lightbulb label, LED, lights, sustainable lightbulbs, lightbulbs, sustainable, LED lights

Most Sustainable Lightbulbs and Light Bulb Companies: Research, Energy Savings, and More

Following One Community’s commitment to upholding the Highest Good, we aim to provide an open source and freely available blueprint for ecologically-sustainable and holistic development. To do so, One Community aims to provide directly applicable information about the most sustainable options for everyday materials and systems like lightbulbs, insulation, flooring, paintsadhesivestoiletsshower heads, etc. This page is about our most current research to determine the most sustainable and healthy lighting options and also the best light bulb companies.

This page is a collection of our initial research and will evolve with our experience. It contains the following sections:

PAGE IS MOSTLY COMPLETE – WE’RE SEEKING HELP THOUGH TO DOUBLE CHECK THE COMPANY AND BULB RECOMMENDATIONS. IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP, CLICK HERE TO APPLY

 

RELATED PAGES

Highest Good housing, cob construction, earthbag construction, straw bale construction, earthship construction, subterranean construction, sustainable homes, eco-homesduplicable city center, solution based thinking, One Community, SEGO Center, city hub, recreation center, eco center, sustainable living, ecological living, green living, eco-recreation, group laundry center, for The Highest Good of Allsustainable civilization building though housing, sustainable housing, best practice living, sustainable housing systems, green materials, earthbag, cob, straw bale, One Community, open source housing, free-shared architecture, sustainable living, green living, eco living, living ecologically, for The Highest Good of All, transforming the world, build your own home, build your own house, affordable housing, open source architecture, architects of the future, sustainability non-profit, 501c3 organization, sustainable life, water catchment, organic food, eco-housing, artistic homes, sustainability cooperative, sustainable living group, open source, sustainability nonprofit, free-shared plans, teacher/demonstration village, open source project-launch blueprinting, One Community housing, Highest Good housingMost sustainable toilets, materials, sustainable infrastructure, sustainability icon, Highest Good Housing, eco-living, green living, permaculture, One Community, Open source sustainability, healthy construction materials, Duplicable City Center, sustainable living, water-saving, resource saving, ecological, holistic livingwater saving shower heads, water saver showerheads, water conservation, water use reduction, the best shower heads, showers that use less water, using very little water, reducing water use, water conservation, making water last, Highest Good water, One Community, showerhead review, shower head reviews, reviewing shower headsMost sustainable urinals, materials, sustainable infrastructure, sustainability icon, Highest Good Housing, eco-living, green living, permaculture, One Community, Open source sustainability, healthy construction materials, Duplicable City Center, sustainable living, water-saving, resource saving, ecological, holistic livingMost sustainable and ecological paintsbest hand dryers, most sustainable hand dryers, most eco-friendly hand dryers, low-energy hand dryers, green living, Highest Good housing, sustainable living, green hand dryers, eco-hand dryers, in-home hand dryers, commercial hand dryers, drying hands sustainably, hand drying ecologically, saving resources when drying hands

 

WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE LIGHT BULB

most sustainable light bulbs, most sustainable lightbulbs, eco-bulbs, eco-lighting, green lighting, sustainable lighting, One Community, One Community Global, Highest Good Energy, sustainable light, best lightbulbs, best light bulbs, most ecological lighting, LEED PlatinumThe ideal sustainable light bulb would not contain materials that are derived from the earth’s crust, no components that are persistent in nature, and a sustainable production process. For the most sustainable scenario, the electricity powering the lightbulb should also be derived from renewable energy sources. At present, all lighting options fall short of this lighting aspiration. Despite the lack of perfect lighting options, there are choices that are markedly better for the environment.

 

WHY COMPARE LIGHTBULBS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

most sustainable light bulbs, most sustainable lightbulbs, eco-bulbs, eco-lighting, green lighting, sustainable lighting, One Community, One Community Global, Highest Good Energy, sustainable light, best lightbulbs, best light bulbs, most ecological lighting, LEED PlatinumEvery time someone is looking to buy new light bulbs or replace new ones, sustainability should be the top priority. By conducting independent research to identify the best companies, brands and products, One Community aims to identify and purchase only the best and most sustainable option. This will save money, resources, and reduce our environmental impact.

 

WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO EVOLVING THIS SUSTAINABILITY COMPONENT WITH US

SUGGESTIONS     ●     CONSULTING     ●     MEMBERSHIP     ●     OTHER OPTIONS

 

CLICK THESE ICONS TO JOIN US THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

One Community, YoutubeOne Community, LinkedInOne Community, TwitterOne Community, Facebook, UpdatesOne Community, Facebook, GroupsOne Community, Facebook, FansInstagram, Instagram icon, Instagram posts, One Community's Instagram Page, One Community Global images, Highest Good Living, green living, eco-livingOne Community, PinterestOne Community, Weekly, Progress, Updates, BlogOne Community. Tumblr

 

 

RESEARCHERS FOR THIS COMPONENT:

Brianna Olsen: Sustainability Researcher
Elizabeth Kahn: Environmental Consultant
Julia Meaney: Web and Content Reviewer and Editor
Yuran Qin: Web Designer
Charles Gooley: Web Designer

MOST SUSTAINABLE LIGHTBULBS AND LIGHT BULBS DETAILS

Highest Good society, fulfilled living, enriched life, enriching life, living to live, how to live an enriched life, keeping it all running, sustainable living, social architecture, fulfilled living, thriving, thrivability, emotional sustainability, the good life, a new way to liveIn this section we discuss our research into the most sustainable light bulbs and light bulb manufacturers, types of bulbs, how to choose the most sustainable light bulb, and more. We discuss this with the following sections:

TYPES OF BULBS

There are three types of bulbs available to the consumer: Incandescent Bulbs, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs), and Light-emitting Diodes (LEDs). Below, we discuss and compare all three.

INCANDESCENT BULBS – AN OUTDATED MODEL

Incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy because they create light by generating heat, which is around 90% of their output. The unwanted heat also causes customers to increase their use of air conditioning, which contributes to an increase in wasted energy and overall electricity usage, in turn increasing greenhouse gas emissions. There is concern that shorter lifespans of incandescent lights are intentionally engineered to promote more frequent sales. However, the high-quality and radiant heat produced by incandescent bulbs may be preferred in certain situations, such as in cold climates. There is concern that shorter lifespans of incandescent lights are intentionally engineered to promote more frequent sales.
To calculate the heat release for incandescent bulbs compared to LED bulbs in a normal apartment, we’ll use the same assumptions as in the previous example:
Assumptions:

  • Incandescent Bulb: 60 watts
  • LED Bulb: 9 watts
  • Number of Bulbs: 10
  • Hours of Use per Day: 5 hours
  • Number of Days per Year: 365

Heat Release Calculation:
For each type of bulb, we’ll calculate the daily and annual heat release:
**Incandescent Bulbs:**
Daily heat release per bulb = 60 watts * 5 hours = 300 watt-hours (or 0.3 kilowatt-hours, kWh)
Daily heat release for all 10 bulbs = 0.3 kWh/bulb * 10 bulbs = 3 kWh
Annual heat release for all 10 incandescent bulbs = 3 kWh/day * 365 days = 1,095 kWh
**LED Bulbs:**
LED bulbs are much more energy-efficient and release significantly less heat. The daily heat release for all 10 LED bulbs is essentially the same as the daily energy consumption, which is 0.45 kWh.
Annual heat release for all 10 LED bulbs = 0.45 kWh/day * 365 days = 164.25 kWh
So, in this hypothetical scenario, if you have 10 bulbs in your apartment and use them for 5 hours a day, the annual heat release for incandescent bulbs would be approximately 1,095 kWh, while the annual heat release for LED bulbs would be approximately 164.25 kWh. This illustrates the substantial difference in heat generation between incandescent and LED bulbs. LED bulbs are much cooler during operation, which can help reduce the indoor temperature and the load on cooling systems in your apartment.

COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHTS (CFLS) – A (DEBATABLY) IMPROVED MODEL

When CFLs first hit the market in the 1980s, they were too bulky and expensive to be a viable option for consumers, but manufacturers have made a lot of improvements since then. The products of today are around $1.74 a bulb in a four-pack, use about 75% less energy than traditional bulbs, and last roughly 10 times as long (about 10,000 hours).
CFLs don’t brighten as quickly, however, usually needing up to 3 minutes to heat up and generate bright light. As a result, you may not want to use this gradual light in places where you need immediate visibility. These types of bulbs also don’t work as well as outdoor lighting in cold climates (as CFLs don’t work well in cold temperatures). CFLs also contain small amounts of mercury, so they do need to be disposed of properly.

LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES (LEDS) – THE RECOMMENDED MODEL

LED, lights, sustainable lightbulbs, lightbulbs, sustainable, LED lightsLEDs are the newest type of light bulbs and are considered the most energy-efficient bulbs on the market today. They use less energy than CFLs and last longer. They can last up to 50,000 hours and take only 1-2 seconds to reach maximum brightness. Unlike CFLs, LEDs brighten instantly and can withstand cold temperatures. Using LED bulbs can reduce your lighting consumption by up to 80% each year. On the other hand, LEDs do tend to be more expensive than CFLs.
The graphic here on the right explains why LED lights are typically considered the most sustainable option.

Here is a general comparison of the three different types of bulbs. However, watts and lumens will vary though based on the product. Ligntbulb comparison, incandescent bulb, cfl bulb, led bulb,wattage
This YouTube video is a basic guide on how to purchase the best type of lightbulbs. It is useful to gain a general picture.

 

THE BEST TYPES OF SUSTAINABLE LIGHT BULBS

most sustainable light bulbs, most sustainable lightbulbs, eco-bulbs, eco-lighting, green lighting, sustainable lighting, One Community, One Community Global, Highest Good Energy, sustainable light, best lightbulbs, best light bulbs, most ecological lighting, LEED PlatinumThe most important aspects we should consider when choosing the most sustainable light bulb options are energy consumption/efficiency, lifespan, and the materials with which it is made. It is best to keep energy consumption at as low a rate as possible, because by using less electricity we contribute less to pollution and the greenhouse gas emissions that result from non-renewable electricity production. Energy efficiency, meaning how much energy is wasted in the process of producing light by a light bulb, is also an important aspect. If a light bulb is said to be 80% efficient, it means that for each 100 Wh consumed to generate light, 20 Wh is emitted in other forms of energy like heat. Other key aspects include the lifespan of a bulb and the material with which it is made. If the lifespan of a bulb is longer, we lessen our contribution to light bulb wastes sitting in landfills. A sustainable light bulb should also be made from non-toxic materials that are 100% recyclable. LEDs, the newest type of light bulbs, are known to be the most energy-efficient bulbs on the market today. They use less energy than any other technology and last even longer: up to 50,000 hours, with some brands boasting as many as 100,000 hours. Unlike Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) for example, LEDs brighten instantly and can withstand cold temperatures. Using LED bulbs can also reduce your electricity consumption by up to 80% each year.

HOW TO READ AN LED LIGHT BULB LABEL

Highest Good society, fulfilled living, enriched life, enriching life, living to live, how to live an enriched life, keeping it all running, sustainable living, social architecture, fulfilled living, thriving, thrivibility, emotional sustainability, the good life, a new way to liveOn the market today there are many choices when it comes to light bulbs and while they all generate light, each one is different. An LED label is similar to the nutrition facts label in packaged foods, it provides the consumer with information about what to expect from the light bulb’s performance. Energy use represents the amount of power it takes to drive a particular light. How much light a light bulb generates is listed as light output, measured in lumens – the more lumens, the brighter the light. Another important parameter is the efficacy, measured in lumens per watts, which tells you how efficient the light bulb will be. Some labels show it, others do not, but you can easily calculate this number yourself by dividing the light output by the energy use. The color of the light can also be found on the bulb packaging and is referred to as colored temperature. A low value means a warm light like soft white, while a high value indicates a cool light like daylight. Lastly, there is the color rendering index (CRI) which indicates how closely the colors of objects are compared to being in sunlight.

 LED Light Label Guide, LED lighting facts, light output (lumens), watts, lumens per watt, color accuracy

LED Light Label Guide

 

THE BEST & MOST SUSTAINABLE LIGHT BULB COMPANIES

The purpose of this sustainability benchmark is to identify light bulb companies that are truly committed to sustainable manufacturing practices and thus are producing the most eco-friendly products. For this analysis, our aim is to follow the threshold benchmarking model. This model focuses on determining whether entities meet a certain level of performance in order to show their true commitment to sustainability.

The process is done by looking at the weight of achievements and goals regarding three main topics: carbon emissions reduction, renewable energy use, and landfill waste reduction. The combination of all these aspects work as a threshold for identifying the best light bulb companies when it comes to sustainability. The following table summarizes this data.

We will also present the following information for each company: (1) whether or not there is a sustainability section present on their website, (2) whether or not there is a current sustainability report on their website (3), what their important overall sustainability achievements are, (4) what their sustainability goals are, and (5) what partnerships/collaborations they have done.

It is also important to pay attention to the frequency of updating to a sustainability report. Annual reporting is a great representation of how much a company is truly committed to sustainability. Therefore, we will rank these companies considering the latest sustainability report year. We will also consider the weight of achievements and goals in the ranking process. The following table summarizes this data.

Sustainability Bench Marking Of Top Light Bulb Companies, lighting solutions, sustainability section on website, carbon footprint reduction, metric ranking

Sustainability Bench Marking Of Top Light Bulb Companies

Taking all of this data into consideration, we were able to rank light bulb companies from most to least sustainable. Our rankings identified Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) as the most sustainable company, reaching the exceptional achievements of no landfill waste, carbon neutral operations, and 100% renewable energy use. Not far behind was Eaton, a company that is committed to establishing new science-based targets focused on reaching Net Zero by 2030. Other goals of theirs include reducing not only their own carbon footprint, but their customers’ carbon footprint as well. The third most sustainable company is Energizer, followed by OSRAM, Acuity Brands GE lighting, TCP and finally, Crompton Lamps. Below we discuss our evaluations of these companies in detail.

