Do Go Into these Lights

CFLs, LEDs and Plasma Induction all reduce utility bills, but which one is right for you?

By Heather Curless

The Department of Energy estimates that electric lighting accounts for about 11 percent of a home’s energy usage.  This percentage can be more for businesses as they use artificial lighting for longer periods of time each day.

High-efficiency lighting automatically means energy savings and lower costs.  But the savings vary with the type of lighting. And the type of light varies from product to product. Of special note with winter approaching: Fluorescent and LED lights are among those used in light therapy for an array of problems, including Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Fluorescent tube and compact fluorescents (CFLs) are probably the best known of the high-efficiency lighting types.  CFLs are most commonly used in residential settings.  They last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and use 50- to 80-percent less energy.

While CFL light quality has greatly improved over the years, the light  from a CFL might seem dimmer than an incandescent, so it’s important to determine the correct lumen output before you replace a whole house of lights. In addition, if you’re going to use the lights in dimmable fixtures, look for that specification on the packaging as many CFLs are not dimmable.

Many people also are concerned about the mercury content of the CFL, however trace, which can become an issue if you break a bulb, or when you dispose of a bulb.  Newer fluorescent technology options are becoming available with increased lifespans.  These options will reduce the frequency with which the lights will need to be replaced , which will reduce the number of fluorescent products being disposed of.

There are two other high-efficiency lighting products currently available: LED and Plasma Induction.

Both LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and Plasma Induction use considerably less energy than CFLs and have lifespans of up to 60,000 hours.  Both are color-corrected to match the color of light that people are used to seeing from an incandescent.

LEDs come in a variety of sizes and lumen output to fit almost any application. The light from an LED does not travel as far as an incandescent, so again, it is important to select the correct lumen output before replacing lights throughout a building.

Plasma Induction products typically are used in recessed cans, hard-to-reach spaces, and protected exterior fixtures.

So let’s talk numbers.  A typical 3-watt LED is equivalent to a 40- watt incandescent in light output.  The average cost for a kilowatt-hour (kWh) in Ohio in 2009 was $0.11 for a residence.  Running a device that uses 1000 watts for one hour equals one kWh.  Assuming that artificial lighting is used about 2000 hours per year in a typical household, a 3- watt LED would cost about $0.65 per year to use as compared to about $8 per year for an incandescent.

These figures do not take into consideration that incandescents produce considerable amounts of heat when in use, which also contributes to extra cooling costs.  LEDs do have a higher initial cost than incandescents, about $45 versus $1.50.  With a lifespan of 50,000 hours, however, an LED would only need to be changed about every 25 years.

At the same rate of usage, an incandescent, with a lifespan of 1000 hours at best, would need to be changed two times per year.  Considering purchase price and energy costs, assuming costs remain the same, an LED would cost a homeowner about $61 over 25 years as compared to an incandescent, which would cost $275 during the same period.   When multiplied by the number of lights per home, it is clear that there is substantial savings in simply changing to high-efficiency lighting.

For businesses, the savings can be even greater when you consider the maintenance and disposal fees associated with changing light bulbs.  Likewise, there are rebates and financing available for businesses making energy -efficient upgrades.

Lighting is just one of many steps that can be taken to improve building energy efficiency, but it is an easy first step that will quickly save on utility bills.

Heather Curless is Our LEED AP, an architect and owner of Greener Stock in Cincinnati, www.greenerstock.com