In the average U.S. home, lighting accounts for about 20 percent of your electric bill. You can save money by changing the light bulbs in your current fixtures to energy efficient lighting, such as ENERGY STAR-qualified Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) or Light Emitting Diode Bulbs (LEDs).  ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures and decorative holiday light strings are also available.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) come in many shapes and sizes to replace incandescent light bulbs in your existing light fixtures. Look for discounted spirals, reflectors, globes, 3-way and other specialty bulbs at participating retailers provided by DTE Energy's Your Energy Savings^SM program.  CFLs last longer and use up to 75 percent less energy than standard light bulbs. Use the chart below to choose CFL replacements for incandescent bulbs. 

Choosing the right color

CFLs are available in a wide variety of shades of white light, ranging from yellowish to white to bluish white light, which allows you to customize the mood of your space. Many CFLs come in "warm" colors to match the yellowish light of incandescent bulbs, but you can also choose "cooler" colors with whiter or bluer light.

What you should know:

• Light color is measured on a temperature scale referred to as Kelvin (K).
• Lower Kelvin numbers mean the light appears more yellow; higher Kelvin numbers mean the light is whiter or bluer.
• Most ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs are made to match the color of incandescent bulbs at 2700-3000K.
• For a whiter light, look for bulbs marked 3500-4100K.
• For bluer white light, look for bulbs marked 5000-6500K.

LEDS

Light emitting diodes offer better light quality than incandescent bulbs and last 25 times as long. This technology is up and coming and available mostly in holiday lighting strings. These strings lights are available in white light or colors.

Light Fixtures

Look for the ENERGY STAR on all types of light fixtures, including table and floor lamps, ceiling fixtures, pendant fixtures, recessed cans, ceiling fans and more.  To save the most energy and money, consider replacing your highest-use fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures that are designed to use CFLs.  Focus on the kitchen ceiling lights, living or family room table lamps, floor lamps and outdoor porch or post lamps.

Lighting controls

Lighting controls are simply devices for turning lights on and off. Lighting controls include standard snap switches, photocells, timers, and occupancy sensors.

• Three-way snap switches make it easier to turn off lights in unused areas.
• Photocells respond to natural light levels and switch outdoor lights on at dusk and off at dawn.
• Mechanical or electronic timers automatically turn on and off indoor or outdoor lights.
• Occupancy sensors activate lights when a person is in the area and then turn off the lights after the person has left the area.

Simple changes in your lighting can improve light quality, make visual tasks easier and save you money on energy costs. 

You should consider the following:

• Reduce light levels when there are no visual tasks.
• Provide adequate light levels for visual tasks.
• Use daylight where and whenever possible and practical.
• Use ENERGY STAR CFLs, which last longer and use up to 75 percent less energy than standard light bulbs. You can cut your electric bill by about $60 per year if you replace the standard bulbs in your five most frequently used light fixtures.
• Not every room needs the same amount of general light. Plan within a room to provide general background lighting and supplementary task lighting. A good lighting plan can reduce lighting costs and still provide all the light you need.
• Using one high-watt bulb instead of several low-watt bulbs saves energy.
• Turn off lights when not in use, even for short periods of time. Turning lights off and on uses less energy than if they are left on all the time.

Learn more about light bulb and light fixture choices, find buyer's guides, lighting calculators and more at www.energystar.gov.