Round-Robin Testing for Lighting Appliances in ASEAN: An Assessment of Testing Laboratory Capacity in Supporting the MEPS for Lighting Appliances

Energy-efficient lighting plays an important role in lowering energy demand in buildings, particularly as lighting accounts for roughly 20% of electricity consumption across Southeast Asia. Under the ASEAN regional policy roadmap, ASEAN Member States (AMS) committed to introducing mandatory MEPS by 2023, with a minimum efficacy threshold of 80 lm/W for all non-directional LED lamps, along with linear LED lamps and fluorescent lamps within the agreed scope. To support the effective implementation of this regional commitment, Round-Robin Testing (RRT) is essential to align and strengthen testing laboratory capabilities across the region, recognising laboratories as a critical backbone of MEPS enforcement.

The RRT programme was therefore designed to reinforce appliance standards and market surveillance systems. It engaged four national laboratories from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, and focused on two commonly used lighting products: single- capped LED lamps and double-capped linear LED lamps. Before circulation, all test samples were subjected to homogeneity and stability assessments in line with ISO 13528:2022, ensuring the reliability of the artefacts used for interlaboratory comparison.