3. ENERGY STAR Facts & Figures for Your Co-Branded Material

3. O. LIGHTING—GENERAL

• If every American home replaced just one light bulb with one that has earned the ENERGY STAR, we would:
  • Save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year.
  • Save more than $680 million in annual energy costs.
  • Prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions from 800,000 cars.
    
    Note: "One bulb" refers to one CFL bulb.
    Source: U.S. EPA
• If every American home replaced their five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, we would:
  • Save $8 billion each year in energy costs.
  • Prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 10 million cars.
    
    Note: This fact is based on the replacement of nine bulbs in five high-use fixtures.
    Source: U.S. EPA
• Bulbs and fixtures that have earned the ENERGY STAR produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.
  
  Note: Energy savings of 75 percent equates to reduction in total heat output of 75 percent.
  Source: U.S. EPA
• By replacing your home's five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with models that have earned the ENERGY STAR, you can save $75 each year.
  Note: This fact is based on the replacement of nine bulbs in five high-use fixtures.
  Source: U.S. EPA
• Ceiling fans with lights that have earned the ENERGY STAR are 50 percent more efficient than conventional fan/light units, saving you $150 in energy costs over the fan's 10-year lifetime.
  
  Note: Savings for ceiling fans without lights are very small.
  Source: U.S. EPA
• A light bulb that has earned the ENERGY STAR can save more than $40 in electricity costs over its lifetime.
  
  Note: Because many CFLs exceed 8,000 hours, manufacturers may accurately assert higher savings for their specific product. Sources: Energy saving: 51 kWh/ year, 8,000 hour life; 3 hours of use each day; lifetime electricity rate $0.11/ kWh, or see U.S. EPA.
• A light bulb that has earned the ENERGY STAR can save about $6 in electricity costs annually.
  
  Note: Bulb savings based on a weighted average of bulb type replacement. The dollar savings is very similar to the 51 kWh/year savings from replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 13-watt CFL. Source: Energy savings: 51 kWh/year; 3 hour use each day; $0.109 / kWh electricity cost, or see U.S. EPA.
• A light [bulb or fixture] that has earned the ENERGY STAR prevents 570 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime, the equivalent of keeping 270 pounds of coal from being burned.
  Sources: Energy savings: 51 kWh/year, 8,000 hour lifetime, emissions factor = 1.54 pounds CO2/kWh, Coal emissions = 2.14 pounds CO2/pound coal or see U.S. EPA.
• Bulbs and fixtures that have earned the ENERGY STAR use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer.
  
  Note: Actual savings over incandescent range from 60-80 percent. The typical life of an incandescent bulb is 750-1,000 hours. Many ENERGY STAR qualified screw-in CFL bulbs exceed the 6,000 hour minimum and many pin-based bulbs included with qualified fixtures exceed their 10,000 hour minimum. Qualified solid-state lighting lamps and luminaires are rated for 15,000-50,000 hours. Manufacturers may accurately assert higher hours on packaging.
  Source: U.S. EPA

General Facts:

• The average home has approximately 30 light fixtures.
  Source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lighting Market Sourcebook for the U.S. 1997.

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Updated: December 2012