Did you know that the amount of electricity needed to light a Canadian home results in almost one-third of a tonne of greenhouse gases (GHGs) each year? By just replacing five of the most used standard bulbs in your home with energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs, you can reduce your GHGs and save about $30 each year. And, by incorporating a few other bright ideas, you can save even more.
Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) provide comparable brightness to conventional incandescent bulbs, but use about one-third of the energy while lasting up to 10 times longer. Although they cost a little more initially, CFLs can pay you back in as little as six months depending on your usage.
These days, compact fluorescents come in a variety of shapes and sizes which screw into conventional sockets and fit inside most existing fixtures. As well, consumers can now purchase CFLs which have a much warmer light than earlier models. You can now buy CFLs that emit light to bring out the cool blue end or the red warm end of the spectrum. Cool light makes sense for places like the laundry room, workroom or the garage, while warm light is best for living spaces because it is more flattering to skin tones and clothing.
Adding lighting controls to your home can also save energy and extend the life of bulbs and fixtures. You can use specialty devices such as dimmer switches, motion activated switches, photocells (light-activated switches) and timers to control when lights come on and how much light they produce.
Dimmers add flexibility and control to lighting, making them great for rooms where both bright and low light are desired, like dining rooms and living rooms. Dimmer switches are not just a great way to set the mood, they’re also an inexpensive way to save energy. An added bonus is the incredible increase in bulb life from operating at a lower light output or filament temperature. Dimming the light by just 10% can more than double a bulb’s life. At this point, dimmers are not recommended to be used with CFLs.
Timers are switching controls which ensure that lighting systems are turned on/off or are dimmed according to an established schedule. Timers help reduce energy use by turning lights on and off at a pre-set time. Wall switches, table lamps and landscape lighting can all use timers. Another option for outside lighting is a motion sensor that turns the lights on automatically when somebody walks by, then turns the lights off automatically after one to five minutes.
Solar or photovoltaic (PV) lighting is becoming very popular with homeowners for marking or decoratively highlighting driveways, walkways and patios. Many of these designs are totally self-contained units that need only to be staked into the ground in a sunny location. Others have the lights separate from the PV panel so they can be placed in a sunny location. The key factor is that the PV panel or unit must be in a place where it will receive sunlight.
The nightly run time listings on most off-the-shelf solar products are based on specific sunlight conditions. Systems located in places that receive less sunlight than the system is designed for will operate for fewer hours per night than expected and operating times in the winter months may vary as much as 30 to 50%.
Keep in mind the bulbs and the batteries in these units are the two components that are most likely to need servicing. It’s wise to check with the manufacturer to be sure that replacement bulbs or batteries are readily available before you buy. Also determine whether you will be able to recycle the batteries or how they can be disposed of properly. Some units do not provide the option of replacing batteries, so the entire unit may need replacing.
Apart from its practical uses,
lighting has also become a way to decorate your home indoors and out. The possibilities for lighting design are seemingly endless. The great news is we can light up our homes to make them safer and look great while doing our part to save energy and the environment. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has several free About Your House fact sheets on the topic of lighting and energy savings. For your copies, call 1-800-668-2642 or visit us online at www.cmhc.ca.
