Power Administration, Idaho Power, and the Eugene Water and Electric Board. This is an interim qualifying process that lists products for 12 months while they are being reviewed by ENERGY STAR or DLC.

A number of building energy codes set regulations that address exterior lighting for commercial facilities. Nationally, the International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Energy Standard for Buildings except Low-Rise Residential Buildings are commonly used to set commercial building energy standards. Many state and local governments have established their own building energy standards that are often more strict than ASHRAE 0.1-2010. In the Northwest, Oregon and Washington have developed state-specific building energy codes. Utilities typically use the applicable code to establish baseline energy use, used to calculate savings from efficient lighting technologies. As energy codes become more stringent, demand for more efficient products will increase.

The DOE is currently working on possible energy standards for HID lamps, the traditional baseline lamp technology for wall-mounted area lights. DOE, which must complete the HID lamp test procedure final rule by January 1, 2013, recently published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for the HID lamp test procedures. In addition, DOE must complete the HID lamp energy conservation standards rulemaking by July 1, 2014. During the standards rulemaking, DOE will decide whether and at what level(s) to promulgate energy conservation standards.3 Should new standards be adopted, the standard for energy consumption for baseline existing wall-mounted area lighting would decrease.

In addition, DOE is scheduled to update the federal standards for metal halide luminaires in 2012. Changes to these standards would also potentially impact baseline energy use.

Other risks and barriers:

Product quality: The DOE CALiPER program conducts laboratory photometric testing of LED lighting products using industry standard test methods. These studies continue to demonstrate that there is a wide range in product performance and application suitability. Accurate performance data is needed to conduct detailed comparisons for particular applications. Product qualification organizations, such as the DLC, provide independent evaluation and qualification of LED products. DLC members, who represent utilities and energy-efficiency programs throughout the United States and Canada, establish the specifications for qualification.

High first cost and cost effectiveness: LED luminaires are currently more expensive than the incumbent lighting technologies. LED costs are expected to decline due to technological advances, increased demand and reduced cost – all evident in the marketplace today. Evaluating all of these technologies based on total cost of ownership will take into account potential non-energy benefits, such as maintenance savings, and will improve the cost-effectiveness analysis.

Citations:

“Energy Savings Potential of Solid-State Lighting in General Illumination Applications.” Navigant Consulting Inc. for the Solid-State Lighting Program, Building Technologies Program Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, January 2012: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/ssl_energy-savings-report_jan-2012.pdf
“LED Lighting Facts Product Snapshot: LED Luminaires,” DOE, December 2011: http://www.lightingfacts.com/default.aspx?cp=productsnapshot
Department of Energy 10 CFR Part 431 [Docket No. EERE–2010–BT–STD–0043] RIN 1904–AC36 Energy Conservation Program: Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document for High-Intensity Discharge Lamps: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/pdfs/hid_ecs_framework_frnopm.pdf

Additional Information:

“Energy Savings Potential of Solid-State Lighting in General Illumination Applications.” Navigant Consulting Inc. for the Solid-State Lighting Program, Building Technologies Program Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, January 2012: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/ssl_energy-savings-report_jan-2012.pdf “LED Lighting Facts Product Snapshot: LED Luminaires,” DOE, December 2011: http://www.lightingfacts.com/default.aspx?cp=productsnapshot U.S. Department of Energy, 10 CFR Part 431 [Docket No. EERE–2010–BT–STD–0043] RIN 1904–AC36 Energy Conservation Program: Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document for High-Intensity Discharge Lamps: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/pdfs/hid_ecs_framework_frnopm.pdf

Completed:

10/7/2013 11:45:53 AM by Angela Phillips