 

#1: SIGNIFY

Signify light bulb logoSignify (formerly Philips Lighting) provides a variety of products and solutions for homes and businesses. The company claims sustainability as a part of their DNA and has shown a significant commitment to minimizing their negative environmental impact, encouraging sustainable practices across their operations and supply chain. Signify focuses on energy efficiency and has set lofty goals to lower the energy usage of their goods as well as the carbon footprint of their shipping and manufacturing facilities. Additionally, LED lighting technology was pioneered by Signify, which is substantially more energy-efficient than conventional lighting options. However, it is important to note that the manufacturing of LED lights relies heavily on rare earth minerals. Because of their huge production rate, Signify faces the challenge of minimizing their negative social and environmental impacts from sourcing these minerals.

Signify is dedicated to fostering a circular economy by decreasing waste and pollution in the production processes, developing products with recycling in mind and working with suppliers to advance sustainable practices all throughout the supply chain. The company’s focus is on designing durable and recyclable products while implementing recycling programs. They also actively work to advance sustainability in society at large. The business has collaborated with groups and governments all over the world to promote environmentally friendly lighting options in common areas like parks and streets. Groups like the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Carbon Disclosure Project have honored Signify for their dedication to sustainability. Signify also presents an annual sustainability report to the public to communicate its achievements and future goals.

Signify has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability across various areas. In 2019, a year ahead of schedule, Signify achieved its goal of becoming carbon neutral. Signify has a more robust portfolio of energy-efficient products and emphasizes on its website that sustainability is an integral part of its DNA.

KEY FEATURES
The motivation behind Signify’s sustainability initiatives is a dedication to lessening their negative environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices. The corporation has used a number of strategies to accomplish this goal, including a focus on energy efficiency and the promotion of a circular economy. Signify has established many long-term sustainability goals, one of which is to cut their carbon footprint in half from 2015 levels by 2025, which they achieved ahead of schedule in 2020. Further, Signify achieved its goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2019, a year ahead of schedule. Additionally, by 2025 Signify wants to accomplish zero waste to landfills in all of their manufacturing facilities, convert to entirely renewable electricity, another goal they achieved ahead of time in September 2020. The company also aims to have all of their significant suppliers meet their sustainable supplier standards.

PROS

  • Strong commitment to sustainability with challenging sustainability goals.
  • Innovation in sustainable products. For example, Philips GreenPower LED grow lights that use up to 40% less energy than traditional high-pressure sodium lamps.
  • Utilizing renewable energy for operations and product production.
  • Investment in research and sustainable technology.
  • Partnership with stakeholders on sustainability projects and initiatives.
  • Produces products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications.</li

CONS

  • Challenges in enforcing supply chain sustainability standards.
  • Manufacturing consumes a lot of energy.
  • Reliance on rare earth metals, whose mining and processing may have negative social and environmental impacts.
  • Limited use of recycled materials in product manufacturing.

 

#2: EATON

Eaton LogoAs a part of its sustainability initiatives, Eaton develops and produces energy-efficient products, reduces greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable operations, and promotes sustainable supply chain practices. Eaton has established challenging sustainability objectives, such as becoming carbon neutral by 2030. To promote positive change in the sector, the company also interacts with stakeholders to take part in sustainability activities and gain recognition and a positive reputation in the market. Eaton has also set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, compared to its 2015 baseline. They are also committed to sourcing 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Eaton has also implemented a variety of energy efficiency programs and has reduced its waste generation by 25% since 2015. Eaton’s progress of its sustainability plan is reported annually.

KEY FEATURES
Eaton shows their commitment to sustainability by setting goals for lowering their water use. They aim to certify 10% of their manufacturing sites as zero water discharge by the year 2030. Also by this year, the company aims to have carbon neutral operations and to send no waste from their manufacturing plants to landfills. Eaton has made the commitment to source all of their electricity from renewable sources by year 2030. Additionally, the corporation develops and produces energy-saving goods like lighting solutions, electric vehicle charging stations, and power management systems. Some of Eaton’s sustainability initiatives include recycling, composting, and rainwater collection. They have shown success towards these initiatives, with 94% of their manufacturing waste in 2021 being diverted away from landfills through reuse, recycling, composting, or waste-to-energy.

PROS

  • Using 2015 as a baseline, Eaton has set a goal to cut 50% of their greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2030.
  • Eaton already achieved a 38% reduction in carbon intensity by the year 2020.
  • Eaton reached an 84% waste diversion rate in 2020, which means that 84% of their waste was recycled, repurposed, or turned into energy.
  • Produces products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications.

CONS

  • Despite the company’s attempts to reduce emissions, Eaton’s 2020 scope 1 emissions (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources) and scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy) came to about 813,000 metric tons of CO2, which is still a sizable amount.
  • Reliance on rare metals earth, whose mining and processing may have negative social and environmental impacts.
  • Some of Eaton’s products, such as their diesel generators, indirectly increase greenhouse gas emissions due to their use of fossil fuels.

 

#3: ENERGIZER HOLDINGS

Energizer Holding logoEnergizer Holdings has shown their dedication to sustainability by launching programs meant to lessen their impact on the environment and encourage ethical sourcing. The company focuses on product design and innovation to create products that are more durable and energy-efficient while also enhancing their production methods. They work closely with their suppliers in order to ensure ethical and sustainable sourcing of raw materials and to ensure they reach their goal of a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Energizer has a strong commitment to promoting ethical consumption and production while reducing their negative environmental impacts, as evidenced by their extensive environmental management system and annual reporting on sustainability performance.

KEY FEATURES
With targets to cut its overall trash creation by 5% annually and 50% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, Energizer Holdings has shown their commitment to sustainability. The corporation has put in place a number of measures to lessen their environmental impact, such as designing products that are more durable and energy-efficient and encouraging the use of rechargeable batteries to cut down on waste. Energizer has also set up programs to address potential environmental and social concerns within the supply chain including conflict minerals. One example is their formal sustainability program that specifically focuses on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. They also work closely with suppliers to ensure responsible and sustainable sourcing of raw materials.

PROS

  • The company has made efforts to increase the recycled content in their batteries, which promotes resource conservation and reduces waste.
  • Compliance with child safety standards: The company complies with international standards.
  • Packaging material design for recyclability: packaging has a specific icon that informs customers with recycling streams.

CONS

  • Reliance on rare metals earth, whose mining and processing may have negative social and environmental impacts.
  • Reliance on natural gas: The company’s greenhouse gas emissions are primarily attributed to on-site natural gas combustion. Reliance on fossil fuels contributes to carbon emissions and climate change.
  • Limited information on renewable energy use: The report does not mention the company’s efforts or targets for transitioning to renewable energy sources, which could further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Limited scope of emissions reduction by 30% by 2030 may not fully address the urgency of climate change and the need for more ambitious targets.

 

#4: OSRAM

OSRAM offers a broad portfolio of products for a wide range of technical and professional applications.Osram is a global lighting manufacturer that has adopted environmentally friendly production techniques to help meet their ambitious sustainability targets of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025 and a 100% circular economy also by that year. These initiatives include the use of renewable energy sources and closed-loop waste management. Additionally, the company provides energy-saving lighting options, encourages sustainable supply chain management, and has started a number of programs to support diversity and inclusion as well as the security and the wellbeing of its workers. Osram produces a sustainability report annually to keep track of their advancement and communicate it to the public.

