The countdown begins: Now that the longest day of the year
has come and gone, we can all look forward to sunset arriving a little earlier
each evening. And as the sun sets, light switches will be flipped up in houses
all over the country. This is no insignificant event, according to the DOE,
lighting consumes 22% of all electricity produced in the US. That 22% presents
not only a challenge, but also an opportunity. After all, lighting is often
considered the low-hanging fruit of any energy efficiency undertaking. At the recent Santa Barbara Summit on Energy Efficiency,
Steven DenBaars, Lighting and Solutions Group head, Institute for Energy
Efficiency at UC Davis, made the case for LED lighting. According to DenBaars,
LEDs have a 25%–60% efficiency rating (versus 1%–4% for incandescent bulbs and
15% for fluorescent lighting). LEDs are best for installations in parking
garages, for down lighting, refrigeration, and even motion detection. LED does
pose some challenges, including cost, thermal requirements (large heat sinks are
usually needed), optical demands, glare, and CCT consistency, although advances
in fixture design and manufacturer training can overcome some of these
challenges. Additionally, the price gap between traditional and LED bulbs is
expected to close in the next four to five years.
Take
a look at some DOE comparisons between LEDs and traditional
lighting:
•
Incandescent bulbs give off 80% heat and only 20% light.
• Compact fluorescent bulbs are more efficient but contain small amounts of
mercury.
• The DOE estimates that high-power white LEDs could reduce lighting energy
use by 50%.
Although one-half of the world’s
population still uses fire or kerosene for lighting, the demand for reliable,
efficient, and economical lighting is a universal need. For those of us
concerned with energy efficiency, switching over to a smarter bulb is the first
important step.