CALiPER was launched in 2006 to address a need for unbiased, trusted product performance information for emerging SSL technologies. DOE testing and analysis, conducted by qualified test labs using industry-approved test procedures, helped to discourage low-quality products and inaccurate performance claims. As a result, far fewer claims of inaccurate 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) air treatment 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 Product Testing
GUV radiation, also known as UV germicidal irradiation (UVGI), is a method of air and surface treatment that may be more effective and energy efficient to reduce airborne disease transmission in buildings than alternatives such as energy-intensive high-ventilation solutions. DOE testing of commercially available GUV lamps and fixtures provides objective product performance information, evaluates performance claims, informs testing methods and standards, and identifies needed improvements.
- CALiPER GUV Round 2 analyzes the independently tested performance of eight GUV upper-room luminaires marketed for use in occupied spaces and purchased between March and June 2023. (October 2024)
- CALiPER GUV Round 1 analyzes the independently tested performance of 13 UV-C towers and whole-room luminaires purchased between February and July 2022. (September 2023)