KEY FEATURES
Osram presents core competencies in sustainable production methods, energy-efficient lighting solutions, and sustainable production methods. They created an internal sustainability program to provide smart lighting options and apply sustainable product design principles. Osram has also started programs for social welfare and education, such as the Osram Licht AG Foundation. Osram has no significant sustainability achievements, but is committed to important goals like becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 – a goal that was reached by Signify in September of 2020. The sustainability initiatives of Osram encompass ethical sourcing and purchasing, worker health and safety, and waste and water reduction.

PROS

  • Osram has made a significant commitment to sustainability, setting ambitious environmental goals to cut carbon emissions and develop a circular economy by 2025.
  • Osram lessens their influence on the environment by using closed-loop waste management and renewable energy sources in their production operations.
  • Osram has put efforts in place to encourage diversity and inclusion and to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of their employees.
  • Produces products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications.

CONS

  • Osram uses hazardous components in their products, such as the mercury found in some of their lighting solutions.
  • Reliance on rare metals earth, whose mining and processing may have negative social and environmental impacts.
  • Although the company has taken steps to assure the safe handling and disposal of these materials, there are still dangers to the environment and human health when using them.
  • Osram has come under fire for its involvement in contentious projects, such as the lighting scheme for an Indonesian coal-fired power plant. This calls into doubt the firm’s dedication to minimizing its carbon footprint and advancing sustainability.

 

#5: ACUITY BRANDS

Acuity Brands use technology to solve problems in spaces, light, and more things to comeA leading supplier of lighting and building management systems, Acuity Brands is dedicated to sustainability. Guided by their Net Zero Strategy, the company is in the process of installing solar panels in their facilities for a gradual switch to renewable energy sources, while Signify is already running on 100% clean energy since 2020. The firm has a thorough sustainability strategy that prioritizes lowering environmental impact, enhancing social responsibility, and generating profit. Through a combination of energy-efficient products, ethical operations, and sustainable business practices, Acuity Brands seeks to fulfill its sustainability goals. They have set goals for cutting back on water use and waste and aim to have 90% of its products recyclable and reused by 2025. Additionally by 2025, they seek to reduce their energy intensity by 30% compared to the baseline year of 2016. Further, they are attempting to incorporate circular design ideas into their products and packaging. In terms of social sustainability, Acuity Brands is dedicated to giving their employees a safe and inclusive work environment. The company focuses on programs and areas of social justice, education, sustainability, and encourages community involvement and charity. Acuity Brands also shares an annual sustainability report with the public, highlighting its accomplishments and outlining its future objectives.

KEY FEATURES
Acuity Brands has proven their dedication to sustainability through energy-efficient products, green manufacturing techniques, employee engagement on sustainability, and sustainable supply chain management. They have put policies in place to reduce their environmental impact and collaborate with suppliers to ensure ethical sourcing. Acuity Brands continues to give sustainability top priority in all aspects of their business operations and has made considerable efforts to enhance their sustainability performance.

PROS

  • Since 2006, the company has assisted their clients in saving more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.
  • Also since 2006, Acuity Brands’ extensive environmental management system has assisted the business in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 39%.
  • Produces products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications.
  • Implementation of recycling programs and production-line waste reduction.

CONS

  • Energy-efficient lighting products’ price may prevent their widespread use in specific markets, which could have an effect on sales and revenue for the company.
  • The company is challenged when it comes to allocating sufficient resources (financial and human) to sustain and expand sustainability initiatives.
  • The company has expressed they feel challenged by the task of aligning stakeholders (customers, shareholders, employees…) with their sustainability practices.
  • Reliance on rare metals earth, whose mining and processing may have negative social and environmental impacts.

 

#6: GE LIGHTING

GE provides a range of A19 and standard light bulbs are your dimmable, long-lasting, energy efficient solution to nearly every fixture in your home.GE Lighting offers lighting solutions that are energy-efficient for use in commercial, industrial, and residential settings. The company has applied sustainable product design concepts to ensure that their products are sustainable. The company has set ambitious sustainability objectives to reduce their carbon emissions, energy consumption, and water usage. Some of these objectives are carbon neutrality by 2030, reducing their landfill waste by 50% and their water usage by 25% by 2025. The company is committed to reducing their environmental impact, as evidenced by their focus on closed-loop waste management, sustainable product design principles, and energy-efficient lighting solutions. GE lighting produces a sustainability report annually to keep track of their advancement and communicate it to the public.

KEY FEATURES
GE Lighting is dedicated to sustainability through a number of initiatives. They focus on energy-efficient products like LED and smart lighting solutions while also implementing a circular economy strategy that prioritizes recycling and reusing products. Further, their operations are partially run using renewable energy, but their goal is to become carbon neutral by 2030. Additionally, GE Lighting makes investments in innovation and works with other organizations to create sustainable lighting solutions. The company also pushes its clients to adopt greener practices and collaborates with organizations and authorities to carry out significant sustainable lighting initiatives. One of these collaborations is the agreement that GE signed with the International Renewable Agency (IRENA) last year at the COP 27 conference. This agreement aims to foster collaboration on several specific pillars including decarbonization, thought leadership, and the adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy.

PROS

  • The company has recycled more than 7.5 million pounds of lighting components, cutting down on waste and protecting natural resources.
  • The Louiville, Kentucky location of GE Lighting uses only renewable energy, lowering the company’s carbon footprint.
  • Produces products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications.

CONS

  • GE Lighting has a substantial environmental impact. The company claimed to have released over 1 million metric tons of CO2e in 2019.Reliance on rare metals earth, whose mining and processing may have negative social and environmental impacts.
  • GE Lighting’s LED lighting solutions can be more expensive initially than conventional lighting options.

 

#7: TCP

We manufacture and distribute innovative commercial lighting products – plus offer decades of lighting design experience.Sustainability is a crucial component of TCP’s business strategy as a provider of lighting solutions. Some of the company’s sustainability initiatives are energy efficiency, waste reduction, ethical sourcing, and community involvement. TCP has put in place a number of steps to reduce their impact on the environment, including producing LED lighting products that use less energy, using recycled materials in their packaging, and putting waste reduction and recycling programs in place at their manufacturing plants. TCP also encourages sustainable forestry methods and sources materials ethically. They have reduced their carbon emissions by over 50% since 2017, and have committed to using 100% renewable energy by 2025. Additionally, they have implemented sustainable practices throughout their supply chain, including using eco-friendly packaging.

KEY FEATURES
Some of the features that enhance the sustainability practices of TCP are energy-efficient LED lighting solutions, waste reduction, ethical sourcing, and community participation initiatives. The company’s sustainability programs seek to reduce their negative environmental impacts, while simultaneously promoting community engagement by collaborating with local institutions to provide energy-efficient educational resources.

PROS

  • TCP’s LED lighting products are up to 85% more energy-efficient than conventional lighting.
  • TCP recycles their materials to use again in packaging.
  • TCP uses sustainable forestry techniques for acquiring materials.
  • Produces products that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications.

