Energy-efficient lighting
For your home
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Puget Sound Energy P.O. Box 97034 Bellevue, W A 98009-9734 ps e. co m /m yre bat es
About Puget Sound Energy
Puget Sound Energy is Washington state’s oldest local energy company. We serve 1.1 million electric customers and more than 760,000 natural gas customers in 10 counties. For more information, visit pse.com. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
In this guide
4 Be in the know when you buy 5 Know your light sources
6 Your crash course on ENERGY STAR
®benefits 10 Get the right fixture for the right light
10 Energy efficiency vocab cheat sheet
11 Trash CFLs the right way
Be in the know when you buy
Lighting facts
An informed buyer is a smart buyer. To get the most out of your home lighting, it helps to have some general knowledge about the types of lighting methods and applications you are likely to find in your home.
Common lighting applications
Home lighting use can generally be divided into three major categories:
1. Ambient/general lighting provides widespread illumination and is often the main source of light in a room – like ceiling fixtures and floor lamps.
2. Task lighting provides focused light for work and other detailed activities like cooking or reading. Examples include recessed “down-lighting” and table lamps.
3. Accent lighting highlights objects such as works of art or design elements to create visual interest. Examples include track lighting and wall sconces.
Energy-efficient lighting
You can visualize savings by considering alternative products that use less energy for your lighting needs. For most households, switching to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs and fixtures as an alternative to incandescent lighting saves money over the products’ lifetime because they last longer and use less energy.
ENERGY STAR
®qualified CFLs use 75 percent less energy to create the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb, and they last up to 10 times longer.
LED bulbs that meet ENERGY STAR criteria are the most efficient lights that you can buy, using 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.
Talking numbers, conventional incandescent bulbs last about 750 to 1,000 hours, whereas ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs can last up to 10,000 hours, and ENERGY STAR qualified LED bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours.
Know your light sources
Incandescent
Incandescent has been the most common type of light bulb for home lighting. Incandescent bulbs are simple, inexpensive and versatile, but they are also inefficient compared with newer technologies. Since incandescent bulbs create light through electrical resistance, about 90 percent of the energy they consume goes into generating heat rather than light.
Halogen
Halogen lighting, a type of incandescent lighting, is typically used to provide a whiter, more focused beam for precise task and accent lighting. Halogen is used most effectively in low-voltage lighting systems.
Fluorescent
Fluorescent light bulbs don’t use electrical resistance to generate light.
They use energy more efficiently and last much longer than incandescent lights.
Fluorescent lights are generally available in two types: linear fluorescent and compact fluorescent.
Light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode (LED) technology is
proven to be long-lived and efficient for
applications such as home lighting, traffic
lights, flashlights, tail lights and holiday
Your crash course on ENERGY STAR benefits
What is ENERGY STAR?
ENERGY STAR is a label given to more than 60 categories of consumer and commercial products that meets certain energy-efficiency criteria set by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. The ENERGY STAR logo is an assurance that the product requires less energy to operate, is better for the environment, and can save you money on energy costs.
The benefits of ENERGY STAR qualified lighting
The easiest way to benefit from ENERGY STAR qualified lighting is to install qualified CFL bulbs and pin-based CFL fixtures in the areas of your home you use the most, or where the light bulbs are the most difficult to replace.
Qualified lighting products provide:
Savings
While it is true that CFL bulbs and pin-based CFL fixtures may cost more up front, each CFL product you install will save you anywhere from $26 to $207 in energy costs over its life.
Lifespan
ENERGY STAR qualified CFL bulbs are required to last 6,000 hours, and many now last 8,000 to 10,000 hours. That’s six to ten times longer than the average incandescent bulb! ENERGY STAR qualified CFL fixtures with pin-based CFLs can last up to 20,000 hours.
Better quality
The latest generation of fluorescent technology uses electronic ballasts, rather than the old magnetic versions known for slow start-up, flickering and humming.
Energy-efficiency rebates
PSE has instant rebates available on ENERGY STAR qualified CFL and LED bulbs and fixtures. For more information, visit pse.com/lighting or call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482.
Energy tip
Attractive and stylish
CFL fixtures combine attractive style and design with savings and long life, making them a wise investment.
ENERGY STAR qualified CFL fixtures use pin-based bulbs that have the same aesthetic benefits as incandescent- socket fixtures.
Convenient sizes
More and more sizes of CFLs are becoming available as the technology advances. In some cases, a CFL may be smaller than the incandescent bulb it replaces while producing the same amount of light! For most residential applications, CFLs will fit just fine. If you are not sure about the fit or are concerned that a bulb may protrude from a diffuser or shade, check the bulb size prior to purchase.
Multiple applications
ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs can be installed virtually anywhere you would put a conventional incandescent bulb. Specialty CFL bulbs are available for dimming, photocell, motion sensor and outdoor fixtures. Look on the package to see if the bulb is specially designed for these applications.
Warranties
All ENERGY STAR qualified lighting products come with
a two-year limited warranty. If your CFL or pin-based fixture
fails before that time, simply return it with the receipt to the
retailer, or call the toll-free number listed on the product or
package.
Where to use ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs
• Where lights are being used for three or more hours a day, a CFL can maximize your energy and money savings.
• A hard-to-reach socket—a CFL lasts longer, so you’ll change it less.
• A CFL bulb may be an option when you need a brighter light without exceeding a fixture’s maximum- rated wattage.
• In dimmable fixtures, only use dimmable CFL bulbs.
Incandescent Halogen CFL LED
