Legislation + Regulation

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of working with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association on a revision of their website detailing features, benefits and rules of implementation for the Commercial Buildings Deduction. Congress recently extended the expiration date for this important energy efficiency incentive to January 1, 2014. Check out the new and improved [...]

In July 2009, the Department of Energy issued new energy efficiency standards for commercial general-service fluorescent lamps and incandescent (and halogen) reflector lamps. The new rules take effect July 14, 2012 and will basically eliminate products with the lowest efficiency and lowest cost. In the case of fluorescent lamps, equivalent-performance products are readily available, such [...]

Despite strong, on-going sales of 4-ft. T12 fluorescent lamps, the magnetic ballasts commonly used for the lamps’ operation will start becoming relics of the past on July 1, 2010, when their continued manufacture for commercial and industrial applications becomes prohibited by DOE ballast efficiency regulations. According to the National Lighting Bureau, the July 1, 2010 [...]

Starting January 1, 2012, 100W bulbs will be regulated, followed by 75W bulbs in 2013 and 40W and 60W bulbs in 2014. I have been writing for some time that besides the exemptions, at least one incandescent/halogen product currently complies with the Act’s efficiency standards, which is Philips’ Halogena Energy Saver/Energy Advantage halogen screw-base lamp [...]

Several weeks ago, I conducted a short survey of lighting practitioners to see how they are using the Commercial Buildings Deduction. I got a very small response on the new construction side of the industry and a high response on the retrofit side. As the former lacked a statistically valid sample on which to make [...]

On August 3, an email blast was distributed to the approx. 11,500 subscribers of LightNOW inviting them to take a spot survey in which they would be asked to report data about their awareness and use of the tax incentives related to lighting. After the mailing, 356 subscribers responded. Respondents were first qualified to those [...]

The Wall Street Journal has published a new opinion editorial by legendary lighting designer Howard Brandston taking aim at mandates to use compact fluorescent lamps in the home, and also pending legislation that would make energy codes much stricter than today. I’m proud to call Howard a client. I was pleased to work with him [...]

As of July 1, ballast manufacturers can no longer make ballasts for use with 34W T12 lamps in new fixtures that do not pass energy efficiency standards created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The same rule applied to ballasts for operation of full-wattage T12 lamps starting April 1, 2005. Check out all of [...]

The stimulus plan appears to be having little influence on construction companies’ ability to expand payrolls to date, according to a new industry analysis of the impact of the federal program’s construction spending released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The disappointingly slow pace of construction spending outside of the transportation sector is one [...]