Saving energy on lighting

By replacing incandescent lights with standard compact fluorescent tubes, you may save up to 75 per cent of your lighting energy dollars (lighting makes up about 4% of your electricity account). This is especially true for high use areas such as kitchen, lounge and living areas.

Types of lights and fittings

Incandescent globes are the most common form of household lighting. They are cheap to replace and come in a wide variety of shapes and forms. They can be dimmed only and have an average life span of 1,000 hours. They are the least efficient as 95 per cent of energy consumed is given off as heat.

Quartz halogen lights are twice as efficient as incandescent globes. They have a life span of around 2,000 to 4,000 hours and come in a wide selection of wattages. They cost more to replace than incandescent globes.

Fluorescent lights are the most energy efficient of all light sources and are ideal for areas where lighting is required for long periods. Fluorescent lights fall into two categories ­ tubular and compact. Compact fluorescents last up to eight times longer than conventional globes and use one-fifth the energy. Switching on and off reduces the expected life of the tube.