The goal of this project is to develop, test, and evaluate prototype, energy-efficient, "low-profile" LED luminaires. These fixtures will be optimized to take advantage of the optical characteristics of LEDs for such applications as task lighting, under-cabinet lighting, shelf, and display lighting. PIER Goals

The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is leading the research and development work for this project.

This project meets the PIER goal of Improving the Energy Cost/Value of California's Electricity by lower demand for electricity. This project also meets the secondary goal of improving the Reliability/Quality of California's Electricity by allowing building owners to shed load quickly and easily at times of peak demand. This project will help improve the overall efficiency and, potentially, the reliability of California's electricity.

The objectives of this project are to:

• Develop prototype LED luminaires for specific applications (i.e., under cabinet lighting, retail display lighting) that will use up to 20 percent less energy than incandescent and halogen lighting technologies typically used in these applications.
• Optimize the efficiency, size, and optical performance of LED luminaires to meet the lighting design needs of the selected applications.
• Improve the cost effectiveness of current LED luminaire technology.
• Develop LED luminaires that will be easily controllable, dimmable, and will quickly respond to needs for peak electric demand reduction.

The low-profile LED luminaires that will be developed in this project will use light more effectively for selected applications than currently available lighting technologies.

This means that building owners and electric ratepayers will get more light where needed for specific tasks, while using less electricity. These LED luminaires will also be easily controllable and dimmable and therefore will be able to respond quickly to a building owner's need to reduce electric load in his or her building.

These luminaires will also be readily commercializable and will be designed to use the most efficient LED technology available. This will ensure a rapid introduction into the California market following project completion.

At the conclusion of the project, the LRC will produce full-scale laboratory prototypes of each luminaire developed and will test these prototypes to ensure that they meet the stated objectives.