Household lighting consumes a large amount of electricity. Follow the Top Tips below to reduce your consumption of electricity through lighting
Tips – Lighting
- Rooms should be furnished to allow the maximum amount of daylight in
- Net curtains reduce the amount of daylight entering a room
- Lighter coloured paints reflect more light
- Keep windows clean
- Turn off lights in rooms that are not in use
- Having a number of independently switched lights in a room will allow you to control light use
- Choose the correct type of lighting:
Use energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs) rather than traditional incandescent lighting. In 2009, the government will introduce a ban on sale of traditional lightbulbs in favour of CFLs, so changing your habits now will prepare you for this. In addition there are often deals on low energy light bulbs at the moment so keep an eye out for a bargain.
Lighting Choices
Check the energy rating labels on light bulbs before purchasing. Like other household appliances, light bulbs are labelled A-G with A being the most energy efficient.
- Watch our for lamp life, i.e. how long the lamp will last, which will give you an indication if your investment is likely to pay back over the lifetime use of the product. High voltage bulbs are generally not needed in bedrooms, so try to vary the voltage in bulbs according to your room function.
- CFL long life bulbs are more energy efficient than traditional incandescent light bulbs. They also last up to 10 times longer. Government legislation just recently passed will phase out incandescent light bulbs so why not make the switch to CFLs now.
For more information and energy saving lighting tips visit www.powerofone.ie.
