DesignLights Consortium

What DesignLights Consortium does

The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) is an independent nonprofit organization, operating under the 501(c)(3) entity Efficiency Forward, Inc., that maintains the largest verified registry of high-performing commercial LED lighting, horticultural lighting, networked lighting controls (NLC), and LUNA (Light Use for Night Applications) outdoor products in North America. Founded in 2015 as a spinoff from Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and headquartered in Medford, Massachusetts, DLC develops and stewards four Qualified Products Lists (QPLs) - SSL/LED, Horticultural, NLC, and LUNA - against which manufacturers submit products through the MyDLC portal for independent third-party review against published technical requirements covering efficacy, controllability, and quality. The organization also runs a surveillance testing program for ongoing quality assurance and develops requirements through a transparent stakeholder process involving public comment periods, technical committees, and working groups.

The DLC's core technology is the QPL database and qualification engine, supported by technical requirements versioning (SSL V6.0, LUNA V2.0, Hort V4.0, NLC V5.2), the MyDLC submission portal, and integration resources for NLC-HVAC interoperability. The organization is funded by two primary revenue streams: recurring membership dues from nearly 700 utility and energy efficiency programs across the U.S. and Canada, and transaction-based product application and listing fees paid by manufacturers (Level 1 single product, Level 2 family grouping, and private label). The QPL itself is freely accessible to the public with account registration, positioning DLC as a neutral, third-party verifier rather than a paid data vendor. A third-party estimate from NAILD places DLC's annual revenue at approximately $10 million, consistent with a small team of 11-50 employees whose collective lighting expertise exceeds 200 years.

DLC serves a dual-sided market: utilities and energy efficiency programs use the QPLs to validate product eligibility for rebates and ensure ratepayer dollars fund verified efficient products, while lighting manufacturers pursue DLC qualification to access utility rebate channels and signal product quality to specifiers, designers, and building owners. Government customers, including the U.S. General Services Administration which mandates DLC-qualified products under P100 Facilities Standards, add a regulatory anchor. Strategic governance is provided by a board with representation from Microsoft, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ernst & Young, Centrica Business Solutions, and Upciti, alongside active participation in IES, ASABE, NEMA, and NCQLP standards bodies, reinforcing DLC's authority as the de facto North American lighting qualification standard.

Name

DesignLights Consortium

Legal name

Efficiency Forward, Inc. (operating as DesignLights Consortium)

Website

https://designlights.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DesignLights Consortium is an independent nonprofit that operates North America's largest verified Qualified Products Lists for commercial LED lighting, horticultural lighting, networked lighting controls, and dark-sky outdoor lighting, serving utilities, manufacturers, and government agencies with product qualification and rebate eligibility standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lighting Standards and Product Verification Services

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Lighting Controls & Building Integration (Drivers, sensors, dimming, lighting control panels, networked lighting) (IMAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB), Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights) (IMAGAIAK), Outdoor Lighting Inspection & Compliance (GFCI, Weatherproofing, Code) (HSAIAHAO)

Keywords

• Lighting qualification services
• Energy efficiency standards
• Qualified products lists
• Utility rebate verification
• LED certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Medford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The DLC is supported and funded by efficiency program member organizations throughout the US and Canada. Members include utilities, energy efficiency programs, and regional/state organizations that pay dues to participate and influence DLC policy development.
2. Product Listing Fees: Manufacturers pay application and listing fees to have products reviewed and listed on the QPLs. These fees support program operations, technical research, policy development, and stakeholder engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DesignLights Consortium operates four Qualified Products Lists (QPLs) that verify high-performing commercial lighting and control products for energy efficiency, controllability, quality, and light pollution mitigation. Manufacturers submit LED lighting, horticultural lighting, networked lighting control systems, and LUNA outdoor lighting products with accredited test reports for independent qualification review. The verified data is published as publicly searchable QPLs used by nearly 700 utility and energy efficiency programs to validate rebate eligibility.

