After a ten-year European Commission review, the Single Lighting Regulations (SLR) and Energy Label Regulations (ELR) will come into effect on 1st September 2021, combining relevant past rules and encompassing all available new lighting technologies.
The legislation now simply classifies lighting products as ‘light sources' (lamps, sealed-for life luminaires and modules) and ‘containing products’ (luminaires with replaceable light source or control gear), as opposed to ‘lamps’ and ‘luminaires’.
This means the new energy label regulation which is applicable for light sources now also applies to lamps, and each light source will be given a new energy rating between A and G, with an efficiency of 210lm/W for the A grade through to G at under 85 lm/W. This replaces the existing energy label A++ to E and the existing A+++ would be an E grade in the new scale.
The product characteristics of each light source will be published on the EPREL (European Product Database for Energy Labelling) database, with an easy access QR code displayed on packaging that links the end-user to this data.
The SLR set new minimum requirements for lumen efficacy, lumen maintenance, survival factor, flicker and stroboscopic effect. This results in the upgrade of some existing LED lamp technologies and the phasing out of conventional lighting technologies that don’t meet the new requirements. This includes halogen low voltage lamps GU4, GU5.3, G53 and halogen R7s > 2700lm as well as compact fluorescent lamps with integrated control gear (E27, E14, B22).
Halogen G9, G4 and GY6.35 capsules will be phased out from 1st September 2023, along with T8 fluorescent lamps (600mm, 1200mm and 1500mm).
Sylvania for example has LED Filament lamps and the first true retrofit LED GU10 with like-for-like dimensions and the same light output, compared to a 50W Halogen GU10. Sylvania is the leading brand of the Feilo Sylvania Group created from the spinout of the LED business of Osram in Europe and has headquarters in Budapest, Hungary, as well as innovation and design centres in 25 countries worldwide. The Feilo Sylvania Group is majority owned by Shanghai Feilo Acoustics in China.
Although many LED lamps will have improvements to their efficiency, the most visible change is the recalibration of the energy rating scale that is displayed on the packaging. In an important adjustment, regulators have adopted a new scale to allow for a wider scope of efficiency performance. The current A++ classification will now score a mid-table ‘E’ within a revised A to G range. This will help the drive for even greater efficiency and integrate the principle of circular economy in product development.
Lighting products classified as ‘containing products’ now applies to most luminaires and will no longer require an energy label
Other areas that are exempt from the SLR/LR regulations include LED chips, dies and packages, emergency lighting, battery-powered light sources and lighting for vehicles, transportation and military equipment as well as medical and marine equipment and original works of art.
“The new regulations have provided an ideal opportunity to roll out the company’s universal packaging strategy for lamps, by implementing customer feedback and legislative requirements to enable clear decisions at the point of purchase,” said Anuj Vasu, Segment Head, Consumer at Sylvania. “Along with our eco-friendly packaging we have reduced our carbon footprint by 25% by streamlining the supply chain and the number of SKUs in the range without comprising on the choices available to the customer”.
Major environmental benefits have been driven by a move to a paper and card packaging solution, which uses no plastic. Additionally, this has entailed a move to abandon ‘blister packs’ that were used extensively, especially throughout continental Europe.
“As a lighting business, Sylvania is fully aligned with the new SLR and ELR regulations and welcome the focus on higher efficiency and sustainability that these measures will bring. This has also provided us with an opportunity to improve the processes across the business and provide better clarity of choice for customers and deliver tangible reductions in emissions across our logistic networks.” said Simon Reed, Chief Executive Officer (EMEA) at Sylvania Lighting.
Related LED articles
LED lighting inventors wins £1m QEPrize
The entire light spectrum of the sun in one LED
High efficiency LED for human-centric lighting
LED lighting architecture patent cuts size and power
Other articles on eeNews Europe
