New EU Directives - a Revolution for the Lamp Industry?

The EU demands energy efficient lighting

Electric energy becomes more and more expensive.

Further, environmental protection becomes more and more important, such as the reduction of emission of greenhouse gases like CO2. Politics have adopted the topic energy saving as a key job and make energy efficiency come to every area by European directives, national laws and regulations.

Protect the environment and save - even without quality loss!
Especially in the field of light there are savings potentials to be realised easily. Furthermore, lighting quality and lighting level can be raised considerably in many cases. The lighting installation will be brought to the up-to-date state of technology, standards and regulations met, dangers and accidents might be avoided.
Employment of progressive technology such as lamps with high luminous efficiencies (e.g. metal halide lamps) and luminaires with high effectivenesses yield efficiency and new ideas. Further measures like luminous flux control with presence detector and customising the lighting installation to the application exactly - light where and when it is needed - make savings quota rewarding.
Renovation or retrofit of lighting installations need special know how, thus, please, take care to employ professional planning. Support can be provided by public development schemes.
Status of European regulations

Some regulations from the European legislation are in force straightaway in the member states, other must be transferred to national laws. The directives for increasing energy efficiency are frame directives and, thus, are effective directly.

  • 2006/32/EG ESD: Directive on Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services plus
  • 2010/31/EG EPBD: Energy performance of buildings
  • 2009/125/EG ErP: Eco Design Requirements for Energy-related–Products
  • So, there are also products regarded which do not consume any energy themselves, but have massive influence on the overall energy consumption (such as windows).

But only via 'Implementing Measures' concrete action can be defined to be put into practise, like exact limit values as minimal standards.

IM Tertiary Sector: Minimal standards and benchmark values for professional lighting (measures since 2010)

DIM I, domestic IM ("Ban on Incandescent Lamps", "Light source reform"): Minimal standards for home lighting (measures since 2009)

DIM II: Minimal standards for lamps with reflector, LED and transformers for halogen lamps (expected for 2012)

EU directives as original text for download

Suggestions for solutions

What is important when retrofitting/renovating a lighting installation? Is a simple lamp change enough - or would it be better to start planning from the scratch?

Here you can calculate potential savings for a 1:1 lamp exchange.

Background Knowledge
  • Energy efficiency of lamps
  • Energy efficiency of luminaires and systems
  • Energy label
  • Energy efficient operation
  • Selection of a suitable lighting installation