LED Lighting Certifications and Testing: What They Mean

Are you a consumer in the market for LED lighting, or a business owner upgrading your office, warehouse, or facility with LED lights? Maybe you’re a home remodeling contractor trying to stay up to date on the latest lighting technologies.

Despite being known as the preferred alternative to traditional fluorescent, compact fluorescent, or halogen lighting options, many consumers are still learning about LED lighting technology. Luckily, there are several recognized standards and certifications that consumers can rely upon if they have questions about safety, environmental, and/or performance standards.

The Certifications Lighting Manufacturers Care About that You Need To Know…

• DLC: The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) is an independent certification issued for commercial LED lights based on their color rendering capabilities, lumen maintenance, longevity, light distribution and output, and the duration of the warranty period. This certification is commonly used for retrofit kits, industrial-grade and commercial lighting panels and linear product.
  Click here to view RP Lighting + Fans DLC Listed Products
• California JA8 and Title 20: The State of California has its own regulations for energy efficiency that must be followed.  The California Energy Commission (CEC) has developed the JA8 code (previously known as Title 24; California Building Standards Code) that states the energy efficiency requirements for residential and nonresidential buildings.  Title 20 – California’s Appliance Efficiency Program – includes standards for lighting and states the minimum level of quality and performance for LED lamps and other electrical equipment to help the transition to more efficient technology.  The CEC certifies lighting and ceiling fan products that meet each of these code requirements.
  Click here to view RP Lighting + Fans JA8 Compliant Products
  Click here to view RP Lighting + Fans Title 20 Compliant Products
• ENERGY STAR: This is one of the most well-known certifications for electrical appliances and fixtures from the U.S. Department of Energy. ENERGY STAR-certified lighting devices use almost a quarter of energy less than legacy lamps, which can save you money in the long run with energy savings and lower maintenance costs.
  Click here to view RP Lighting + Fans Energy Star Listed Products

Testing Organizations Setting Industry Standards

• UL Listed – Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an American safety and consulting company offering services in 104 countries worldwide. UL “drafted safety standards for electrical devices and components as the rise of residential electricity transmission made electronics ubiquitous in American households”. If a product is “UL Listed”, it means that UL has tested representative samples of the product and determined it meets UL’s requirements based on its published Standards for Safety.
• CSA Group– The CSA (Compliance, Standards, and Accountability) Group is a Canadian standards development organization that accredits products to a wide range of standards certification from many different organizations. “CSA marks in lighting can provide product evaluation, energy efficiency verification, test and certification, and quality standards certification for the lighting industry.”  The CSA listing is a well-recognized listing in the US.
• ETL Listing – ETL is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) by Intertek that is an independent electrical testing organization that test to the UL Standards for Safety. The ETL Listing is a well-recognized listing in the US.

Where to Find Out if Products Meet Industry Standards

There are several places you can look up products to determine if that product has been evaluated for certain lighting certifications. The CSA Group has a product look-up on their website, as does ENERGY STAR. You can find all the information you need for shopping for certified products here, and learn more about how you can save money.

Trust RP Lighting + Fans as Your Preferred Lighting Manufacturer

At RP Lighting, we have quality products value-priced to meet your lighting upgrade needs. We also have knowledgeable associates who can assist you in choosing the appropriate products for your specific application. Check out our product catalog for more information! Click the link on our homepage to download the newest catalog.