What keeps so many people from making the switch to
fluorescent?
I feel that even once consumers see that there are
fluorescents available with a wide spectrum of warm colors
that don't hum or buzz, they may still have a prejudice
against the shape of a compact fluorescent bulb. If the bulb
can be seen within the fixture, all their negative
associations come flooding back. I want manufacturers to
create fixtures that hide the light source. You'd be amazed
at how many people will think that a fluorescent is an
incandescent source if they can't see the shape of the bulb.
There is no discernable difference in the color and quality
of the light. You might call it acceptance by
disassociation.
In California, after October 1 when the new Title 24 code
went into effect, I think that there will be a rush on
dimmable recessed fluorescents. I am trying to get
manufacturers to sex up recessed fluorescent trims to help
hide the fact that they are fluorescent.
What manufacturers are the leaders in bulbs and fluorescent
fixtures?
Juno Lighting is one of the manufacturers that listened to
me and are getting UL listings for their incandescent trims
to be used with their fluorescent housings. Other companies
that are doing this include Boyd Lighting, Progress
Lighting, Seagull Lighting, Estiluz Lighting, Artimede
Lighting, Flos USA, Aamsco Lighting, and Tresco
International, to name just a few.
Philips Lighting makes a series of dimmable and non-dimmable
bulbs that look like their incandescent counterparts. These
are a quick way to start cutting down on power consumption
and help protect the earth's resources. The EPA has a
program called "Change a Light, Change the World." By
changing five of the most frequently used fixtures in your
home (or the bulbs in them) to Energy Star qualified
fluorescent products, an average household can save $60 a
year in energy costs and prevent more than a trillion pounds
of greenhouse gas emissions.
What are the key specifications and bulb styles from a
product standpoint that manufacturers should be working
towards?
What we need is a whole series of decorative fixtures that
have a hard-wire fluorescent source. It would be best if
these fixtures were designed with electronic ballasts that
are dimmable and use standard incandescent dimmers. I have
read that GE Global Research has created a miniature ballast
that fits into a standard socket, allowing plug-in CFL's to
be used instead of the screw-in variety. This would allow
fixture manufacturers to easily offer hard-wire versions of
many of their fixtures. Of course, they would have to be UL
tested in order to get the UL label. This would involve a
development budget, but these lamps would be especially
popular in California, and help homeowners there to meet the
new code requirements.
The other hot product area is LEDs. Smaller forward-thinking
manufacturers are starting to introduce LED versions of
incandescent lamps. Now that there is a white LED source
available, the whole world of residential applications will
open up. For example, Color Kinetics is offering a dimmable
LED MR16 (www.colorkinetics.com) and Super Bright LEDS is
offering cheaper non-dimmable versions of MR 16's. MR 11's.
PAR 16's, S-11's (www.superbrightleds.com). Right now the
initial cost is high, but I suspect that it will come down
significantly as other manufacturers enter the market.
I predict that because there LEDs have no UV emission and
very long lamp life that most museums will be using them to
illuminate their collections within two years. The trend
will move rapidly into the residential market as the cost
comes down. The more inexpensive colored LEDs are already
big sellers for holiday lights, traffic lights, auto lights
and backlighting of colored signage.
