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Lighting

Category: Built Environment, Energy Efficiency

Commercial buildings spend nearly 25-30% of their energy on lighting. Replacing inefficient incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, fluorescent bulbs, or halogen bulbs greatly reduces a building’s lighting demands. Upgraded lighting fixtures, motion controlled lighting, and daylight sensors can improve lighting efficiency.

Benefits of Lighting Upgrades

  • Saves money
  • Better productivity from building occupants
  • Less carbon emissions due to lower energy demand

Challenges

  • Large upfront cost
  • Generates light bulb trash often before the lightbulb design life is over

Impacts

  • GHG Impact

    Moderate

    Replacing lighting in outdated buildings can make a big difference in a campus’ energy demand.

  • Economic Impact

    Net Savings

    Varies on electricity cost, current bulb technology and the quality of upgrades.

  • Feasibility

    Very Achievable

    Many campus’ facilities already have been replacing burnt out bulbs with higher efficiency bulbs.

  • Timeline

    < 1 year

    Replacing every light bulb will take time.

  • Maintenance

    Low / None

    Once installed, current maintenance will suffice.

  • Publicity

    That's cool

    Extremely low hanging fruit of sustainability. Campus users may notice, but won’t consider it a sustainable breakthrough for campus.

Lighting Providers

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