California has been a leader when it comes to creating smarter, more energy-efficient building codes. The state has put in place strict requirements that impact how lighting is designed, installed, and sold. These regulations are not just saving energy but are about improving the quality and performance of residential lighting. As part of the continuing […]
LED to LED Lighting Rebate program, are they back?
The evolution of energy saving lighting products had begun since the invention of compact fluorescent lamps to LEDs. To speed up the adoption of these new technologies, the utility companies offered various rebate & incentive programs to the early adopters. Such programs had helped to quicken the transition period from traditional incandescent to fluorescent & […]
2022 CA Energy Code: Nonresidential Standards – Indoor Lighting
Brief history of CA Energy Code.The Warren-Alquist Act, enacted in 1974, created the state Energy Commission and mandated that they periodically (usually every 3 years) update Building Energy Efficiency Standards for the state of California to reduce wasteful energy consumption including greenhouse gas emissions. These standards, known as CA Title 24, cover both residential and […]
California Appliance Efficiency Database – Explained
California’s Appliance Efficiency Regulations, or also known as Title20, set minimum performance requirements for energy and water saving appliances. In August 2015, the CA Energy Commission (CEC) launched the Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System (MAEDbS). It allows us to verify which models of regulated products are legal to sell or offer for sale in California. […]
Understanding CA’s Energy Efficiency Regulations
Over the decades, California has been a pioneer in adopting policies and regulations to protect the environment. Currently, there are two state regulations that cover energy efficiency. -Title 20, also known as the Appliance Efficiency Program, and-Title 24, California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards. Title 20 is a set of energy efficiency regulations established by the […]
Daylighting Control and the Energy Code
California and many other states are adopting increasingly stricter daylight related requirements as part of their building energy efficiency standards. These new requirements are intended to reduce electricity usage with energy efficiency. California has an ambitious goal of decarbonizing buildings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% below the 1990 levels by 2030. […]
The Death of The Fluorescent Lamp and Other Lighting Legislation Changes
In the high-rise jungle of corporate America during the 1980s and 1990s, fluorescent lamps were king. They ruled every office building for most of the second half of the 20th Century. However, like most legacy lighting technologies of that era, their product market shares have been overtaken by LEDs, and their final death happened by […]
Shunted vs non-Shunted sockets – The Difference
When it comes to replacing LED linear tubes, it is very important to know the type of socket or “tombstone” connection your existing lights have. Currently, there are two major sockets that are available for linear tube lights: shunted and non-shunted. Understanding the difference between these two types of socket/tombstones is not difficult but it […]
Turtle Safe LED Lights
LED lighting has evolved from strictly saving energy to prevention of light pollution and environment conservation such as protecting coastal habitats like sea turtles and wildlife. Thousands of sea turtles are affected every year because of the electric lighting along beachfront properties around the country. It is our responsibility to minimize one of the major […]
LED Light Beam Types Explained
LEDs have been widely used as the main light source for LED lighting lamps & fixtures. These LEDs have a much smaller footprint and are directional light rays compared to other light sources such as incandescent lamps. They usually comes with primary optics attached but the light distribution pattern is wider than most applications. Since […]