As of January 1, 2017, new lighting requirements under California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards for new construction took effect.
These new requirements include standards for lighting requirements “to promote lighting products that perform better than current mandatory requirements and to prepare the market for upcoming mandatory efficiency regulations,” according to the California Energy Commission.
What does this mean for lighting manufacturers in 2019?
According to EnergyCode Ace, “The Energy Standards require high efficacy lighting throughout newly constructed homes, and the definition of “high efficacy” luminaire has been expanded to include luminaires containing light sources that meet the new performance requirements outlined in Title 24 Reference Joint Appendix JA8.”
JA8 requirements cover performance criteria including efficacy, dimmability, longevity, color temperature, color rendering, flicker (light modulation), start time, audible noise and power factor.
Other highlights of the new requirements include:
- All luminaires installed in new single-family homes, townhouses, and dwelling units of new multifamily buildings must be high efficacy
- The definition of high efficacy has been expanded to allow luminaires that contain screw-base sockets or sockets designed for other traditionally incandescent or halogen base types as long as these luminaires have JA8-certified lamps installed in them at the time of inspection
- To be eligible, products must have CRI greater than 82, power factor must be greater than 0.7, and A-lamps must be ENERGY STAR V2.0 omni-directional
Important Dates to Remember
While these requirements were laid out in 2017, there are still some dates to know about for 2019. Effective dates for Tier 2 of JA8 (CA Title 20 Mandatory Standard for state-regulated LED lamps) is July 1, 2019.
Download the fact sheet on the California Energy Commission’s website.
Trust RP Lighting + Fans as Your Go-To Lighting Manufacturer
At RP Lighting, we know we can help your business save money and energy, but we understand if you still have questions about making the investment. If you need help learning more about how to use LED lighting for your application, or are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of products available, call us today! Our team is full of experts who are ready to help you.
In an effort to promote energy efficiency and recognizing the importance of energy conservation, RP Lighting has developed multiple products in each of our lighting and ceiling fan categories that are Energy Star qualified. 
