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With emerging resources and organizations defining LED lighting standards, verifying the quality of LED products is essential. Evaluating the economic payback, based on wattage, energy use, maintenance savings, operating hours and operating costs for the application will justify the specifications of LED technology.

Product Testing

Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory
A Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory is a testing facility recognized by OSHA as primarily private sector organizations that provide product safety testing and certification services to manufacturers. The testing and certification are done, for purposes of the Program, to U.S. consensus-based product safety test standards. There test standards are not developed or issued by OSHA, but are issued by U.S. standards organizations, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Organizations Currently Recognized by OSHA as NRTLs:

• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
• Communication Certification Laboratory, Inc. (CCL)
• Curtis-Straus LLC (CSL)
• Electrical Reliability Services, Inc. (ERS)
  • Also known as Conformity Services and formerly Electro-Test, Inc. (ETI)
• FM Approvals LLC (FM) (formerly Factory Mutual Research Corporation)
• Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc. (ITSNA) (formerly ETL)
• MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET)
• NSF International (NSF)
• National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS)
• SGS U.S. Testing Company, Inc. (SGSUS) (formerly UST - CA)
• Southwest Research Institute (SWRI)
• Technischer Überwachungsverein (TÜV)
  • TUV America, Inc. (TUVAM)
  • TUV Product Service
  • TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. (TUVR), (TRNA)
• Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)
• Wyle Laboratories, Inc. (WL)

LM-79-08
The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) published a documentary standard LM-79 entitled "Electrical and Photometric Measurements of Solid-State Lighting Products." This describes the methods for testing SSL products for their photometric characteristics such as total luminous flux (lumens), luminous efficacy (Im/W), luminous intensity (candelas) in one or more directions, chromaticity coordinates, correlated color temperature (CCT) and color rendering index (CRI).

LM-79 describes test methods for total luminous flux measurement, which is to be carried out with an integrating sphere or a goniophotometer. LM-79specifies absolute, rather than relative, photometry.

LM-80-08
Approved Method: Measuring Lumen Maintenance of LED Light Sources was published by the IESNA Solid State Lighting (SSL). Simply referred to as LM-80, this document covers lumen maintenance measurement for inorganic LED-based packages, arrays, and modules; it does not cover any other aspect of LED performance. The development of LM-80 is due to differences in measuring LED products performance criteria.

The data resulting from LM-80 measurements are matrices of lumen maintenance values. LED fixture manufacturers use this data in combination with their UL testing to predict the lumen maintenances of the LEDs when used in their fixtures and, subsequently, the lumen maintenance of the LED fixtures themselves.

Solid State Lighting Quality Advocates Program

As evidence of LED manufacturers' commitment to the highest engineering and quality standards, companies undertake challenges and product testing to be accepted into U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s "Solid-State Lighting Quality Advocates" program. The SSL Quality Advocates program highlights LED luminaire manufacturers who commit to testing products and reporting performance results according to industry standards. DOE's Lighting Facts program is factually derived and audited from IESNA LM-79 test reports, from a DOE certified test lab.

For more information on U.S. Department of Energy's "Solid-State Lighting Quality Advocates" program, or to view the growing list of products that have been accepted into this program visit the lighting facts label's website.

View more information on the Lighting Facts Label

International Dark Sky Association

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) seeks to preserve dark skies worldwide for the benefit of society by promoting good outdoor lighting practices and educating the public on the rewards of preserving the stars. Light pollution is an increasing problem, threatening astronomical facilities, ecologically sensitive habitats, our energy consumption, and our human heritage. Their goal of protecting and restoring our natural night environment and our heritage of dark skies is through promotion of quality outdoor lighting. It is in this spirit that they developed the Fixture Seal of Approval (FSA) program for dark sky friendly fixtures.

The Fixture Seal of Approval provides objective, third-party certification for luminaires that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and don't pollute the night sky. For a modest fee, IDA will evaluate the photometric data of any luminaire submitted by its manufacturer. When the fixture is approved, the manufacturer receives a certificate and the Fixture Seal of Approval. Manufacturers may use the FSA seal to promote and advertise their IDA-Approved™ dark sky friendly products.

To view the growing list of manufacturers with approved fixtures or for more information on the association, visit the International Dark Sky Association's website.