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Managing Your Electrical Usage
Energy Saving Tips
Energy Efficient Lighting
The average home has about 30 light fixtures. With today's
advanced technology, there's an opportunity to save energy
and money with every one of them while keeping your home
well lit.
How much light do you need?
People often use high wattage light bulbs when a lower one would do
the job. If you're buying traditional incandescent bulbs, try the
newer energy saving ones that come in slightly lower wattage.
Choose 34, 52, 90 and 135W bulbs to replace 40, 60, 100 and 150W
lights. You'll save energy and barely notice a difference.
Lighting in the home falls into two broad categories. General
room lighting, such as ceiling and wall fixtures and table and
floor lamps, provides overall light to an area. Task lighting,
such as reading lamps, desk lights and kitchen counter lights,
is used for specific purposes.
Task lights should be positioned so they don't shine directly
into your eyes. It's advisable to use a combination of task
and general room lights. Using general lighting for task lighting
can light the room too harshly and strain the eyes. The right
balance provides a pleasant indoor environment and an efficient
use of electricity.
Compact Fluorescents Put Power Savings in a New Light
Gone are the days when fluorescent lights meant a ghastly blue-green tinge.
Today they all provide the same light as higher watt incandescents but use
a fraction of the energy. A 15W compact fluorescent, for example, will put
out the same amount of light as a 60W incandescent while using up to 70%
less power.
The familiar long fluorescent tubes have also been compacted to fit standard
light fixtures. Some come with adapters, others have adapters already built
in. They are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and wattages.
Compact fluorescent bulbs provide the same natural white light as incandescent
bulbs so you can use them together and still have balanced, even lighting
throughout the room.
Savings and Convenience
Compact fluorescents are more expensive than regular light bulbs, but they
pay for themselves in money savings, energy savings, and convenience.
They last up to 10 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs. When you
buy one compact fluorescent, you save the cost of nine incandescent
replacements. Since they last so much longer, they're ideal for lights
that are hard to reach, difficult to change, or are used for long periods
of time.
The benefits of compact fluorescents are easiest to see when you remember
that light output is not measured in watts, as many people believe. Watts
measure the amount of electricity a light bulb consumes. Lumens measure
the actual light output you get from a bulb.
For example: A 15W compact fluorescent puts out 900 lumens compared to a
60W incandescent that puts out 860 lumens. But the compact fluorescent
uses only 25% as much electricity. See the chart below for a comparison.
| Incandescent bulbs |
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs |
| Watts |
Lumens |
Watts |
Lumens |
| 25 |
270 |
5 |
250 |
| 40 |
510 |
7 |
400 |
| 52 |
780 |
9 |
600 |
| 60 |
860 |
15 |
900 |
| 90 |
1,540 |
18 |
1,250 |
| 100 |
1,680 |
26 |
1,800 |
More Energy-Efficient Alternatives
Fluorescent Tubes
Today's fluorescent tubes are right at home in houses and are available in enough varieties to give appropriate light for any situation. Colours include Cool White (the least expensive), which is popular in work areas, Standard Warm White Deluxe for general room lighting, and Deluxe Warm White, the choice for personal grooming because it produces the most natural and flattering skin tones.
Since fluorescent tubes use 60% to 80% less energy than incandescents, they are much more economical and can spread even light over wide areas. They're the best sellers for kitchen renovations. Although they cost more than normal light bulbs, they last 10 to 20 times longer, which more than offsets the price difference.
Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs are the designer's choice for energy efficient lighting.
They are similar to incandescents but produce a whiter light, use an
average of 40% less electricity, last two to four times longer and
come in spot or flood types.
There are two main types of halogen bulbs. One operates on standard
household voltage and can replace incandescent bulbs. The other type
is a low voltage (12 volts) halogen or quartz halogen bulb. It is
very small and is designed for fixtures that have a built-in transformer
to lower the voltage. The advantage of these small bulbs is that they
give the same output as the larger ones while using up to 50% less power
than a regular light bulb. Their size also allows them to fit into
very compact, stylish fixtures.
Forty and 90 watt halogen PAR (parabolic aluminum reflector) lamps
replace 75 and 150 watt spot and flood lights. They are ideal for
track lighting, pot lights, recessed down lights and outdoor security
lights. Other models are available for specialty applications such as
highlighting art or creating pools of light.
Energy Efficient Incandescent Bulbs
These are regular incandescent light bulbs that have been improved
to use less energy, with slightly less output. While they don't
save as much energy as compact fluorescents, they can be used
with dimmers, they work well outdoors and they fit any light
fixture that takes a regular bulb.
Think twice about incandescent bulbs known as "long life" or
"extended life." They may sound like an efficient choice but
the names are a bit deceiving. Yes, they do last a long time-1,500
to 10,000 hours compared to 750 to 1,000 hours for a normal bulb-but
they emit up to 30% less light while using the same amount of energy.
Dimmer Switches Cut the Cost and Set the Mood
You can make regular incandescent bulbs more efficient by replacing
your on/off switches with dimmers. Check these advantages:
- Dimmers are inexpensive and serve a number of purposes.
- Turning light levels down saves energy and extends bulb life.
- Lights can be brighter in one part of the room than another.
- Dimmers allow you to set a mood.
In some cases, they allow you to combine task and general lighting
on the same fixtures. If you already have dimmer switches and find
that you're always dimming the lights to get an acceptable level,
you should consider lower wattage bulbs.
Motion Sensors with Halogen Lamps
These are an excellent way to light pathways and provide a warm
welcome. For security purposes you can tune the sensor to detect
movement within certain areas. Motion sensors are also available
for indoor use to replace regular light switches. For maximum efficiency,
look for a motion sensor that will not be triggered in daylight.
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