Find the Incandescents!

Estimates of the number of incandescent lightbulbs on campus range into the thousands. Many of the ones we have been able to find burn 24/7. A 90 watt lightbulb that is 24/7l the time uses 788 KWh of energy a year, or $145 of electricity! The simple substitution of a compact fluorescent lightbulb of comparable illuminance (18 watts) would use 158 KWh a year, or $29. Total savings: $116 per bulb. Payback time? 15 days for a $5 bulb

Most bulbs aren't burning 24/7 and are in classrooms so the exact usage ratecan be a little more difficult to calculate, and the payback time a little more difficult, but the bottom line is this: incandescent lightbulbs are a financial burden on the university can can be easily replaced with a more efficient technology, and therefore are better off dead.

How YOU Can Help!

Our biggest problem is we don't know exactly how many incandescents there are on the Manoa campus, or where thy are located.

Please help us find and replace them: if you know the location of an incandescent bulb (particularly if it's actually working!) to contact us at 956-2861 or olwen@hawaii.edu and tell us exactly where it is so we can replace it with something less energy-wasteful. If you are not sure whether or not it is an incandescent bulb, we can check for you.

More Information on CFLs

Read this awesome article in Popular Mechanics on the relative performance of a variety of CFLs versus incandescents. It also discusses the mercury-related disposal issues and may answer your technical questions about how these bulbs work, how long they last, and how the performance of lightbubls is measured.

Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

We are starting to review the option for using LED lighting for some of the "always-on" applications beyond exit lighting. We are currently testing out a variety of LED lights for RM-16 (track lighting) fixtures. Information on these tests, including light measurements and photographs, can be found here.