| For many homeowners, especially those with | | | | - High-efficiency halogen lamps operate without |
| children, the kitchen is the most lived-in room in | | | | the use of mercury. |
| the house. It's a gathering place, a workspace, a | | | | - All CFLs contain mercury which must be |
| study area, an entertainment venue and of | | | | vaporized to create ultraviolet energy and |
| course, a room in which to enjoy meals together. | | | | subsequently, visible light. |
| Thus, it's not uncommon for kitchen lights to be | | | | - Since mercury is a toxic substance, this |
| switched on for four or more hours per day. This | | | | necessitates proper recycling at the end of a |
| presents a legitimate opportunity to save money | | | | CFL's life. |
| and reduce air pollution and landfill waste by | | | | - Further, while breakage in a recessed can is a |
| switching to energy-efficient lighting solutions. | | | | low probability risk, an accident would cause |
| As a source of both ambient and task light, | | | | mercury to contaminate the area below. |
| recessed downlights ("cans") are widely used in | | | | Reason 7 - Reliability: |
| American kitchens. These fixtures push light down | | | | - High-efficiency halogen lamps don't contain any |
| and away to light an area and a work surface at | | | | electronic components. |
| the same time. To enable the homeowner to add | | | | - Unlike a screw-in CFL, which contains a precise |
| ambience, they're often controlled by a dimmer | | | | electronic component called a ballast, neither |
| switch. | | | | frequent on/off switching, nor trapped heat will |
| For homeowners motivated to make a small | | | | affect the performance or lifespan of these |
| investment to reduce their electricity use and/or | | | | energy-efficient lighting solutions. |
| carbon footprint, a simple light bulb retrofit in their | | | | Reason 8 - Lumen Maintenance: |
| existing kitchen fixtures is a smart and easy | | | | - Lumens are the measure of the amount of light |
| strategy. Simply remove the existing high | | | | emitted by a light source. High-efficiency halogen |
| wattage (commonly 65-90 watts) bulbs, and | | | | lamps maintain their initial lumens for as long as |
| insert lower wattage eco-friendly lamps which | | | | they operate. |
| yield equivalent light output (lumens). But since | | | | - CFLs, using different technology, will gradually |
| there are two types of lower cost | | | | dim by about 25% over their lifetime. |
| energy-efficient lighting options from which to | | | | - Why does this matter? Studies have shown |
| choose, which is preferable in this application? | | | | that at age 65, the eyes need three times more |
| High-Efficiency Halogen Lamps Beat Compact | | | | light to see as well as at age 20. |
| Fluorescent Lamps | | | | - With CFLs in a kitchen, vision needs and light |
| We've looked at this question from many angles | | | | output are moving in opposite directions as time |
| and have concluded that screw-in (self-ballasted) | | | | passes. |
| CFL reflector lamps, for many the obvious choice, | | | | The Rest of the Story - High-Efficiency Halogen |
| are an inferior, energy-efficient lighting solution. | | | | Lamps Are Greener |
| Very few consumers are familiar with the new | | | | Reason 9 - Better, REAL Energy-Efficient Lighting: |
| high-efficiency halogen lamps ("HEH") which have | | | | - The commonly used metric for comparing |
| hit the market in the last few years. The best of | | | | energy-efficient lighting is lumens of output per |
| these models already exceed the energy | | | | watt of electrical input. This method is appropriate |
| efficiency requirements for incandescent reflector | | | | for omni-directional bulbs such as traditional |
| lamps scheduled to take effect in July 2012. | | | | A-shape lamps and spiral CFLs. |
| Here, we cite nine reasons why we believe | | | | - Directional lamps (floodlights, spotlights) are |
| high-efficiency halogen lamps, controlled by a | | | | different. Their job is not to glow, but to throw |
| pre-set dimmer switch, offer overall superior, | | | | light into a defined area or onto a specific surface. |
| energy-efficient lighting value to CFLs starting with | | | | - Compare the measured light (illuminance) on a |
| the most important factor for electric light | | | | horizontal surface from two floodlights, a 16 watt |
| sources, whether energy efficient or not: light | | | | CFL BR30 (630 lumens) and a 34 watt HEH |
