Welcome to the eleventh issue of the lites.asia newsletter

In this issue we provide a summary of the August 2014 UNEP/lites.asia regional lighting policy workshop in Jakarta; an overview of the new en.lighten monitoring, verification and enforcement policy status report for Southeast Asian countries; advance notice of the Pacific Regional Efficient Lighting Workshop and the UNEP Global Efficient Lighting Forum; information on the UNEP/lites.asia monitoring, verification and enforcement webinar series; notice of the Climate Technology Centre and Network and an introduction to the new Australian Government Energy Rating App.

In this issue we provide:

A summary of the August 2014 UNEP/lites.asia regional lighting policy workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia;
An overview of the new en.lighten monitoring, verification and enforcement policy status report for Southeast Asian countries;
Advance notice of the Pacific Regional Efficient Lighting Workshop;
Advance notice of the UNEP Global Efficient Lighting Forum;
Information on the UNEP/lites.asia monitoring, verification and enforcement webinar series;
Notice of the Climate Technology Centre and Network opening for expert assistance requests and partnership with organizations to deliver services;
An introduction to the new Australian Government Energy Rating App.

UNEP/lites.asia regional lighting policy workshop

Jakarta 2014 lighting policy workshop delegates

From 19-21 August 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and lites.asia hosted a regional lighting policy workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia. The workshop engaged almost 40 government policy makers and industry representatives in building capacities for the development and strengthening of effective monitoring, verification and enforcement (MVE) systems for efficient lighting. It also provided a discussion platform on the experiences, benefits and potential avenues for the development and harmonization of standards for lighting products in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. On the third day, the government Research and Development Center for Electricity and Renewable Energy (P3TKEBT) hosted the delegates for a laboratory visit allowing them to experience first-hand, lighting test laboratory conditions. In an addition to the main programme, a workshop on Friday 22 August 2014 specifically for Indonesian policy makers and industry representatives explored the procedures and constraints for setting minimum energy performance standards and criteria for energy labelling.

To download the materials from the event, click here

Monitoring, verification and enforcement policy status report for six Southeast Asia countries

As part of their Southeast Asia and Pacific Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement (MVE) Project, the UNEP en.lighten initiative has just released a review draft of a new publication, Status Report on Lighting Monitoring, Verification and Enforcement Activities and Programmes in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. This policy status report examines the status of the MVE activities and programmes for lighting products in the six featured countries. In addition to an overview of the energy consumption attributable to lighting in the six countries and the savings achievable through transition to more efficient lighting, for each country, the report describes the:

Efficient lighting policy context and the legal basis and strategy for MVE activities;
Organisations involved in MVE activities and their responsibilities;
Details of the current MVE framework, such as entry conditions, registration system, product performance database, market surveillance, verification testing, enforcement guidelines, penalties for non-compliance;
Obstacles to, and opportunities for, MVE.

This report will serve to identify existing capacity gaps in countries and propose adapted support tools. The UNEP en.lighten initiative welcomes reviews and additional information from interested parties. A copy of the report can be viewed by clicking here and any comments should be submitted to the author, Moira Mathers at by Tuesday 30 September 2014.

Pacific Regional Efficient Lighting Workshop

Since early 2014, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has been collaborating with the UNEP to facilitate the phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps in the Pacific region. While several initiatives have been pursued in Pacific Island Countries and Territories to promote the use of more efficient lighting technologies, no country in the region has completely phased out incandescent lamps. A regional efficient lighting strategy that provides the steps to transform to efficient lighting systems is being developed through the SPC-UNEP partnership.

From 22-23 September 2014, SPC will be hosting an inception workshop in Nadi, Fiji to provide a forum for regional stakeholder to contribute to the content of this Pacific Regional Efficient Lighting Strategy. The workshop will be organised in six sessions covering:

Current lighting situation in the Pacific region;
Technology options for the transition to efficient lighting;
Minimum energy performance standards for lighting;
Ensuring product quality and compliance;
Supporting policies and mechanisms;
Environmentally sound management.

For more information on the Pacific Regional Efficient Lighting Strategy development, please contact Marie Leroy at .

UNEP Global Efficient Lighting Forum

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will host the Global Efficient Lighting Forum from 10-11 November, 2014, in Beijing, China. This event will bring together representatives from governments, the private sector, international financial institutions and international agencies.

The aim of the conference to achieve a consensus on the financial, technical, and policy actions required to accelerate the global transition to advanced lighting technologies. The Global Forum constitutes a key contribution to achieving the energy efficiency target of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative and global efforts to reduce emission of greenhouse gases through the more efficient use of energy.

This event is by invitation only. For more information on the Global Efficient Lighting Forum, click here.

UNEP/lites.asia monitoring, verification and enforcement webinars

In order to increase accessibility of the material being developed as part of their Southeast Asia and Pacific MVE Project, the UNEP en.lighten initiative is hosting webinars on MVE related topics. Two webinars have been held to date:

Lighting Product Benchmarking as an Energy Baseline for Change which highlighted the key aspects of benchmarking activities to ascertain the current (baseline) energy use thereby This benchmarking of existing lamps, and their usage in a given market against more efficient alternatives, provides an insight into the potential savings and benefits and assists country regulators in setting targets for energy efficiency programs.

Developing a Legislative Framework to Support Successful MVE Activities for Energy Efficient Lighting which highlighted the key elements for tailoring a legislative framework and legal structure to sustain successful MVE activities for energy efficient lighting.

Four more webinars are planned, covering:

Lamp efficacy, life and tolerances;
Sampling procedures for lamp testing programmes;
Communication of lighting product performance standards and labelling programs.

The first of these, Lamp Efficacy, Life and Tolerances, is scheduled for October and details of this, and the remaining webinars, will be circulated to lites.asia members once they have been finalised.

Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN)

UNEP announces the opening of the Climate Technology Centre and Network. Of interest to lites.asia audiences are the services offered through the CTCN and the possibility for qualified organizations to join as Network members.

The CTCN responds to requests for services received from developing countries. Requests must be submitted by National Designated Entities. CTCN assistance is tailored to: help countries identify climate technologies (such as efficient lighting) that are suitable to their needs; create enabling conditions to deploy these technologies; and, facilitate access to funding to support climate technology use. CTCN does not provide direct funding; instead, it delivers technical assistance from experts on specific climate technology sectors.

CTCN welcomes new network members. Members provide technical assistance that matches their expertise. They can participate in CTCN events, exchange information and provide experts for webinars, e-learning courses and other training.

Australian Government Energy Rating App

In July 2014, the Australian Government released its Energy Rating app designed to help households and businesses save money on their power bills by choosing energy efficient appliances. Based on the energy rating label data, the app is the first of its kind to show power use over the life of a product in dollars, rather than kilowatt hours. With the app available on mobile phones, consumers will be able to access energy efficiency data at the point of purchase, whether in-store or online, and factor running costs into their purchasing decisions.

As Australia has minimum energy performance standards for lighting but not a labelling program, the app does not currently include lighting products. However, it provides an interesting model for consumer engagement that may be of interest to countries that do have energy rating labelling for lighting products.

To download a copy of the app, click here. A copy of the media release launching the app is available here.