Goodbye, Watts. Hello, LUMENS!

From the DOE Energy Savers Blog:

May 17, 2012 14:21

For years, I bought light bulbs based on watts, or energy use. Like many light bulb consumers, I looked for a traditional 40, 60, 75, or 100 watt incandescent bulb. Now that stores today carry more and more energy efficient lighting choices, I wanted to replace my old incandescents with new bulbs to save energy and money on my electricity bill. But in shopping for the right bulb, I came across a challenge in looking for bulbs based on watts. Since these newer bulbs use less energy, I found bulbs that use 8, 15, or 26 watts. The wattages are pretty close to each other, but the brightness levels of each of these bulbs can vary a lot! Sound confusing? No worries. Read on, because there is a light at the end of this tunnel (pun intended)…

So, all I wanted to do was to find a light bright enough for my bathroom so I don't get cut shaving in the morning. I realized that the best way to shop for light was to look for the brightness, or lumens, of the bulb, instead of the watts. Lumens tell you how bright a bulb is, and are listed on the bulb packaging. More lumens mean brighter light. When replacing a 60-watt traditional bulb, you should look for a new bulb that gives you about 800 lumens.

The Energy Department has some informative resources to educate consumers on lumens. For example, check out our lumens placard and tip card. Or listen to some of our radio public service announcements. We have recently launched a billboard campaign effort to raise awareness of lumens in Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; Miami, Florida; Denver, Colorado; St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin—so be sure to look out for it if you're driving by those cities.

So, the next time you find yourself looking to replace your traditional incandescent with an energy efficient bulb, choose your next light bulb for the brightness you want and look for lumens—the new way to shop for light.
As for me? After looking for lumens instead of watts, I found an LED bulb for my bathroom that was about 800 lumens. The light quality was great for the bathroom, the color was warm white, and my electricity bill has gone down a lot compared to using the traditional incandescent.

John Chu is a Senior Communications Specialist at the U.S. Department of Energy.

Energy-efficient Lights on the National Mall

News release from the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

Salazar, Chu Flip Switch on 65% Energy Savings

January 30, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, the National Park Service and the Trust for the National Mall today hosted a lighting ceremony to celebrate the installation of energy-efficient LED lights on the Mall.  The LED lights, donated by OSRAM SYLVANIA and installed pro bono by Pepco, the electric utility that serves Washington, D.C., will reduce lighting energy use for the streetlamps by up to 65 percent.

“Achieving an economy built on American energy will require an all-of-the-above approach, one that includes safely and responsibly developing our domestic energy resources – and making the most of what we have available through efficiencies,” said Secretary Salazar. “There is no more fitting place to build a model of energy efficiency than right here in America’s front yard, the National Mall, with the installation of these LED lights.”

"Using energy-efficient LED light bulbs is an important way Americans can save money by saving energy," said Secretary Chu. "Investing in an American economy that is built to last includes taking advantage of all of America's energy resources while working to improve efficiency. Installing these energy efficient bulbs on the National Mall is an important demonstration of our commitment to partnering with the private sector to promote energy saving technologies."

Salazar and Chu were joined by Caroline Cunningham, President of the Trust for the National Mall, Bob Vogel, Superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks and leadership from OSRAM SYLVANIA, Pepco and Siemens Corporations, Sylvania’s parent company.

“The generosity of Sylvania and Pepco has progressed our goal of making the National Mall a role model in sustainable urban park development,” said Caroline Cunningham, President of the Trust for the National Mall.  “Sylvania and Pepco's leadership and commitment show the power of public/private partnerships in advancing the Trust's mission to enhance the beauty, usefulness and sustainability of the National Mall for current and future generations.”

OSRAM SYLVANIA contributed 174 LED bulbs and the retrofit kits needed to install them in the historic bronze streetlamps that line the Mall from 3rd to 15th streets. The kits replaced the Mall’s high intensity discharge (HID) and compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) with advanced solid-state lighting.

“SYLVANIA is honored to light our nation’s favorite national park with innovative and cutting-edge LED technology assembled here on U.S. soil,” said Rick Leaman, President and CEO of OSRAM SYLVANIA. “This energy-efficient lighting transformation of our country’s National Mall will create a brilliant display of light while also providing a welcoming environment to visitors in the years to come.”

Pepco overhead line crews installed the LED bulbs pro bono.

“Pepco is proud to have been part of the federal reconstruction of the National Mall in the 1930’s when Pepco overhead crews first installed the streetlights that line the Mall,” said Joseph M. Rigby, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pepco Holdings, Inc. “Today we are proud to be part of another illumination of the Mall by installing attractive, energy-efficient lights in the original historic lamp posts.”  Rigby is Chairman Emeritus of the National Trust’s Corporate Committee.

The new LED technology provides a better-lit and more secure atmosphere for visitors after dark, while preserving the architectural integrity of the original fittings.  The technology is not only brighter, but it lasts longer than most conventional light sources.  In fact, the Park Service will not have to replace these lamps for an estimated 25 years.  LEDs also provide significant maintenance cost savings by lasting 2-6 times longer than HID lamps. The directional light distribution of high power LEDs allows the delivery of light only where needed, reducing wasted light and minimizing light trespass and upward emissions. LEDs are an environmentally preferable lighting solution, containing no mercury or lead.

“The National Park Service is grateful for the generosity of Sylvania and Pepco, and for the support of the Trust for the National Mall. We are committed to promoting sustainability on the Mall and this project is helping us do that,” said Superintendent Vogel.

New Lighting Facts Label

From the Energy Savers blog of the U.S. Department of Energy:

New Lighting Facts Label: Takes the Guess Work Out of Shopping for Light Bulbs

January 25, 2012

If you're like me, it sometimes feels overwhelming standing at the store and staring at a big wall of light bulbs, trying to understand all the lighting choices. With new lighting standards taking effect this year, now's a great time switch to energy-saving incandescent, CFL, and LED light bulbs, which are available in most hardware and home improvement retailers. They all are more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, and upgrading 15 of the inefficient incandescent light bulbs in your home could save you about $50 per year.
I've learned that when I'm shopping for light bulbs, it's most important to compare lumens to be sure I'm getting the amount of light, or level of brightness, I want. More lumens means it's a brighter light; fewer lumens means it's a dimmer light.

The brightness, or lumen levels, of the lights in your home may vary widely, so here's a rule of thumb:

• To replace a 100-watt (W) incandescent bulb, look for a bulb that gives you about 1600 lumens. If you want something dimmer, go for less lumens; if you prefer brighter light, look for more lumens.
• Replace a 75 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 1100 lumens.
• Replace a 60 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 800 lumens.
• Replace a 40 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 450 lumens.

To help people like you and me better understand the switch from watts to lumens, the Federal Trade Commission will require a new product label for light bulbs in the coming months. It will help people buy the light bulbs that are right for them.

Example of a Lighting Facts label.

The Lighting Facts label will help consumers understand what they are really purchasing. The label clearly provides the lumens—or brightness—of the bulb, the estimated operating cost for the year, and the color of the light (from warm/yellowish, to white to cool/blue).

Download our placard Lumens: the new way to shop for light to see how to use the Lighting Facts label to buy the right light bulb for your needs.
For more information:

• View the Energy 101: Lighting Choices video
• Learn about the new lighting standards and how they affect you
• Find out how to shop for energy-efficient lighting
• Get answers to frequently asked questions.

Chris Stewart is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its websites.