Your Source for Interior Design Information


Energy Conservation Series - Lighting


There are millions of ways to conserve energy around your home, one of which being proper lighting. Approximately 5% - 10% of a home's electricity use comes from lighting.

One of the easiest ways to conserve energy is to purchase light fixtures given the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR states "Changing the world starts with simple actions. When you replace light bulbs or entire light fixtures in your home with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, you help preserve energy resources and contribute to a cleaner environment while saving money and time buying and changing lights in your home. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting provides bright, warm light while it requires 2/3 less energy than standard lighting, generates 70% less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer. ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures are available in hundreds of popular styles, including portable fixtures-such as table, desk, floor and torchiere lamps-and hard-wired fixtures such as outdoor, cabinet, suspended, ceiling-mount, recessed, wall-mount, and ceiling fans."

By changing out 5 standard light fixtures or bulbs in your home with energy efficient ones, you could over $60 per year. That's not bad considering an energy efficient compact fluorescent bulb costs only around $5 and lasts for about 7 years.

Many people are unaware that energy use in homes can create more greenhouse gasses than cars since they require power plants to produce more power, thus emitting more greenhouse gasses. By using energy efficient light fixtures and bulbs, you can reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions and help protect the environment.



For more information on the products mentioned above, click here,
or visit the designer resources section of this website.