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Use lights efficiently
Even if you have energy-efficient lighting, it makes sense to use lighting sensibly to further reduce energy use and electricity bills.
- Use the sun as it provides free and natural lighting
- Save electricity and money with more efficient globes—up to 50 per cent
- Be prepared for the phase-out of incandescent globes
At a glance
- Savings 2
- Ease 3
- Impact 2
There are a few simple steps you can take to use lights more efficiently.
- Check that you are not using a higher wattage globe than is necessary to light a room. Look for the number of lumens on the packaging as this is the best way to compare the light output of different globes.
- Turn off unnecessary lights, especially when leaving a room. It's a common misconception that more energy is used to switch a fluorescent light on and off than to leave it on when you leave a room—however it's more energy efficient to switch fluorescent lights, including compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), off.
- Have multiple switches to control the number of lights that come on at one time. Place switches at the exits from rooms and use two-way switching to encourage lights to be turned off when leaving the room.
- Consider installing movement sensors to turn lights on and off automatically in rooms that are used infrequently where lights may be left on by mistake.
- Use timers, daylight controls and motion sensors for outdoor security lights or for common areas, such as hallways and stairwells in multi-unit housing.
- Clean light fittings to allow more light to pass through.
- Take advantage of natural daylight. Open curtains fully and do activities requiring light (such as reading or sewing) close to a window.
- Consider using solar-powered lighting for your garden where higher visibility for safety reasons is not an issue.
- Consider decorating with light coloured finishes and furnishings—this can allow lighting levels to be reduced. Read our tips on energy-efficient lighting for more information.
|Energy and water efficient product information||VIC||Home owner, Landlord, Renter||Apartment, House|
|Energy and water efficient product information||NSW||Home owner, Landlord, Renter||Apartment, House|
|Home and business energy incentives||SA||Home owner, Renter, Business||Apartment, House|
|Home energy assistance||ACT||Home owner, Landlord, Renter||Apartment, House|
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