Efficiency Tips: Lighting
Electric lighting burns up to 25% of the average home energy budget. The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of the bulb itself.
- Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting. CFLs are four times more efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescents. A 22 watt CFL has about the same light output as a 100 watt incandescent. CFLs use 50 - 80% less energy than incandescents.
- Clean your light fixtures regularly.
- Turn off lights when leaving a room.
- Provide "task" lighting over desks, tool benches, etc., so that activities can be carried on without illuminating entire rooms.
- If possible, put lamps in corners of rooms, where they can reflect light from two wall surfaces instead of one.
- Use dimmable bulbs when possible.
- Install photoelectric controls or timers to make sure that outdoor lighting is turned off during the day.
