With inefficient halogen lamps proposed to be phased out in Australia from late 2022, consumers will soon be looking for more certainty around performance claims for LED lamps. Lighting accounts for around 10% of electricity usage in households, and 18–40% of in commercial premises. The recently published Australian/NZ standard provides suppliers with a clear guidance on how to measure important energy and functional parameters that can assist in guiding consumers buying decisions, such as energy use, light output and colour rendering.
The good news is that we can achieve significant energy savings (and reductions on our electricity bills) by replacing inefficient lights with efficient CFL or LED alternatives. Find out more about the Australian Government’s Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) program which has information for consumers including tips to save money on energy bills, buying a new appliance, air conditioning size, fact sheet on the energy rating labels, and more. There is also practical advice to reduce energy bills, improve comfort and sustainability on the Australian Governments Energy and Information Services for Households.
A representative of Consumers Federation of Australia is a member of the Standards Australia Technical Committee that developed the recently published standard (AS/NZS 5341:2021) to test LED lamp performance, ensuring it includes acceptable requirements for consumer protection. The CFA Standards Representatives add value to the work of the committee, bringing the consumer stakeholder contribution to the process and ensuring a robust standard of benefit to the community. Find out more about the CFA Standards Project and how you can get involved.
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