CONS

  • TCP does not publish in-depth information about its social responsibility or environmental impact activities.
  • Lack of transparency of delivering information to the public through publishing a sustainability report.

 

#8: CROMPTON LAMPS

Crompton Lamps is one of the oldest lamp businesses in the world.Crompton Lamps provides a variety of goods, including LED fixtures and bulbs. The energy efficiency of Crompton Lamps’ products is one of their main environmental advantages. Moreover, the durability and longevity of Crompton Lamps’ products can help decrease waste and preserve resources over time. In their operations, they seek to promote recycling as well as a reduction in energy consumption and harmful emissions. However, their lack of transparent reporting on their environmental impact makes it difficult to truly assess their sustainability efforts.

KEY FEATURES
Crompton Lamps delivers durable and energy-efficient lighting products with a dedication to lowering waste and enhancing recycling efforts. The corporation is looking into renewable energy solutions and has set a goal to lower its carbon impact by 50% for 2023. Even though there is space for improvement in terms of transparency on its supplier code of conduct, Crompton Lamps participation in the Ethical Trading Initiative shows a commitment to addressing these problems.

PROS

  • Energy-efficient lighting options that customers can use to cut back on energy use and carbon emissions.
  • To ensure that its items are disposed of appropriately, it offers free recycling services to its clients.
  • Commitment to researching renewable energy solutions and lowering its carbon footprint.

CONS

  • Limited openness on their overall social responsibility initiatives and environmental impact.
  • Lack of transparency of delivering information to the public through publishing a sustainability report.

 

THE BEST ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS – CITY CENTER CASE STUDY

Now that we have established the most sustainable light bulb companies, we begin searching for the best energy-efficient light bulb options as better alternatives for the Duplicable City Center design. The following table summarizes details about currently selected light bulbs for the City Center project.

 Currently Selected Light Bulbs for the City Center Project, item, function, fixture, lumens, energy consumption

Currently Selected Light Bulbs for the City Center Project

Upon conducting the sustainability benchmarking, we have classified lighting companies from the most sustainable to the least sustainable. We now seek to look for better alternatives to the currently selected light bulbs for the Duplicable City Center. Our aim is to update the lighting and energy efficiency by browsing for light bulbs that have the same function and fixture without consuming more energy than the original item, which basically means better efficiency. For this, we have narrowed our scope to the top 3 companies in the ranking as they have evident, meaningful commitments to sustainability. However, we recognize that various factors will influence our final purchasing decision. One crucial consideration is the possibility that one of these or the other companies may demonstrate significant sustainability advancements in the future. Alongside sustainability, other important factors like shipping cost, delivery time, and price will also play a role in shaping our ultimate preference for a particular brand. The following table summarizes the alternatives found in this case study.

The Best Alternative Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs - City Center Case Study, image,image, function, fixture, lumens

The Best Alternative Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs – City Center Case Study

 

TOP SIGNIFY ALTERNATIVES

This section summarizes different lighting solutions from Signify that we’ve identified as City Center lighting alternatives. Signify has achieved significant reductions in their carbon emissions, increases in their use of renewable energy, and reduction of waste production throughout their supply chain. In addition, they have been committed to promoting sustainable practices throughout the industry and have been recognized for their efforts by numerous organizations and publications.

 

ITEM #1: A-SHAPE LED

A dimmable, warm white, conventional incandescent light bulb for the City Center, functions as a warm white (3000k) dimmable light bulb, maintains identical energy consumption to the previous model, However, it offers an improved luminous flux, boasting a value of 800 lumens compared to the previous 720 lumens

Item 1 in the table displayed above corresponds to a dimmable, warm white, conventional incandescent light bulb for the City Center. Following a meticulous examination of Signify’s product category, we have identified a superior alternative for the initial item on our list. Signify’s A-Shape LED 8A19/PER/830/FR/P/E26/D 4/4CT also functions as a warm white (3000k) dimmable light bulb and maintains identical energy consumption to the previous model. However, it offers an improved luminous flux, boasting a value of 800 lumens compared to the previous 720 lumens. The most significant aspect of this bulb is the LED lighting technology. Compared to conventional incandescent bulbs, which the currently selected item #1 is, LED technology has a number of benefits, including higher energy efficiency and a longer lifespan. This light bulb is extremely energy-efficient because it only uses 8 wattage, equivalent to 60 watts. The bulb’s 15,000-hour nominal lifespan indicates that it has a far longer lifespan than incandescent lights. Instant illumination is possible due to the warm-up period of just 0.5 seconds for reaching 60% light output.

KEY FEATURES

  • Line Frequency: 60Hz
  • Warm-up time to 60% light: 0.5 s
  • Lamp Current (Nom): 90mA
  • Starting Time (Nom): 0.5 s
  • Voltage (Nom): 120V
  • Wattage Equivalent: 60 W
  • Power Consumption: 8 W
  • Voltage (Nom): 120 V
  • Switching Cycle: 50,000
  • Cap-Base: E26 [Single Contact Medium Screw]
  • Lighting Technology: LED
  • Nominal lifetime: 15,000 hour(s)
  • CorrelatedColor Temperature (Nom): 3000k
  • Luminous Efficacy (rated) (Nom): 100lm/W
  • Luminous Flux: 800 lumen
  • Color Designation: White (WH)
  • LLMF At End Of Nominal Lifetime (Nom): 70%
  • Color Consistency: <6
  • Color rendering index (CRI): 80
  • Color Code: 830 [CCT of 3000K]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE | SPEC SHEET

 

ITEM #2: NO SIGNIFY ALTERNATIVE FOUND

In its outdoor lighting solutions category Signify does not present a range of outdoor step lighting options from which we can find a product to serve as an alternative for the 3W City Center chosen product.

ITEM #3: 8.8

Smart fully dimmable light buly, Line Frequency: 60 Hz, Lamp Current (Nom): 85mA, Warm-up time to 60% light: 0.5s, Voltage (Nom): 120V, Power Factor (Fraction): 0.7, Starting time (Nom): 0.5s

Item 3 displayed in the table corresponds to a Fully Dimmable Smart E26 light bulb with 800 lumens light intensity and 9W energy consumption. By looking at different options on the Signify’s website that have the same function, we found a more energy-efficient option; Signify’s LED BR40 8.8BR40/PER/927/P/E26/DIM 6/1FB T20. This alternative has a wattage equivalent to 65 W, but consumes only 8.8 W of power, helping to save on electricity costs. However, The bulb has a 15,000 hour lifespan, which is considerably low compared to the 25,000 hour original City Center item.

