DesignLights Consortium (DLC) Quick Facts

About the DLC

What is the DesignLights Consortium (DLC)?

• The DLC is an independent nonprofit organization that drives energy efficiency and sustainability through performance-based lighting and controls standards. Our mission is to reduce energy use, carbon emissions, and light pollution by accelerating market adoption of advanced, efficient lighting and controls.
• We develop technical specifications and Qualified Products Lists (QPLs) that help utilities, manufacturers, and building owners identify energy-efficient, high-performing lighting and controls.
• To do this, we collaborate with utilities and energy-efficiency programs, manufacturers, designers, research institutions, and government agencies across North America.
• The DLC QPLs are required by nearly 700 utility and energy efficiency programs to be eligible for rebates.
• From 2010 to 2022, the rollout and adoption of LED lighting saved 1,000 TWh of electricity at nonresidential locations across North America.

How the DLC Works

How does DLC create its requirements and policies?

• DLC’s policies are data-driven and fully transparent. They are developed through research, stakeholder engagement, and public comment periods open to all industry participants.
• We hold public comment periods (typically six weeks), webinars, and briefings. On average, nearly 30 percent of final policy content changes based on stakeholder feedback.
• Policies are guided and informed by industry standards developed by American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) along with technical data, peer-reviewed research, and feedback from utilities, manufacturers, and other stakeholders.
• The DLC updates its requirements periodically to reflect new technologies, market trends, and performance improvements with published timelines and transition periods to minimize disruption.

How does the DLC collaborate with industry partners?

• DLC staff present regularly at major lighting and energy efficiency conferences to share updates and gather feedback.
• The DLC actively participates in NEMA Lighting Working Group meetings and other key industry roundtables.
• Nearly half of the DLC team are active members of the IES, and participate on external committees contributing to ongoing standards development.
• The DLC hosts an annual Summit that brings together utilities, manufacturers, designers, and other stakeholders for in-person collaboration on policies and implementation.
• The DLC’s Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) includes 16 representatives across sectors—large, medium, and small manufacturers, controls manufacturers, distributors, and specifiers—to ensure balanced input from all corners of the lighting industry.
• The DLC convenes committees and working groups that consist of industry group participants, manufacturers, distributors, utilities and energy efficiency programs. Each operate under clear charters and agreements specifying purpose, scope and confidentiality – ensuring open and accountable collaboration.

Qualified Products List (QPL)

What is the QPL?

• The QPL is a publicly available database of lighting and control products that meet the DLC’s verified performance requirements for energy efficiency, controllability, and quality.
• The QPL is free to use, but requires creating an account to access and/or download data.
• For products to be added to the QPL, manufacturers submit applications with test reports from accredited laboratories and other documentation. The DLC conducts an independent, third-party review to verify performance claims before listing products.
• Products are periodically re-evaluated, updated, or delisted as requirements evolve. The DLC also performs surveillance testing to maintain integrity and accuracy.

How does a product get listed on the QPL?

Step 1:       Manufacturers submit accredited test reports and documentation.

Step 2:       Trained reviewers independently evaluate data against DLC requirements.

Step 3:       Automated checks verify accuracy and flag inconsistencies.

Step 4:       Approved products are published with searchable attributes and version tags. Delisted products remain viewable under a “Delisted” filter.

Rebates and Market Impact

How do rebate programs work and who benefits?

• Utilities and energy-efficiency programs use the DLC QPL to validate product eligibility for rebates. This ensures rebate dollars fund products that deliver real energy savings. The DLC does not sell products or set rebates. We provide the technical performance data that utilities use to design rebate and incentive programs.
• Rebates benefit end users, contractors, and distributors by reducing upfront costs and benefit manufacturers whose efficient products gain wider market access.
• The DLC drives innovation by linking incentives to verified performance and rebates motivate manufacturers to exceed minimum standards and continually improve product design, quality, and efficiency.

Impact and Benefits

What is the DLC’s impact?

• For more than a decade, the DLC has helped utilities and partners save billions of kilowatt-hours, reduce carbon emissions, and improve lighting quality and control adoption across North America.
• By setting clear, evolving performance thresholds, the DLC challenges manufacturers to push technology forward while maintaining fairness and consistency in the market.
• The DLC continues to evolve—expanding into networked lighting controls, horticultural lighting, sustainability metrics, and building integration to support the next generation of energy efficiency and carbon reduction.

Who benefits from the DLC’s work?

• Utilities: Reliable, consistent rebate frameworks.
• Manufacturers: Clear, fair performance benchmarks.
• Consumers: Access to efficient, high-quality products.
• Communities: Reduced energy costs and environmental impact.

Governance and Accountability

How is the DLC governed and how are funds used?

• The DLC operates under the nonprofit Efficiency Forward and is overseen by a Board of Directors that reviews and approves budgets and policies.
• Listing fees and member dues support program operations, technical research, policy development, and stakeholder engagement—not product sales or lobbying.
• The DLC maintains full transparency through audited financials, annual reports, IRS Form 990 filings, and a 4-star Charity Navigator rating for accountability and governance.

Connect, Contribute and Collaborate with the DLC

• For questions on listings or requirements, please use Info@designlights.org
  • To keep up with the latest DLC news please subscribe to our newsletter 
  • All news and events are published with past events and slides on our News & Events page
• For suspected non-conformance: Providing any model numbers and evidence using the logo misuse and surveillance reporting form allows the DLC to investigate under the surveillance policy.
• Policy ideas: Participation is always welcome in public comment periods for technical requirements or email us to request a briefing. Substantive feedback informs revisions.

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