Lighting manufacturers are adding their voices to the call to exempt stage lighting from the proposed new European regulations for Ecodesign. As previously reported, leading figures in the entertainment technology world are seriously concerned about the impact to stage lighting and the industry if the regulations went ahead as proposed.
At the time of writing, a petition from the Association of Lighting Designers calling for the exemption – as part of the ALD’s Save Stage Lighting campaign – has received over 45,000 signatures.
The Energy Directorate’s Ecodesign Working Plan 2016-2019, and its associated proposed regulations, would impose a minimum efficiency of 85 lumens per watt and a maximum standby power of 0.5W on all light sources, which would come into effect in 2020.
Udo Kuenzler, managing director of GLP, said: “If this becomes law it could mean extinction for theatres, concert venues and other sections of the performing arts, since no tungsten fixtures and many LED-based entertainment fixtures don’t appear to meet these requirements.”
Josef Valchar, CEO of Robe Lighting, is petitioning the Czech government and Czech Euro MPs to request the exemption. “I cannot stress the importance of this enough,” said Valchar. “Every manufacturer, rental company, venue, LD, technician and other individual or organisation involved in any aspect of entertainment lighting or in producing events and performances should have a vested interest in opening a sensible and measured discussion about how it affects stage luminaires producing less than 85 lumens per watt”.
He continued: “It is imperative that EU industry leaders petition lawmakers in their own countries and urge them to start a dialogue on these proposals which will affect the industry so dramatically.”
GLP and Robe manufacturers stress that they are not opposed to the principle of low-energy lighting sources, and are actively developing these in their R&D policies.
“GLP stands for the responsible use of energy and the resources of our planet. However, it is not very helpful do this on flat-rate regulations as provided for in the current EU working paper,” said Kuenzler. “Therefore, we advocate that the next stage of the Ecodesign Directive should not include professional lighting technology.”
The deadline for making representations to the European Commission on this issue is 7 May.
Kuenzler concluded: “There is no time to lose. We need to act as a united industry now to prevent these proposals from becoming enshrined in law.”
