THE PRODUCT:
Luminaires or portable lighting fixtures are moveable lights such as floor, table and desk lamps that use a plug-in power cord. Luminaires are typically controlled with a switch located on the fixture itself, as opposed to hard-wired fixtures which are connected directly to the home's electrical system and typically operated exclusively by a wall switch.
THE STANDARD:
Standards for luminaires were established in California in 2008 (using the term portable lighting fixtures), transitioning fixtures away from the use of inefficient screw-in incandescent lamps and towards an array of more efficient choices including compact fluorescent lamps, LED lighting or low and medium wattage halogen lamps. The standard includes a variety of compliance options for manufacturers, so an appropriate choice can be found for all consumer applications.
The 2012 ASAP/ACEEE report, The Efficiency Boom, analyzed standards based on the California standards and standards included in federal legislation drafted in 2010. The standard would require fixtures to meet the ENERGY STAR specifications for dedicated CFL fixtures and LED fixtures or to ship with screw-based CFLs or LED lamps. Average savings amount to 22 kWh/year, with an incremental cost of $1.50 and a payback period of seven months. The analysis did not count any savings occurring after 2020, since an equivalent national standard for general service lamps will be in effect starting in 2020.
KEY FACTS:
Current annual shipments are approximately 43 million.