At Energy Rating Perth, our energy assessors give our clients simple tips on improving the energy efficiency of their home. Lighting generates 12% of your home electricity bills and up to 25% in the workplace. Since lighting accounts for a major portion of a home’s energy usage, one of the most obvious steps is to switch to energy efficient lighting systems. Some of these systems are as follows:

  1. Incandescent: these are the inexpensive, age-old bulbs that may have a bright light but are very bleak when it comes to energy efficiency. They may be found in older homes and due to their high energy use are slowly becoming obsolete.
  2. Halogen: is a modern option of incandescent bulbs, they have a softer glow with a brighter lighting ability and are about 30% more efficient than the older style incandescent bulbs. They may be longer lasting but are not necessary as durable as they generally use a lower voltage and need to be replaced if there is ever a surge. However, since they use the same mechanism low voltage doesn’t mean low energy consumption.
  3. Compact Fluorescent Lamps: CFL, have a reasonable lighting ability and will last for quite a few years which accounts for them being a very economic option. However, this model has been pushed aside to make way for LED due to the fact that they cannot function in extreme weather conditions, require regular maintenance and are not particularly durable especially when they are switched on and off too frequently.
  4. Light Emitting Diodes: In the recent years, LED have become a popular choice due to its reliability and bright lighting abilities. While they are more expensive compared to older lighting systems or CFLs, their long life span, low maintenance and energy consumption over time makes them more economic in the long run. The LED bulbs switch on immediately and don’t contain any mercury so you can recycle them making them better for the environment as well.

So remember, consider the lifetime costs not just the purchase price. I hope this information has given you your answer. Call your friendly team at Energy Rating Perth for more information today.