KEY FEATURES

  • Line Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Lamp Current (Nom): 85mA
  • Warm-up time to 60% light: 0.5s
  • Voltage (Nom): 120V
  • Power Factor (Fraction): 0.7
  • Starting time (Nom): 0.5s
  • Wattage Equivalent: 65 W
  • Input Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Power consumption: 8.8 W
  • Switching Cycle: 50,000
  • Nominal lifetime: 15,000 hour(s)
  • Correlated Color Temperature (nom): 2700 K
  • Luminous Efficacy (rated) (nom): 90.00 lm/W
  • Luminous Flux: 800 lumen
  • Color Designation: Warm White (WW)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE | SPEC SHEET

 

ITEM #4: SLIM FLOOD LED DUAL SELECT

outdoor floodlight, LED technology, Slipfitter Mount: Adjustable aluminum slipfitter with set screws for securing to tenon, Color Temperature: Field selectable color temperature options: 3000K, 4000K, 5000K, Wattage: Different wattage options available for each model, with field-adjustable options for some, Driver: Operates with a 120-347V; 50/60Hz Class 1 or Class 2 driver, 5-year limited Warranty

Item 4 is an outdoor floodlight designed for high-intensity lighting. This particular floodlight utilizes a slipfitter mount, specifically suitable for round light pole tenon mounting. It is important to note that floodlights of this nature typically consume a significant amount of energy due to their high lighting intensity.

In comparison to the floodlight model of the City Center project, this alternative (Slim Flood LED dual select SF15/35/60/100/150/205/300) offers a higher lighting intensity of 43,500 lumens, while maintaining the same light color temperature of 5000K, all by consuming 300W of energy. Alternatively, lower energy consumption options of the same model are available at 205W and 255W, with varying color light temperatures of 3000K and 4000K, while maintaining the same light intensity. This floodlight serves as an effective solution for outdoor lighting applications, providing the desired lighting intensity and color temperature options, while considering energy efficiency requirements. This specific model is cULus listed for Canada and USA. It is also DLC 5.1 Premium, and its entire luminaire is rated for operation in ambient temperature of -40°C (-40°F) up to +50°C (+122°F).

KEY FEATURES

  • LED technology
  • Slipfitter Mount: Adjustable aluminum slipfitter with set screws for securing to tenon.
  • Color Temperature: Field selectable color temperature options: 3000K, 4000K, 5000K.
  • Wattage: Different wattage options available for each model, with field-adjustable options for some.
  • Driver: Operates with a 120-347V; 50/60Hz Class 1 or Class 2 driver.
  • 5-year limited Warranty

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE | SPEC SHEET

 

ITEM #5: A19 – E26 SMART BULB – 75 W EQUIVALENCE

Philips Hue, Bulb dimensions: 62*112 (W*H), Extra feature/accessory incl.: Dimmable with Hue app and switch, Color temperature: 2000K-6500K +16 million colors, Form factor: A19, Input voltage:110V-130V

In exploring alternatives available for item 5, we came across Philips Hue; a lightbulb brand by Signify (formerly known as Philips Lighting) that specializes in offering smart, wireless light bulbs and accessories for creating various lighting experiences. Item 5 is an E26 Dimmable Multi Colored LED light bulb with 11W power consumption and 1100 Lumens light intensity. When filtering options based on these specifications (Colored light- Single pack-E26-Dimmable-Bulb), and comparing between the remaining options according to power consumption, we ended up with an alternative that has the same function and light intensity, but a maximum power operation of 10.5W. This option is Energy Star Certified, has a 3 year warranty (compared to 2 years), and a lifetime of 25,000 hours.

KEY FEATURES

  • Bulb dimensions: 62*112 (W*H)
  • Extra feature/accessory incl.: Dimmable with Hue app and switch
  • Color temperature: 2000K-6500K +16 million colors
  • Form factor: A19
  • Input Voltage: 110V-130V
  • Light output: White and color light
  • Max. standby power: <0.2 W
  • Number of switching cycles: 50,000
  • Start up: Instant 100% light output
  • Number of switching cycles: 50,000
  • Communication protocol: Bluetooth and Zigbee
  • Compatible with Effects: Yes
  • HomeKit compatible: Yes
  • Voice assistants: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit (Via Hue Bridge), Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana (Via Hue Bridge)
  • Disposal of the product: Follow local rules for disposal at the end of the product’s economic life.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE | SPEC SHEET

 

ITEM #6: LED PAR80

LED PAR80, Nominal lifetime: 25,000 hour(s), Luminous Flux: 900 lumen, Color Temperature: 5000 K, Color Rendering Index (CRI): 90, Power consumption: 10W

Item 6 is an Outdoor Waterproof Bright Dimmable Bulb, with a light intensity of 1050lm and 13W energy consumption. In our research, we narrowed down some alternative options and aimed for a more energy-efficient choice. The two options that were in close competition are: a 10W/900lm/4000K bulb and a 13W/1200lm/2700K PAR38 bulb. The two options have different lighting warmth, are equally deviated in lumens from the City Center option of 1050lm, but one of them offers a lower energy consumption compared to an equal energy consumption. Because we aim to lower energy consumption, we choose to go with the first option, the 10W/900lm/4000K bulb.

KEY FEATURES

  • Nominal lifetime: 25,000 hour(s)
  • Luminous Flux: 900 lumen
  • Color Temperature: 5000 K
  • Color Rendering Index (CRI): 90
  • Power consumption: 10W
  • Wattage Equivalent: 90W
  • Energy Star Certified
  • EU RoHS compliant: Yes
  • Beam Angle (Nom): 25 degree(s)
  • Color Consistency: <4
  • LLMF At End of Nominal Lifetime (Nom): 70%
  • Power Factor (Fraction): 0.9
  • T-Case Maximum (Nom): 70 °C
  • Suitable for Accent Lighting: Yes

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE | SPEC SHEET

 

ITEM #7: NO SIGNIFY ALTERNATIVE FOUND

Item 7 is a versatile arm mount floodlight with a switchable feature. It includes a photocell sensor that allows it to adjust according to the lighting requirements of the environment. The floodlight provides a daylight temperature light of 5000K and has a light intensity ranging from 36000 to 45000 lumens. While exploring Signify’s website and specifically the outdoor lighting solutions section, we carefully filtered the available options based on our desired specifications. Unfortunately, none of the options met our requirement for a 5000K color temperature. Therefore, we concluded that there is no superior alternative to item 7 offered by Signify.

 

TOP (second best company) ALTERNATIVES

 

TOP (third best company) ALTERNATIVES

 

#2 EATON:

Eaton does not presently provide a selection of standard and smart light bulbs. Their lighting product selection may not have the precise sorts of lightbulbs or smart lighting solutions you want. Furthermore, while Eaton sells floodlights, their selection may not fulfill the specified light intensity of floodlights we aim to replace.

 

#3 ENERGIZER CONNECT:

Energizer Connect is a well-known company that sells smart light bulbs, offering a different choice for individuals looking for smart lighting solutions. The Energizer Connect smart light bulbs we found have a lesser light output than the targeted 1100 lumens, often giving approximately 800 lumens instead. This implies that the Energizer Connect lights’ brightness level may be somewhat reduced. Furthermore, the power of these bulbs is often in the 9 to 10 watt range, which is less than the current wattage (11 watts).

 

#4 OSRAM

Osram is a well-known lighting technology business with specialties in automotive applications, LED engines, entertainment and industrial, and Opto Semiconductors. However, when it comes to the exact variety of lighting solutions we are interested in, Osram may not have the appropriate possibilities. Their primary concentration is on the aforementioned application areas, rather than a broad range of consumer lighting solutions.