Product overview

The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) operates a multi-list Qualified Products List (QPL) ecosystem comprising four distinct product categories: the SSL/LED QPL (the world's largest verified list of high-performing commercial LED lighting products), the Horticultural QPL (for CEA/growing facilities), the NLC QPL (for networked lighting controls enabling connected buildings), and the LUNA QPL (for dark-sky-friendly outdoor lighting). Manufacturers access the MyDLC portal to submit products for qualification review against DLC's technical requirements. The DLC also provides surveillance testing, application support, and NLC-HVAC integration resources. The organization is an initiative of Efficiency Forward, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LUNA: Light Use for Night Applications - outdoor lighting program addressing light pollution while maintaining energy efficiency
• Horticultural Lighting Program
• Networked Lighting Controls (NLC)
• SSL/LED Lighting Program

Products and services

• SSL/LED Qualified Products List (QPL) The world's largest verified list of high-performing commercial LED lighting products. Manufacturers submit LED luminaires with accredited test reports for independent third-party qualification against DLC technical requirements covering energy efficiency, controllability, and quality. Used by nearly 700 utility and energy efficiency programs to validate rebate eligibility and adopted by U.S. federal facilities standards.
• Horticultural Lighting Qualified Products List (Hort QPL) Verified list of energy-efficient LED lighting products designed for horticultural and controlled environment agriculture applications. The QPL supports growers and utilities seeking to validate energy-efficient lighting for indoor farming, greenhouse, and vertical farm operations, with listed fixtures up more than 54% since 2020.
• Networked Lighting Controls Qualified Products List (NLC QPL) Verified list of networked lighting control systems for commercial buildings that enable energy savings, building optimization, and connectivity to support carbon reduction goals. Launched in 2018 to support energy savings across North America.
• LUNA Qualified Products List (LUNA QPL) Verified list of outdoor LED lighting products meeting additional performance criteria that minimize light pollution while maintaining energy efficiency, protecting dark skies and nocturnal environments. Required by the U.S. GSA P100 Facilities Standards for federal building outdoor lighting.
• MyDLC Portal Online portal for manufacturers to create accounts, submit product applications for qualification, manage product listings, and access QPL data. Required for submitting SSL, Hort, NLC, and LUNA products for DLC qualification review.
• Surveillance Testing Program Ongoing quality assurance service that periodically re-evaluates, updates, or delists products to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the Qualified Products Lists across SSL, Hort, NLC, and LUNA programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000 TWh of electricity saved from LED adoption (2010-2022) at nonresidential locations across North America
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory participates in DLC governance through Board member Alecia Ward, Leader of Program and Business Development, providing expertise in energy efficiency, sustainability, and climate policy.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft participates in DLC governance through Board member Pat Lo, Americas Power & Utility Executive, bringing expertise in electricity sector innovation, strategy, and partnerships.
• Ernst & YoungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErnst & Young participates in DLC governance through Board member Carlos Nouel, Managing Director in Tech Consulting, providing expertise in clean energy solutions and utility transformation.
• Centrica Business SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentrica Business Solutions participates in DLC governance through Board member Regina Durga, VP of Sales North America, contributing expertise in integrated energy solutions and sustainability.
• UpciticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUpciti participates in DLC governance through Board member Larissa Paredes Muse, Strategic Relationships Manager, bringing expertise in smart city development and urban innovation.
• Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLC staff actively participate in IES committees including Testing Procedures Committee, Lighting Control Systems Committee, Horticultural Lighting Committee, Color Committee, and others to inform technical requirements development.
• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLC staff participate in ASABE Energy Systems (ES) 310 Committee developing horticultural lighting standards (S640, S642, S644) that are incorporated into DLC horticultural technical requirements.
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLC actively participates in NEMA C137 Lighting Systems Committee and C136 Committee developing standards for networked lighting controls and roadway lighting that inform DLC technical requirements.
• National Council on Qualifications for Lighting Professions (NCQLP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLC has been involved in NCQLP governance for over 10 years. Liesel Whitney-Schulte serves on the Board of Directors. DLC staff including Aaron Feldman, Leora Radetsky, Jason Jeunnette, and Liesel have obtained Lighting Certified (LC) credentials.
• Resource Innovation Institute (RII)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLC staff participate in RII Technical Advisory Council developing best practice guides for horticultural lighting, controls, and water circularity in controlled environment agriculture.
• DLC Utility and Energy Efficiency Members (Nearly 700 programs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNearly 700 utility and energy efficiency programs throughout the US and Canada are DLC members. These programs use DLC QPLs to validate rebate eligibility and contribute to DLC policy development through the Technical Committee and working groups.
• U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSA updated its P100 Facilities Standards to require DLC LUNA-qualified outdoor lighting products for federal buildings, expanding on existing requirements for DLC Solid-State Lighting products.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designlightsssl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designlights-consortium

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DesignLights Consortium