Light Source Compliance
Ecodesign regulations
In the UK, a Statutory Instrument was laid in Parliament on 1st July 2021. It's known as the Ecodesign for Energy Related Products and Energy Information (Lighting Products) Regulations 2021. The same requirements were applicable to the EU a month earlier, they’re referred to as the EU 2019/2020 Single Lighting Regulation and the EU 2019/2015 Energy Labelling Regulation.
As luminaire (referred to as ‘containing products’ here) manufacturers, we have had to make two things certain:
- That LED lamps/light sources and gear used in our fittings comply with these regulations. We especially have to focus on minimum efficacies of LED lamps/light sources since we use high colour rendering types where there is a trade-off with efficacy.
- That LED lamps/light sources and gear should be replaceable with commonly available tools and without permanent damage to the luminaire (with some exceptions).
What does it mean for our products?
Like all manufacturers we now have to provide easy access to information on how to disassemble our fittings. We welcome this. From 1st September 2021 onwards, the serial number on all new Stoane Lighting equipment relates to a detailed instruction sheet explaining how to do that, and more. Disassembly information sheets can be requested based on unique serial numbers here: Disassembly Information.
Concerning source efficacy, we have analysed our portfolio and, in some instances, made some changes to ensure technical and legal compliance.
Some light sources that we have used successfully over many years fall short of the energy efficiency minimums. So whilst these changes affect some of our products and we are required to change what we can offer, we support this legislation. Here is why:
- Setting tighter performance and functional requirements will result in lower operational carbon emissions. The lighting industry using less power will reduce demand on electrical grid networks and lessen environmental impact.
- In functional terms the standard looks to introduce incentive for replaceable light sources and control gears. Further it requires that we provide some information on how this can be done, and by who. This direction supports the Circular Economy and will enable products to be kept in use via repairs or upgrades, resulting in lower carbon emissions compared with replacing with new.
EPREL
EPREL is a European Product Database for Energy Labelling and is setup under EU regulation to provide important energy efficiency information to consumers. Light sources are now a part of these Eco-design regulations which require them to meet certain energy efficiency and performance thresholds, compliant light source products are entered into a database.
Stoane Lighting manufacture containing products, into which we add light sources. We must manufacture compliant containing products, to do so they not only need to ensure replaceability of light sources and control gears but also that the light sources used are compliant, meet the requirement and are registered in EPREL.
Whilst many of the light sources we use come from external suppliers, some are made by/for us, as such we need to be entered into EPREL too and demonstrate as being compliant even if only sold in our own containing products. Each Stoane Lighting light source has an EPREL registration number.
In the UK there is no equivalent database for such products but the UK regulation does mirror EU regulation short of that.