February 15, 2023
The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) issued the final release of their Horticultural Technical Requirements V3.0 in late November 2022, and the new specifications will go into effect in March 2023. This is one of the most expansive updates to the technical requirements in the horticultural program since its initiation, with an additional surveillance testing policy along with other technical and reporting updates. Currently, listed V2.1 products have a pathway to update their listings until February 2024.
Technical and reporting requirements V3.0
The DLC has introduced an updated efficacy requirement and implemented additional reporting requirements to further support and accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient lighting and controls in controlled environments for agriculture. The program’s first photosynthetic photon efficacy (PPE) increase now sets the efficacy threshold at 2.3 μmol × J-1, which is more than a 20% increase over the existing efficacy requirement. Dimming capability for some products is another added requirement, supported through manufacturer reporting only. Along with dimming, the DLC will require more product-level controllability information for reporting, including control methods, control capabilities and connector/transmission hardware.
Horticulture surveillance testing policy
The DLC has implemented a surveillance testing policy for the Horticultural Technical Requirements V3.0 to monitor the validity of data and reported information submitted to the DLC. This will help protect the integrity and value of the Horticulture Lighting Qualified Products List (QPL) for all stakeholders. Similar to the SSL surveillance testing policy, the program will focus on selecting products with a higher-than-average risk of noncompliance in several areas, as well as an assortment of random selections. Product performance will be verified against the technical requirements, as well as the initially supplied information for the QPL. As this is a surveillance testing policy for the V3.0 specification, the first round of selections will not be made until 2024 for products listed to V3.0.
If you are considering submitting for inclusion on the DLC’s QPL or seeking to update your horticultural listings to the new V3.0 requirements, please contact UL Solutions for support.
Horticultural Lighting Testing and Certification
Understand the options for safety and performance testing and certification of your horticultural and floricultural lighting equipment and systems.
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