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LED Lighting

Summary: Residential and commercial lighting uses about 5% of U.S. electricity (EIA) and 10% of a households electricity (EIA-RESC). Since LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs use so much less electricity than other types of lighting and replacing older bulbs with LEDs is so cheap and simple, this solution should be implemented immediately.

LEDs last 20 times as long as incandescent bulbs and use about 1/4 of the energy for the same amount of light (DOE). California put in place high efficiency standards for lightbulbs January 1, 2018, which meant that only compact fluorescent (CFC) and LED bulbs could be offered for sale. Compact fluorescents are half as efficient as LEDs (WBUR) and also have a toxic disposal problem because of small amounts of mercury in the bulb.

In 2015, only 29% of U.S. households had even one LED lightbulb (EIA-RESC).

Goal: Substitute LED lighting for older types of bulbs in all possible fixtures in and outside of buildings (residential, commercial, industrial, government, street lighting).

Existing Programs

  • Santa Rosa, CA – Converting Street Lights to LED
    Santa Rosa, CA – Converting Street Lights to LED Lighting industry technology advancements and reductions in the cost of LED fixtures make retrofitting the City’s street lights with LEDs an affordable investment. The Citywide retrofit will result in substantial energy cost savings and greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.   Additionally, the long life span of LED ...
  • California – Higher Efficiency in Non-Residential Lighting
    California – Higher Efficiency in Non-Residential Lighting What’s New in the 2019 Code? Changes to mandatory and prescriptive lighting requirements in California’s 2019 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24).  All new construction and building upgrades are required to use LED lighting only.
  • PG&E Rebates on LEDs for Business
    PG&E Rebates on LEDs for Business Upgrade Your Lighting with the Help of PG&E Rebates
  • Energy.Gov – Benefits of LED Lighting
    Energy.Gov – Benefits of LED Lighting LED is a highly energy efficient lighting technology, and has the potential to fundamentally change the future of lighting in the United States.  Residential LEDs — especially ENERGY STAR rated products — use at least 75% less energy, and last 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting. Widespread use of LED lighting ...