12
Mar
Sustainable Lighting: Beyond Earth Hour with LED and Solar Solutions
Earth Hour happens every last Saturday of March. Where for an hour, around 8:30-9:30 pm, the lights in the city, from office buildings and malls down to each house and apartment, are shut off to help save the earth and lower the use of electricity. Even famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Empire State Building in New York City, have their lights shut off during the event. In the Philippines, 62.69 MW was saved during the 2023 Earth Hour. Households who participate in the event save around 4-5% off their usual consumption during the year. But what if you can save electricity with their lighting all year round?
In a 2013 study by the Philippine Statistics Authority, 85% of the electricity consumed by Filipino homes is directed to lighting. It is also very practical to try and maximize the savings one can get with lighting with a few practical tips. One of the most practical ways is to remember to turn off the lights when not in use. Another is to try and maximize the use of sunlight during the day, by opening blinds and curtains and using natural sunlight to light a room instead of using lighting. In the long run, these simple actions can mean a lot of savings to both money and the environment.
But what else can we do? We can turn to the hardware. Changing your lights from older incandescent and fluorescent bulbs to LED Bulbs. But why? First off, Incandescent Bulbs and Fluorescent bulbs use up more power compared to LED bulbs. The most common Incandescent bulb is the 60-watt bulb. To achieve the same brightness as a 60-watt bulb, you would only need a 13-15-watt fluorescent bulb or a 6-8-watt LED bulb.
This already means you’re using less power by swapping to LED bulbs. The longevity of your bulbs also matters. You’re less likely to replace these bulbs and fill up dumpsites with waste and potentially toxic materials in the case of Fluorescent bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs will burn out first with an average of 1,000 hours, fluorescent bulbs will last up to 9-10,000 hours, but LED Bulbs will last you up to 50,000 hours. Along with the simple act of cleaning your lights with a simple cleaning cloth to remove dirt can also improve the brightness of your lights.
But what if you didn’t need to hook your lights up to electricity? Why not consider solar-powered lights? Solar-powered lighting was once thought to be very expensive and only used for industrial purposes. Now, they can be found in Cebu Home and Builders, as part of their lineup of the various lighting options available for your outdoor lighting needs. With a charge time of 5-6 hours, powering up your solar-powered outdoor lights is as easy as leaving it out in the sun. Boasting the power of up to 200w, these lights can brighten up your outdoor areas.
On the plus side, you don’t have to worry about leaving them on for extended periods with a timer, and with the light sensor, these lights can automatically shut off with the regular day and night cycles.
With Cebu Home and Builders, investing in new lighting to save the earth is easier than ever, and one-click or a store visit away.