| characteristics. | | | | PAR30 (1) (612 lumens). |
| Reason 1 - Great Light: | | | | - The CFL has 39 lumens per watt vs. 18 for the |
| - Halogen light is legendary for being white, bright, | | | | HEH. Thus, by conventional measures the CFL is |
| crisp, and punchy and making colors appear vivid. | | | | more than twice as energy efficient. |
| - The light cast by CFL reflectors, while typically | | | | - Measured illuminance tells a very different story: |
| warm white, is average at best. | | | | the CFL floodlight casts just 15 foot candles of |
| Reason 2 - Superior Illuminance: | | | | light onto the work surface in this demonstration. |
| - "Illuminance" describes the amount of light on a | | | | The HEH? 51 foot candles.(2) |
| horizontal surface, measured in "foot candles." | | | | - Therefore, at 1.5 foot candles per watt, the HEH |
| - High-efficiency halogen lamps, especially those | | | | bulb is 60% more efficient in real terms than the |
| with a PAR (Parabolic Aluminized Reflector) | | | | CFL (0.9 foot candles per watt). |
| configuration, throw concentrated light downwards | | | | - Or viewed another way, using typical recessed |
| measurably better than CFL reflectors. | | | | downlight fixtures, to produce an equivalent |
| - The result? Much more artificial light where it's | | | | amount of light on a kitchen countertop or table, |
| needed. | | | | where important tasks such as food preparation |
| Reason 3 - Effortless Dimming: | | | | and schoolwork are performed, a 54 watt CFL |
| - No artificial light source dims better than an | | | | floodlight would be needed. |
| incandescent lamp. High-efficiency halogen lamps | | | | - Not only would such a lamp be more expensive |
| use improved incandescent technology and don't | | | | to purchase, it would cost 36% more to operate |
| require special dimmer switches. | | | | and generate 36% more air pollution than the |
| - Dimmable CFLs cost more than non-dimmable | | | | high-efficiency halogen lamp. |
| versions. But dimmable doesn't translate into | | | | Notes for Previous Example |
| impressive dimming performance. | | | | 1. A 40 watt model was dimmed by 15% to |
| Reason 4 - Dimming = Longer Lamp Life: | | | | reduce lumen output from 720 to 612. |
| - Dimming any lamp is an energy-efficient lighting | | | | 2. Measured distance of each light source to the |
| strategy because it reduces electricity | | | | surface of the light meter instrument was 50 |
| consumption and harmful gas emissions. There's | | | | inches. |
| an added green benefit when dimming | | | | Illuminating the Perks of Energy-Efficient Lighting |
| high-efficiency halogen lamps: it extends the | | | | Impressive consumer value is sometimes found |
| lifetime of the lamp. | | | | where it's least expected. We're all for selectively |
| - For example, constant dimming by just 15% (a | | | | installing energy-efficient lighting around the home |
| pre-set dimmer enables this) will triple the life of | | | | and place of business because it leverages the |
| the bulb, thereby reducing landfill waste and | | | | fact that the cheapest and cleanest kilowatt of |
| replacement costs. | | | | electricity is the one that's never produced in the |
| - For premium high-efficiency halogen lamps, this | | | | first place. But if light bulb buyers only paid |
| translates into 9,000 to 12,000 hours, roughly the | | | | attention to the popular media or followed Energy |
| same as the average rated life of an Energy Star | | | | Star prescriptions, they would only know to |
| rated CFL reflector (whose projected life is static | | | | consider CFL reflectors as an affordable, |
| even if dimmed). | | | | energy-efficient lighting solution for their oft-used |
| Reason 5 - Instant On: | | | | recessed downlights. |
| - Just like non-halogen incandescent bulbs, halogen | | | | As we've argued here, the exciting new |
| lamps reach full brightness with the flick of a | | | | high-efficiency halogen lamps (spot and floodlights), |
| switch. | | | | which are generally priced on par with premium |
| - State-of-the-art CFL reflectors will start instantly | | | | quality dimmable CFL reflectors, are superior |
| but take 30 seconds to a minute's time to reach | | | | energy-efficient lighting solutions for consumers |
| full brightness (depending on the ambient room | | | | who value great light characteristics, thrift, |
| temperature). | | | | dimming performance and environmental |
| Reason 6 - Mercury-Free: | | | | sustainability for their lighting dollar. |