CALiPER was launched in 2006 to address a need for unbiased, trusted product performance information. DOE testing and analysis, conducted by qualified test labs using industry-approved test procedures, helped to discourage low-quality products and inflated claims. As a result, far fewer claims of exaggerated performance occurred, and product quality vastly improved. Early CALiPER testing also contributed fundamentally to the development of standardized photometric test methods specifically for SSL and the associated accreditation of testing laboratories.
As the SSL market matures, CALiPER continually transitions its evaluations to the newest products and functions, such as germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) products. CALiPER supports the development of new test procedures and application guidance, with DOE investigations providing data essential for understanding the most current and critical issues facing advanced lighting and building energy solutions.
GUV Testing
GUV radiation, also known as UV germicidal irradiation (UVGI), is a method of air and surface disinfection that may provide effective reduction of virus transmission in buildings without the need for energy-intensive high-ventilation solutions.
DOE testing of commercially available GUV lamps and fixtures will provide objective product performance information, evaluate performance claims, inform testing methods and standards, and identify needed improvements. DOE anticipates publishing the first round of test results in 2022, accompanied by a supplemental report that characterizes the current state of test methods, metrics, and testing infrastructure capabilities for GUV product testing.