In an interesting article titled Light bulbs – the neglected power consumer in LEDs Magazine, there’s an intersting point made in passing that I never considered when it comes to adoption of solid state lighting in the home:

While Underwriters Laboratory (UL) states there is no approval process required as a prelude to entering the market, virtually every electrical supply and lighting concern, electrical contractor, and architect this author has contacted states that no local building inspector will approve a (LED) light fixture unless it has been UL-listed or UL-approved in some manner. This adds further delays and thousands of dollars to the process.

Wow, that’s interesting and a little surprising. Besides that little gem, there are some familiar themes in this article: thermal management is key, future improvements will help drive adoption, and incandescent lamps are among the most wasteful uses of power in the home.