For the past century, incandescent lamps have been the standard bearer in home and office lighting options, however they are much less efficient than the newer alternative, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). That is because the majority of electricity used to power incandescent bulbs generates heat, not light, and light bulbs are an incredibly inefficient way of generating heat. And though you might think everyone already knows about CFLs, not every light fixture in every office is already fluorescent. Some desk lamps, accent lighting, or lights in out of the way areas may be incandescent lamps, begging for a change.
A 25-watt CFL has the same light output as a 100-watt incandescent. The 75 percent reduction in energy use is only one way in which these bulbs produce savings. CFLs also last much longer, typically nine to ten times longer than incandescent lamps, so there is really no need for changing all those burned out bulbs and paying high electric bills. CFLs are constantly becoming cheaper as production increases along with consumer demand, although their initial cost is still more than an incandescent bulb.
CFLs should be installed in places where the light is usually on for long period of time. In those locations, they can pay for themselves very quickly. If you pay $3- $6 on average for a 25-watt CFL and install it in place of a 100-watt incandescent that usually operates 8 hours a day, it can pay for itself in less than a year, generating a very cost effective Return on Investment. Your return will be even greater with utility rebates that may be available in your area. Where lights are operated frequently, CFLs are a great option to cut energy and maintenance costs.
Lighting accounts for about 21% of an office's energy costs and CFL bulbs use 66% less energy and last up to ten times as long as incandescent bulbs. They now come in a range of sizes, fitting any type of fixture; and styles, including full-spectrum, which mimics natural sunlight.
Test out one of each - Soft white, Bright White, or Daylight, and see which one works best for your employees at different locations. Also consider choosing the ones that have a 'covered' dome over the spiral bulb for safety and a better looking fixture - especially for recessed lighting.
For example, if you were to replace 20 incandescent bulbs that are 60 Watts with a life expectancy of 1,500 hours, with CFLs that only use 14 Watts and last 10,000 hours, each bulb could save you on average $4 to $7 per year. The ROI Calculation is based on replacing 20 bulbs that actually burn 750 hours per year with CFLs that cost $3.00- $6.00 each, and average cost of electricity that is $2.76 per day.
If you are targeting your light fixtures as potential money-savers, it will be helpful to take a look at GREENandSAVE.com's section on Solar Path and Garden Lights. For more 'Green' tips on making your home or office more sustainable, check out their Return on Investment Table, which is full of other money-saving tips.