 

#5 ACUITY BRANDS

Acuity Brands is a well-known lighting solutions firm that provides a wide range of products to meet a variety of lighting needs. It should be noted, however, that they do not particularly include lightbulbs in their lighting solutions. While Acuity Brands may not have the needed lightbulbs, they do have an excellent assortment of floodlights that might be potential replacements for one of the City Center floodlights. Floodlights from Acuity Brands come in a variety of wattage, light output, and feature configurations, providing for flexibility in fulfilling unique lighting needs. Investigating Acuity Brands’ floodlight products may give viable alternatives with varying light intensities, beam angles, and sophisticated features to assist in meeting the intended lighting goals for the City Center or other projects.

 

#6: ACUITY BRANDS FLOODLIGHT #1

Item 4 is an outdoor floodlight designed for high-intensity lighting. This particular floodlight utilizes a slipfitter mount, specifically suitable for round light pole tenon mounting. It is important to note that floodlights of this nature typically consume a significant amount of energy due to their high lighting intensity.
In comparison to the floodlight model of the City Center project, this alternative offers approximately the same lighting intensity of 34,000 lumens, while maintaining the same light color temperature of 5000K, all by consuming less energy (264 W) compared to 300W.

PRODUCT PAGE | SPEC SHEET

 

#7 GE LIGHTING

GE Lighting, a well-known lighting firm, is known for providing a wide range of lighting solutions. However, it has been found that GE Lighting does not regularly deliver highly competitive lightbulbs in terms of energy efficiency. While they provide a variety of lighting alternatives for consumers, it is crucial to note that their emphasis appears to be more on marketing and recruiting purchasers than just on energy economy.

 

THE BEST ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS ON CONSUMER WEBSITES – CITY CENTER CASE STUDY

In this section, we explore alternatives to the chosen City Center light bulbs that we found through searching on a consumer site. Ultimately, we chose Amazon for this as it is widely accessible. Amazon is very user friendly and provides potential customers with helpful filters on their website, making the search process approachable and straightforward.

 

ITEM #1: LEDVANCE SYLVANIA TRU WAVE NATURAL SERIES BR30 LED LIGHT BULB

LEDVANCE SYLVANIA TRU WAVE NATURAL SERIES BR30 LED LIGHT BULB
This LED offers 650 lumens of brightness, a color temperature of 2700K, and a lifespan of 15,000 hours backed by a 5-year warranty. It also has a wattage of 7 watts (compared to the original 8 watts lightbulb), and falls in the same warm color light temperature.

KEY FEATURES

  • Brand: LEDVANCE (SYLVANIA)
  • Light Type: LED
  • Bulb shape size: BR30
  • Bulb Base: E26 Medium
  • Specific uses for product: for indoor and outdoor use
  • Light color: Soft White
  • Voltage: 120 Volts
  • Color Temperature: 2700 Kelvin
  • Brightness: 650 Lumen
  • Material: Plastic
  • Size: 12 Count (Pack of 1)
  • Warranty Description: 5 years

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE

 

ITEM #2: NO ALTERNATIVE FOUND

Item 2 is an outdoor steplight. It consumes 3W of energy while delivering an impressive light output of over 3000 lumens. Given the outdoor area we are concerned with, maintaining a high level of lighting output is crucial. Despite filtering out unsuitable alternatives, we managed to narrow down our choices to three options that consume less energy. Unfortunately, these alternatives fell short in terms of light intensity, making them impractical for our specific requirements.

 

ITEM #3: SENGLED BR30 RECESSED DIMMABLE LED

SENGLED BR30 RECESSED DIMMABLE LED
Item 3 presented in the tabulated data pertains to a Smart E26 light bulb in white color, characterized as being Fully Dimmable with a light intensity of 800 lumens and an energy consumption of 9W. Through the process of filtering available options to streamline the selection, we have identified an alternative item manufactured by Sengled. This alternative item offers a slightly reduced light output of 650 lumens, but with a lower energy consumption of 6.5W as opposed to 9W. Additionally, this item is a dimmable LED bluetooth light bulb in white color and includes a 2-year warranty.

KEY FEATURES

  • Special Features: Works with Alexa, No Hub Required, Dimmable, App & Remote Control, Voice Command Control
  • Light Color: Soft White (2700K)
  • Bulb Base: E26
  • Bulb Shape Size: BR30
  • Item Weight: 1.26 pounds
  • Type of Bulb: LED
  • Connectivity Protocol: Bluetooth
  • Color Rendering Index: 90
  • Style: BR30
  • Finish Type: Soft White

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

PRODUCT PAGE

 

ITEM #4: NO ALTERNATIVE FOUND

Item 4 represents a slipfitter mount floodlight characterized by a cool color temperature of 5000K. It consumes 300W of energy and produces an impressive light output of over 30,000 lumens. Considering the outdoor area we are addressing, we want to preserve the high level of lighting output. After filtering out unsuitable alternatives, we had narrowed down our options to three choices with lower energy consumption. However, these alternatives exhibited significantly reduced light intensities, rendering them impractical for our requirements.

 

BEST ENERGY-SAVING PRACTICES AND LIGHTING ACCESSORIES

Highest Good society, fulfilled living, enriched life, enriching life, living to live, how to live an enriched life, keeping it all running, sustainable living, social architecture, fulfilled living, thriving, thrivability, emotional sustainability, the good life, a new way to liveEnergy-saving lighting practices play a vital role in sustaining the world’s resources and preventing excessive use of energy, which can help in lowering carbon emissions and electricity costs.The University of Saskatchewan produced a great general guide for energy saving practices. From that guide, here is a list of actions you can take to enhance the sustainability of the lightbulbs you purchase and your lighting practices:

  1. Optimize Daylight – The easiest way to save energy is to rely more on natural daylight rather than artificial lighting. Having natural light in buildings reduces the demand for electricity and cooling requirements.
  2. Smart Positioning – Instead of having excessive overhead lighting, placing task lighting on desks and workstations reduces the need to have extra lightning. Additionally, strategically placing lightning to bounce off reflective surfaces reduces the amount of lighting fixtures necessary to illuminate a room.
  3. Pick the Right Type of Lightbulb – Make sure not to overly light a room. Choose lightbulbs whose wattage matches the purpose of the room. After all, there’s no need to light a bedroom the same way you light a functional office.
  4. Switch to LED lights: Compared to other types of lighting such as conventional incandescent or fluorescent, LED uses up to 90% less energy and can last up to 25 times longer.
  5. Multiple Switches – If you’re going to install lighting in a large open-plan space, multiple switches should be installed so that you aren’t wasting energy when you’re only using a certain section of the space.
  6. Install Dimmers – Dimmers reduce the amount of electricity a light will use. Additionally, it can actually increase the lifespan of certain types of lighting.
  7. Install Motion Detectors – Using built-in motion sensors or timers is a great way to make sure lights only operate when needed.
  8. Clean Your Lights – Dusty lightbulbs can actually obstruct as much as half the light. Making sure your lightbulbs are clean is essential for getting the maximum amount of light from them.
  9. Select Certain Paint Colors – Darker paint in a room tends to keep a space darker as it absorbs available light while lighter colors reflect light, meaning that the energy you are utilizing is more efficient.
  10. Use Open Floor Plans – Open floor plans are great for lighting efficiency, as light is allowed to flow freely throughout all levels of a structure.

