Horticultural Lighting and Agricultural Lighting

As the global demand for sustainable agriculture and controlled environment farming expands, lighting manufacturers look to design products that not only deliver optimal plant growth but also meet stringent regulatory and performance standards. Intertek provides comprehensive testing, certification, and advisory services for horticultural and agricultural lighting products, helping you enter global markets with confidence.

Horticultural Luminaires and Grow Light Testing

Horticultural and agricultural lighting products operate under environmental and biological conditions far beyond those encountered by general-purpose lighting. These systems are engineered to promote photosynthesis, flowering, and fruiting in controlled environments like vertical farms, greenhouses, and hydroponic systems. As such, they are evaluated for:

• Electrical safety in high-moisture, corrosion-prone, and thermally stressful environments
• Ingress protection (IP ratings) and corrosion resistance
• Photobiological safety, including impact on humans and plant biology
• Spectral performance, including Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy (PPE)

What are the standards & requirements for horticultural lighting?

Historically, general lighting standards like ANSI/UL 1598 were used to evaluate LED luminaires, but these do not account for the specific needs of plant growth lighting. To address this gap, the ANSI/CAN/UL 8800 standard was developed specifically for horticultural lighting equipment, covering unique safety considerations like elevated ambient temperatures, water exposure, and non-traditional mounting orientations.

In addition to ANSI/UL 8800, industry-leading organizations have established new testing methodologies:

• ANSI/ASABE S642: Defines methods for measuring optical radiation in plant lighting systems, including spectral distribution, PAR, and photon flux density
• ANSI/ASABE S644: Introduces performance metrics and measurement techniques to assess system-level uniformity, light quality, and spectral tuning in horticultural applications
• ANSI/IES LM-79 and ANSI/IES TM-33: Applied where relevant for Photosynthetic Active Radiation performance metrics, spectral reporting using XML-based formats, and IES files for lighting layouts
• DLC® Horticultural Lighting QPL: Requires third-party testing for listing eligibility, emphasizing PPE and spectral quality for rebate eligibility

Horticultural Lighting Testing & Certification | Fact Sheet

Intertek’s Horticultural Lighting fact sheet clarifies the unique compliance requirements for these products and recommends best practices for testing, assessment, and certification.

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What are Intertek's Capabilities for Horticultural Luminaires and Agricultural Lighting?

Intertek delivers the expertise, speed, and global reach to help you bring horticultural lighting and agricultural grow light products to market—faster, safer, and with confidence. Whether you’re developing LED fixtures, spectrum-tuned lighting, or full-system solutions, Intertek is your trusted testing and certification partner.

Our global network of laboratories and technical experts deliver:

• ETL Certification to ANSI/UL 8800 and applicable safety standards
• DLC® QPL testing and advisory for utility rebate eligibility
• Full photometric and radiometric testing including ANSI/ASABE S642/S644 methods
• Thermal and environmental validation for IP rating, corrosion, and long-term performance
• Custom engineering and advisory support from concept through commercialization