In this segment, we'll focus on lighting efficiency. In other parts of this series we'll cover: the initial interview, checking for HVAC leaks using a duct blaster, general HVAC efficiency, and the smoke test, using a blower door to check for structure air tightness. Come back regularly as we add the rest of the videos in this series.
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Interview Transcript
Hi, this is Patrick Egan, publisher of the Green Building Journal.
You are watching part four of a five part video series,
in which we'll walk through a standard energy audit of a 4 bedroom, 2200 square foot craftsman remodel.
In this segment, we'll focus on lighting efficiency. In other parts of this series, we'll cover the initial interview, checking for HVAC leaks using a duct blaster, general HVAC efficiency, and the smoke test, using a blower door to check for structure air tightness.
So, the lighting that we've got in the house and, you know, what kind of savings can we see by using a different type of lighting? And, how much energy is it using?
Even what type of heat is it putting out? You know, that's gonna decrease our cooling, as well, too.
Absolutely. Absolutely. Alright. Well, two important points, two important points to begin, one, you guys have done a great job, so far, already having a mostly CFL system. But, just because you've done well, doesn't mean there's not room for improvement, especially with LED technology that's really starting to hit the market, and the bulbs prices are going down.
So, now might be the time to invest if you want to be, you know, a leader. And, soon enough it's gonna be cost effective to get these things with paybacks under two years, so that's an exciting change in the space. And LED without a doubt is the future of lighting.
The other part is lighting, is really what creates the magic in your interior space, and you want to be very careful not to make a retrofit for energy savings that ends up making you unhappy where you live.
Okay.
So, I brought a few LED bulbs today to show. I have bought these all recently at Ace, other than this one which was given to me at a trade show. This is a 6 watt bulb. It's design to replace a 60 watt halogen light would be in there. So 90% energy savings and has a very nice color, temperature and nice warm light.
This one is designed for vanities, creates a spherical light and it's designed with a color rendering index, so what you look like in the light is what you look like in the reality. And then, this one is designed to replace any sort of spotlight, or it's really good for exterior lights, as well. This one's ten watts, eight watts, and then six watts again.
Okay great. So, in here right now, let's see what we've got, let me turn this on. These are sixty watt halogen, or helogene, or something like that?
Sixty watt halogens. This one's not turning on. Let's turn it off for one second.
It's probably dead now. So?
Well.
Maybe, we should replace that one?
Maybe, we should replace it? How, how perfect is that?
Alright, cool.
Alright Even though it kind of feels like nails on chalkboard, when you do this, it's one of my favorite feelings. All right. Let's hope the fixture's working. And, there we go.
Alright great.
Beautiful, beautiful. And if I remember correctly, you told me that, that's an older halogen model, that's a newer one.
Correct.
And now this is the LED.
Correct.
And the LED matches the newer halogen's color and most people buy halogens because of the color.
Sure, definitely.
And it also is saving about 90% of the energy and putting out a lot less heat. So, in Santa Barbara, that's generally a good thing.
Well, I know you brought your infrared camera. Let's see what kind of heat we are getting out of the thing.
Cool, alright. So if we aim this there. That's pretty amazing. You can barely tell that the LED is on. The other halogen is still warming up, but the one that's been on for a while is well over 90 degrees and earlier today when we measured it, it was hitting about 114 after being on for a while.
That's interesting.
And now the LED again it barely looks like it's on and its the same temperature as the ambient temperature in the room.
That's amazing.
And again putting a great quality of light.
You said that one's 6 watts.
6 watts. Versus a sixty watt halogen.
And it's not heating up my room.
Not heating up your room.
I think we'll be replacing all three of those lights.
Let's hope so.
Alright.
And, then moving on to the kitchen space. What's important to know is that if a light is not on too often, there's usually no point in replacing it unless the idea is that you never want to deal with maintenance on that again.
Right.
But lights that are on more than six hours a day, it's always worth looking into...
Okay.
...Doing a retrofit.
Sounds good. Right.
Or we prefer to use the term upgrade. And you had mentioned these two guys hanging in the middle, those two fixtures were on all the time, so those will be a good option to look in to from here.
Right and those are 60 watts or 75 watts incandescents.
They are on a dimmer and that was my big concern, we originally did the remodel that we couldn't go with CFL in that spot because we couldn't dim the CFLs. They do have dimmable CFLs, now.
But, again, they're pretty expensive.
And if you're gonna spend the money, as far as durability and light quality goes, I would recommend looking to an LED solution for those, as well.
Great.
To view the rest of the videos in this series just visit greenbuildingpro.com.
