Lighting
The incandescent light bulb is the least efficient product in our homes, because 90 percent of the electricity is wasted as heat. Here’s an area where you can make a difference right away in your own unit — and given the cost savings, you might also be able to convince your HOA board to switch to more efficient bulbs in the common areas. Here are some options:
LED lights: LED bulbs for home use are becoming more widely available. Though they cost more than other bulbs, their long life and high energy efficiency should more than make up for the initial up-front cost. Prices are expected to drop in the next couple years, but if you don’t want to wait, LED lights can be a good option now. To determine whether they’re right for your condo you might want to check out this Green Tech article, which gives a good cost-benefit analysis.
A recent study warns of toxic components in LED lights, but the study was done on smaller lights such as those found in Christmas decorations and flashlights. A study on larger lights is expected out soon.
And this fascinating article discusses LEDs in relation to current and futuristic options.
Compact fluorescents (CFLs): According to the Energy Star site’s page on CFLs, “If every American home replaced just one light with a light that’s earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars.” You can find FAQs and other useful information on their site, and more on Wikipedia. Still, CFLs aren’t for everyone — some people don’t like the quality of the light they provide, and still others claim the bulbs give them headaches.
High-efficiency incandescent bulbs: You no longer have to go with headache-inducing compact fluorescents or expensive LED bulbs to save energy. In 2011, California became the first state to require incandescent bulbs to be more efficient, and the new standard will be in place across the nation in 2012. The new bulbs produce the same amount of light at a lower energy cost. They should be available around the country — note that they’re sometimes referred to as energy-saving halogen lights.