 

THE CASE FOR INCANDESCENTS

Paul Wheaton, through his podcasts (see Paul Wheaton’s Anti-LED views on LED & Paul Wheaton’s Anti-LED views on LED – Part 2) and the book Building a Better World EPub Book – Paul Wheaton, has conveyed strong opinions on the benefits of using Incandescent bulbs and the downsides of using LEDs.

 

BENEFITS OF INCANDESCENT BULBS:

Paul considers that Incandescent bulbs remain the most environmentally friendly bulb of 2019, in most cases, despite all the modern innovation. The following section details the case for Incandescent bulbs.

 

BIG ENERGY SAVINGS (COLD CLIMATES)

In places like Montana, when it gets cold outside, the days get much shorter. When we need more light, we also happen to need more heat. And incandescent light has two big properties, namely

  1. High quality of light
  2. Radiant heat

Radiant heat when pointed at a person is far more efficient than convective heat– which is the common way that people heat their home. Heat from the incandescent bulb can be used as focused heating on an individual rather than heating the surrounding air. This can curb the energy wastage in the current heating system for heating large spaces when concentrated heating would just do the trick.
If you live in a cold climate and use Incandescent bulbs electricity is effectively free in the Winter. The electricity is free because when all the lights are turned off, the thermostat will then tell your heater to come on more. It will be almost the same amount of energy.

LONGIVITY

There is further discussion that Incandescent bulbs claim to run for 5000 hrs but in reality they run more than 8000 hrs. LEDs claims to run for 10,000hrs but in reality runs more than 8000 hrs (when closer to expiry).

 

THE CASE AGAINST LEDS:

 

TOXICITY:

Toxicity due to light bulbs can be categorized in three ways

  1. Manufacture
  2. Usage
  3. Disposal

CFLs are toxic in all three stages. LEDs are said to have 1/3 toxins of CFL and are 12 times more than that of incandescent bulbs.
LED Manufacture
LEDs are more sophisticated built with electronic components like resistors and capacitors. They are said to be half toxic than CFL, 100 times more than that of Incandescent. LEDs are more toxic during manufacture as they need a driver circuit, LED panel and a heat sink.
A study in UC Irvine showed that LEDs are loaded with lead arsenic and other toxins that cause a variety of ailments. Incandescent bulbs have some toxins in manufacture and disposal, but they are small.
LED Disposal
LEDS are either thrown to landfill or recycled.There are many harmful effects of recycling electronics and how LEDs can contribute to it. Consumers need to rationalize the energy savings against the toxicity in manufacture & recycling of LED when making their decision to purchase the right bulb.

 

HEALTH EFFECTS OF LED:

Spectral analysis on a variety of LED bulbs and have found some that do a very good job of emulating natural daylight. The person doing the analysis claims that it was the ultimate test that proves that LED was better than incandescent bulbs. After all, natural daylight is helpful in

  1. Elevating mood
  2. Increasing attention span and
  3. Improving one’s reaction time.

Cool white LED’s produce a lot of blue light like natural daylight. Natural sunset light has very little blue in it and a lot more orange and red. Research has shown that blue light in the evening suppresses the secretion of melatonin.
Unfortunately, particular elements used in the production of blue light LEDs happen to be the most economical and efficient ones around. Switching the spectrum to be more in line with sunset or an incandescent bulb would be impacting both the cost and efficiency which might put a damper on the sales.
As for health issues for LED lights during their use, LEDs are still relatively new. So far, LED lights have been proven to mess with sleep cycles. It also has the potential to cause problems for people with epilepsy and contribute to malaise, headaches, and visual impairments. And apparently infrared light, which LED produces almost none of, is extremely important for all sorts of biological functions such as eye health and cellular energy production.

 

RESOURCES

Here are any other resources we’ve found (or that have been shared with us) and we think may be helpful:

 

SUMMARY

most sustainable light bulbs, most sustainable lightbulbs, eco-bulbs, eco-lighting, green lighting, sustainable lighting, One Community, One Community Global, Highest Good Energy, sustainable light, best lightbulbs, best light bulbs, most ecological lighting, LEED PlatinumWhen choosing the best sustainable lightbulb for your home, we’d advise that you buy LED lights since they are more energy-efficient and last longer, making them more environmentally-friendly than incandescent and CFL bulbs. We included guides on how to choose the best lightbulbs and how to read a lightbulb label. Besides picking a sustainable lightbulb, we also thought it was important to know some basic energy-saving practices and lightning accessories.

After an assessment of various sustainable lightbulb brands, we identified the five best brands and ranked them accordingly based on their sustainability goal/initiatives. We concluded that Megaman was the best company in terms of sustainability and highlighted some of their best products. We also highlighted the other 4 companies (Osram, Ledvance, Philips, and Energizer) and some of their best products.

If you want a more specific guide on how to select the most suitable lightbulb for Megaman, we’d suggest you check out this guide provided by Megaman.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What lightbulb options are there?

A: The three most common types are LED lights, CFLs, and incandescent bulbs.

Q: Out of all three lighting options listed above, which one should I choose?

A: We recommend LED lights.

Q: Why are LED lights more energy efficient?

A: They require much less wattage than CFLs and incandescent bulbs. They also last longer and are much more durable.

Q: What determines if a lightbulb brand is sustainable or not?

A: Each company was benchmarked looking at five different categories of sustainability. These consisted of:

  1.  if there was a sustainability presence on their website
  2.  if there was a current sustainability report on their website or available to the public
  3.  what are their sustainability goals
  4.  what are their sustainability initiatives
  5.  what partnerships/collaborations do they have with other organizations

Q: What is the most sustainable lightbulb brand?

A: Megaman has been concluded to be the most sustainable lightbulb brand because of its commitment to sustainable manufacturing and transparency.

Q: What are the ways through which consumers can recycle the light bulbs after the end of life of the bulb?

A.The most common ways are:

  1. The retailers that sell LED bulbs’ take-back programs . They may provide collection bins in their stores where you can drop off old bulbs for recycling.
  2. The manufacturers have their own recycle programs that can provide the mailing services to collect them.

Q: How do companies recycle light bulbs?

A. Parts that can be recyclable in an LED bulb are glass, aluminum and circuit boards. Our selected products in this page were all LED and they can be highly recycled. Refer to the Table Sustainability Benchmarking of Top Light Bulb Companies. It lists detailed recycling goals and progress for the selected companies.

Q: What are some eco-friendly ways that companies adopt for disposal of any unwanted products?

A. Many of the light bulb companies have started on the path of being carbon neutral by planning for zero waste going to landfills as part of their climate action plans. Refer to the table Metric 3: Landfill Waste Reduction in the Sustainability Benchmarking Of Top Light Bulb Companies table.

Q: What are some eco-friendly ways that companies adopt for disposal of any unwanted products?

A. Some manufacturers have their own recycle programs that can provide the mailing services to collect them.

 

One Community