Current market-ready or near market-ready uses of LED lighting include:

Commercial Signage: Commercial signage often operates 12 to 24 hours per day, consuming about 2% of the total electricity in the United States. Fluorescent signs currently account for about 48% of this market, with neon signs holding about 41%, and the remainder of the market dominated by incandescent products.

Institutional, Industrial and Commercial Lighting: LED products can have a significant impact on energy use in airport, ports and roadway lighting, where conventional fluorescent- and incandescent-lit signage is heavily used.

Retail Lighting: LEDs offer unprecedented flexibility in colors and configurations to lighting designers in creating displays and “moods” in retail settings.

Key resources pertaining to LED technology:

• LED Lighting Systems, 2003 (47 pgs.), by John Bullough
• Information from ENERGY STAR about high efficiency exit signs and traffic signals
• Information from the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on LEDs in transportation applications and exit signs
• Specifications on LED traffic signals developed by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

SYLVANIA LED lighting products are rated by several certification agencies to provide customers with choice to meet their commercial and residential lighting needs, requirements and prerequisites for green building rating systems.

Three widely recognized lighting quality and application systems are listed below.  Sylvania products are regularly submitted for these kinds of certification and compliance programs.  Check their website for specific technical informatino.
 

ENERGY STAR Qualified Fixtures:

• Use 1/4 the energy of traditional lighting.
• Save money on energy bills and bulb replacements, with bulbs that must last at least 10,000 hours (about seven years of regular use).
• Distribute light more efficiently and evenly than standard fixtures.
• Come in hundreds of decorative styles including portable fixtures — such as table, desk and floor lamps — and hard-wired options such as front porch, dining room, kitchen ceiling and under-cabinet, hallway ceiling and wall, bathroom vanity fixtures, and more
• Deliver convenient features such as dimming on some indoor models and automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensors on outdoor models.
• Can be found at most home centers, lighting showrooms, and specialty stores.
• Carry a two year warranty — double the industry standard.

An ENERGY STAR ALP designation identifies homes equipped with a comprehensive set of ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures. With an ALP installed, homebuyers can expect to save energy and money through reduced lighting operating costs - while sacrificing nothing for aesthetics!

ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures are available in many designs and fixture-types, giving homeowners a wide range of choices to create just the right look for their home.

The ALP designation applies to lighting packages, for new home construction, that consist of a minimum of 60% ENERGY STAR qualified hard-wired fixtures and 100% ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans where installed.

Some homebuilders who have participated in the ALP program include Casa Home Marketing, D.R. Horton and Ravenswood Homes. 

Benefits of the ENERGY STAR ALP

• Energy Bill Savings. You can save more than $65 per year in energy costs just by replacing your home's five most frequently used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR models. That's because ENERGY STAR qualified lighting uses about 75% less energy than standard models.

• Improved Quality. ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures meet strict EPA guidelines for energy efficiency and quality, producing warm, long-lasting light without slow starts or annoying flicker or hum. Fixtures that have earned the ENERGY STAR come with a two-year warranty, double the industry standard. Qualified ceiling fans offer a minimum 30-year motor warranty and 1-year component warranties.

• Enhanced Comfort. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting generates about 75% less heat than standard incandescent lighting. This means they are cool to the touch, keep you more comfortable, and help reduce home cooling costs. Install ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans and light kits, which together are 50% more energy-efficient than conventional fan/light units, and save even more while staying cool. Make sure to adjust the thermostat while using ceiling fans to save additional energy and money on your air conditioning costs.

• Environmental Protection. More than half of the homes in the United States use electricity generated by burning coal. Lowering energy use at home helps prevent greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants at the source. If every American home replaced its five most frequently used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified models, together we'd prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.

• Design Flexibility: There are thousands of ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures to choose from. They are available in many styles and finishes and are suitable for every application in home. The ALP requirements are designed to promote flexibility in fixture selections throughout the home.

Be sure to make LED fixtures part of your ALP package -- they will save our environment and the homeowners lots of electrical costs over the coming decades!

Earning the ENERGY STAR

• Exit signs that have earned the ENERGY STAR operate on five watts or less per sign, compared to standard signs, which use as much as 40 watts per sign.
• When installed throughout a building, qualified exit signs can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs. One sign alone can save about $10 annually on electricity costs and can last up to 10 years without a lamp replacement, compared to less than one year for an incandescent.
• Signs that have earned the ENERGY STAR are tested for visibility factors, and come with a five-year manufacturer warranty.

Remember, saving energy prevents pollution.

There are more than 100 million exit signs in use throughout the U.S. Typically lit by incandescent bulbs, these signs consume 30-35 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) hours of energy each year.

The EPA provides resources designed to assist procurement officials in smart purchase decisions.

Product Categories

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bulk_purchasing.bus_purchasing

Energy use is the single largest operating expense in commercial office buildings, representing approximately one-third of typical operating budgets and accounting for almost 20 percent of the nation’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.

In a 200,000-square foot office building that pays $2 per square foot in energy costs, a 10 percent reduction in energy consumption can translate into an additional $120,000 of NOI. At a cap rate of 8 percent, this could mean a potential asset value boost of $500,000!

Commercial real estate applications for energy strategy includes  any multi-family residential, office, industrial, or retail property that can be bought or sold in a real estate market.

Office buildings waste up to one-third of the energy they consume.

