CO-OP LIVING
BeyoNd Swirly Bulbs O
Federal regulations spur new lighting options By Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC
n hot summer evenings children love chas- ing fi refl ies, often catching them in jars. Then the real magic begins, as the inter- mittent glow captivates the captors. That same sense of wonder can be found in labs as scientists refine the process of making light- emitting diodes (LEDs)—highly-efficient light- bulbs comparable to a fi refl ies’ glow. LEDs have been commonly used as solitary sensor lights in electronics; now manufacturers are searching for economical ways to contain a colony of LEDs in a single lighting shell. Just as children attempt to gather enough fi refl ies to make a lamp, an LED “jar” would create enough light output (lumens) to match that of traditional incandescent bulbs. This research is part of national effort aimed at
redefi ning household lighting. Starting in January 2012, 100-watt (W) incandescent bulbs—a tech- nology developed in the United States by Thomas Edison in 1878 and largely untouched since—must become more energy effi cient.
Federal Mandate
Why is the government shining a light on—well, lighting? The U.S. Energy Information Adminis- tration (EIA) estimates we use 13.6 percent of our nation’s energy supply to keep the lights on, and a lot of that power is wasted. If you’ve ever touched a traditional lightbulb when it’s on, you realized much of the energy (90 percent) is released as heat (ouch!). This leaves a lot of room for improvement. To tackle this issue, Congress passed the Energy Information and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). By 2014 household lightbulbs using between 40-W to 100-W will need consume at least 28 percent less energy than traditional incandescents, saving Americans an estimated $6 billion to $10 billion
in light- annually. mandates
become 70 per-
Lightbulb technology hasn’t changed much since this bulb was produced in 1892-until now. Federal mandates call for manu- facturers to increase a 100-watt (W) bulb’s energy effi ciency by 28 percent in 2012. Photo source: Philips
ing costs The law also
lightbul bs cent more efficient
than classic bulbs by 2020 (LEDs already exceed this goal). “With shifting lighting options and consumers looking for every opportunity to save, navigating lighting solutions has never been so important,” declares David Schuellerman, GE Lighting’s public relations manager.
Look for Labels
Such a massive product change means consum- ers must switch from thinking about lightbulbs in terms of watts (amount of energy used) to lumens (amount of light produced).
“Lumens, not watts, tell you how bright a light bulb is, no matter the type of bulb,” explains Amy Hebert at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “The more lumens, the brighter the light.” The consumer-focused agency has designed a “Lighting Facts” label and shopping guide that compares a bulb being purchased with traditional incandescent lightbulbs based on wattages and equivalent lumens. Beginning in 2012, labels on the front and back of lightbulb packages will em- phasize a bulb’s brightness in lumens, annual en- ergy cost, and expected lifespan.
Is this a Bulb Ban?
Contrary to popular belief, the federal Energy In- formation and Security Act of 2007 does not ban incandescent bulb technology; it requires bulbs use less energy.
“It’s equivalent to standards passed in the 1980s to make refrigerators more energy effi cient, and
we’re reaping those benefi ts,” remarks Brian Slo- boda with the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), a division of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade arm of local electric co-ops. “Refrigerators use less than one-third of the electricity today than they did in the mid-1970s, but consumers can’t tell a differ- ence in how their food is cooled. The premise is, why not do the same for lightbulbs?” EISA halts the manufacture of ineffi cient light- bulbs, but stores will not remove tried-and-true incandescent bulbs from shelves come New Year’s Day. Current inventory will still be available for sale until exhausted. And the improved effi ciency requirements only apply to screw-based lightbulbs; specialty bulbs for appliances, heavy-duty bulbs, colored lights, and three-way bulbs are exempt.
Explore Your Options
Once traditional incandescents go the way of the passenger pigeon, residential bulbs will largely fi t in three categories, each stacking up a bit differ-
ently: ✓ Halogen Incandescents: Use 25 percent less energy, last three times longer than regular incan-
descent bulbs ✓ Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs): Use 75
percent less energy, last up to 10 times longer ✓ LEDs: Use between 75 percent and 80 percent less energy, last up to 25 times longer “CFL, halogen, and LED technologies all offer energy savings, but at different intervals, and all with their own pros and cons,” says Schuellerman. For consumers comfortable with their old in-
candescent bulbs, halogen incandescents will be an easy fi rst-step. Featuring a capsule of halogen gas around the bulb’s fi lament, they’re available in
GE Energy Smart CFL Bulb 6 OKLAHOMA LIVING
Thomas Edison is known as “the inventor” of the lightbulb
Incandescent Halogen GE Bulb
Photo sources: GE Lighting & Library of Congress
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