The ENERGY STAR Residential Fixture Project is to build upon a national initiative, the ENERGY STAR Phase One Executive Committee (which is made up of industry experts from manufacturing, lighting showrooms, utility companies, the EPA, and program administrators) initiated by APT.

The "Purpose" of this committee is: To solidify a committee of industry experts to advance and expand the national marketplace for ENERGY STAR lighting fixtures available at lighting showrooms. The "Vision" of the Committee is: To have lighting showrooms agree to stock, and enthusiastically promote and sell ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures. T o have manufacturers produce high quality, aesthetically pleasing ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures that are competitively priced and available.

Through survey and analysis of the market actors and members of the Committee the key barriers were identified as to "why ENERGY STAR lighting fixtures have not advanced beyond where they are today in lighting showrooms." One of the most significant barriers identified by the Committee is the "cost of producing the products to meet the ENERGY STAR specifications." Included in this barrier are the issues of cost of research and development, the cost of the compact fluorescent technology in comparison to incandescent, and the expense of the product to consumers. After identifying the barriers, the Committee worked to develop strategies for advancing the marketplace for ENERGY STAR fixtures in lighting showrooms. Strategies that targeted funding research and development and leveraging industry dollars applied to five of the top seven barriers.

The Committee witnessed the proverbial "chicken and egg" scenario between the manufacturers and the lighting showrooms. This scenario was finally broken when the manufacturers realized that if they produced high performance lighting fixtures, then the showrooms would sell them. The ENERGY STAR Residential Fixture Project will make funding available to manufacturers responding to a partner's request and selection criteria for producing an ENERGY STAR qualified fixture. As part of the criteria evaluators will consider the level of distribution and impact on the California marketplace.