SSL Technical Requirements V5.1 works to maximize energy savings and user benefits of commercial LEDs by requiring listed products to include advances in lighting quality and control functionality. With the transition to SSL Technical Requirements V5.1 quickly approaching, the DLC wants to highlight some important information and dates to remember:

For Submitters: Updating V5.0 listed products to V5.1

• April 15, 2022: Deadline to submit applications to update V5.0 listed products to V5.1. Any V5.1 update applications submitted after April 15 run the risk of being temporarily delisted on June 30 while the review of the application is completed. Manufacturers are encouraged to submit early to ensure that there is no disruption in listing of their product(s).
• Beginning April 15, review priority will be given to applications updating V5.0 products to V5.1, which may impact review timeframes for all other SSL application types. 
• June 30, 2022: All products that have not been updated to V5.1 will be delisted.

Full industry guidance and other resources related to the V5.1 transition are available here. For questions, please email applications@designlights.org.

Why update your products to V5.1?

SSL Technical Requirements V5.1 works to maximize energy savings and user benefits of commercial LEDs. Because listed products are required to include advances in lighting quality and control functionality, V5.1 products are more attractive options for lighting upgrade projects. Over 90% of DLC Members offer rebates for commercial LED lighting and reference DLC listing for eligibility, so it’s important to update your products to ensure they’re still eligible for rebates.

• Efficacy increases introduced in SSL Technical Requirements V5.0 is maintained in V5.1 for all products (by 12% on average) saving more energy than before.
• Improved quality of light encompasses the characteristics of lighting that impact productivity, performance, comfort, mood, safety, health, wellbeing, and more. V5.1 includes new requirements for spectral quality and light distribution that will improve the quality of light of DLC listed products. 
• Additional controllability requirements ensure nearly all DLC categories of lighting are dimmable, supporting additional energy savings and promoting better quality of light for people living and working in the built environment.

For QPL Users: What will change on the QPL?

• June 30, 2022: The DLC will delist any V5.0 products from the SSL QPL that have not yet qualified as V5.1.
• July 1, 2022: The QPL will be fully transitioned to V5.1 products. Please note: V5.0 product will still be viewable on the QPL by searching for products with a listing status of “delisted”.

Once fully implemented, utilities may require V5.1 for rebate eligibility and additional incentives for networked lighting controls (NLC) and luminaire level lighting controls (LLLC) in conjunction with controllable SSL products. In preparation, now is a good time for distributors to evaluate their stock to ensure products will be eligible for rebates for V5.1 compliant lighting and controls.

Please read the DLC’s blog posts for more information on the SSL V5.1 transition and the benefits of dimming.