Low-Cost Measures

• Measure and track energy performance.
• Turn off lights when not in use or when natural daylight can be used.
• Set back the thermostat in the evenings and other times when a building is unoccupied.
• Educate tenants and employees about how their behaviors affect energy use.
• Improve operations and maintenance practices by regularly checking and maintaining equipment to ensure it is functioning efficiently.
• Optimize start-up time, power-down time, and equipment sequencing.
• Revise janitorial practices to reduce the hours that lights are turned on each day.
• Use ENERGY STAR Target Finder to integrate efficiency goals into the design of new properties.

Cost-Effective Investments

• Engage in energy audits and retrocommissioning to identify areas of inefficiency.
• Install energy-efficient lighting systems, ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), light-emitting diode (LED) exit signs, and occupancy sensors where feasible.
• Install window films and add insulation or reflective roof coating to reduce energy consumption.
• Purchase energy-efficient products like ENERGY STAR qualified office and commercial food service equipment.
• Retrofit, upgrade, or install new heating and cooling equipment to meet reduced loads and take advantage of efficient technologies.
• Use a performance contract to guarantee energy savings from upgrades made.
• Work with an energy services provider to manage and improve performance.

ENERGY STAR Offers Assistance for Commercial Real Estate Planning:

• Guides and manuals
• Facility benchmarking
• Training
• Institutional purchasing
• Technical support
• Financing resources
• Emissions reporting
• Third-party recognition
• Motivational campaigns

Recognition for Energy Savings Achievements

Earn the ENERGY STAR: The top 25 percent of energy-efficient buildings in the nation may qualify for the prestigious ENERGY STAR label. www.energystar.gov/eslabel

Become an ENERGY STAR Leader: ENERGY STAR partners who demonstrate continuous, portfolio-wide improvements qualify for recognition as ENERGY STAR Leaders. www.energystar.gov/leaders

The ENERGY STAR criteria cover the requirements for SSL products used for general illumination, including
those with significant decorative function.

If a decorative SSL product serves a significant general illumination function, it falls within the scope of these criteria. The criteria apply to both residential and commercial products. The criteria apply only to products designed to be connected to the electric power grid. In addition, they do not apply to SSL products made for indication (such as traffic lights and exit signs); to products exclusively intended for decoration (such as holiday lights); nor to SSL products intended for retrofit into existing fixtures.

The general requirements apply to both Categories A and B. Additional requirements for correlated color temperature (CCT), luminaire efficacy, zonal lumen density, and minimum light output are listed under
Categories A and B.

A few key requirements include:

• Luminaires shall not draw power in the off state (but there are exceptions)
• A warranty must be provided for luminaires, covering repair or replacement of defective electrical parts (including light source and power supplies) for a minimum of three (3) years from the date of purchase.
• Luminaire manufacturers shall adhere to device manufacturer guidelines, certification programs, and test procedures for thermal management.
• LED module(s)/array(s) shall deliver at least 70% of initial lumens, when installed in-situ, for the minimum number of hours specified below:

Residential Indoor: 25,000 hours
Residential Outdoor: 35,000 hours
All Commercial: 35,000 hours

• Power supplies designated by the manufacturer for residential applications must meet FCC requirements for consumer use (FCC 47 CFR Part 15/18 Consumer Emission Limits).
• Included documentation must clearly state any known incompatibility with photo-controls, dimmers or timing devices.

DOE has finalized a new ENERGY STAR specification for solid state lighting luminaires, including LEDs. The criteria goes into effect September 30, 2008.

Under normal circumstances, DOE would establish an effective date 270 days after public release of the final criteria. However, additional time is required for these criteria because the LM-80 Lumen Depreciation test procedure has not yet been adopted by ANSI and IESNA.

Solid State Lighting (SSL) Luminaires

The ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Solid State Lighting (SSL) Luminaires are intended for general illumination. SSL general illumination devices were not previously covered by any ENERGY STAR product category, although there are other product categories using light emitting diodes (LEDs) for non-illumination purposes, including indication and decoration.

DOE is leading ENERGY STAR management, specification development, and partner relations for SSL devices used for general illumination, including:

• Residential, commercial, industrial, and outdoor lighting SSL applications of all types
• Innovative SSL systems applications of all types (includes "free-form" SSL systems, and those incorporated into furniture, buildings, and equipment)

Solid-state lighting differs fundamentally from traditional lighting technologies in terms of materials, drivers, system architecture, controls, and photometric properties. A host of new test procedures and industry standards is needed to accommodate these technical differences.

MORE INFORMATION from Energy Star:

Technology of LEDs is advancing rapidly.  In 2006 the "White Light" SSL Challenges included Lifetime lumen maintenance and thermal management; luminous efficacy, color quality, cost and test procedures and standards.

Color temperature and color consistency have been challenges.  Different color appearance within shipments of white LEDs, and color shifts over time with LED degradation have plagued the manufacturers. 

Color efficacy advances were announced by Cree with a 70 lpw for the XLamp 7090 and Lumileds' Luxeon I was rated at 45 lpw for 5500K white; however, manufacturer data represented performance under laboratory conditions of controled temperature, pulsed operation (not continuous), and performance depended on electrical, thermal design.

Consumer products often use clusters of 5 mm LEDs and they have lower efficacy, low wattage and low light output.  Research is improving SSL efficacy while decreasing price.

Potential near term applications of LEDs include:

• Airplane reading lights
• Accent lights and focused light applications
• Task lights and desk lights
• Under cabinet lights
• Display cases, including refrigerated
• Elevators with longer life and vibration resistance
• Architectural applications for hard to reach locations.