Choosing Lighting Products

A visit to a lighting store or building supply outlet will reveal a bewildering array of light fixtures and bulbs (also referred to in this guide as “lamps”). Some of the technology has changed dramatically in recent years, and being an informed consumer can help you make choices that will reduce your energy costs.

Determining Your Needs

Whether you are buying a simple desk lamp, accessory lighting for the living room or new lighting for an addition to the home, the first decision to make is how much light is required.

The lighting you select will depend on the job that needs to be done. Consider these basic guidelines:

• General lighting provides moderate light throughout a room. Using several fixtures creates uniform lighting and minimizes glare and contrasts.
• Task lighting supports activities such as reading and cooking. These activities may require more focused lamps, in addition to general lighting.
• Protective and safety lighting helps prevent accidents in such areas as stairwells, and it discourages prowlers.
• Decorative lighting highlights such room features as drapes, a fireplace or a piece of art.

Choosing Lighting Fixtures

Whatever type of lighting you decide upon, expect a wide choice of fixtures with varying levels of energy efficiency. To select the most efficient fixture for your needs, keep the following tips in mind:

• Look for fixtures that have been designed specifically for the purpose you have in mind. For reading, choose a lamp that provides highly directional light. For general room lighting, select a fixture that provides light over a broad area.
• Avoid buying fixtures with features that limit light output. Heavy or dark-coloured shades and bowls, for example, can significantly reduce light levels. Instead, look for features that will enhance useful light output, such as lighter-coloured shades and fixtures that direct the light where you want it.
• A fixture with a single bulb gives more useful light than one with several bulbs having the same total wattage. For example, four 25-W bulbs produce little more than half the light of one 100-W bulb (and one bulb is cheaper to buy than four). See the chart for the typical light output of various lamp types.

Recessed Downlight Fixtures

Recessed downlight fixtures have a cylindrical, can-like shape and are recessed into the ceiling. The bulb is generally screwed in at the top of the fixture. Reflector lamps, also called “R” lamps (either incandescent, halogen or compact fluorescent) are usually used in these downlight fixtures.

Reflector lamp

If an R lamp (see illustration) is being used, consider an ER or BR lamp, as their shape allows better focus of the beam and the use of a lower wattage light than a standard R lamp.

Some fixtures have reflectors designed for a specific lamp shape, in which case a replacement lamp of another shape or length may not distribute the light as efficiently. Some compact fluorescent spotlights and floodlights come with their own reflector, increasing the amount of light that leaves the fixture.

Recessed fixtures may cause heat loss or condensation on cool surfaces due to airflow through the ceiling opening around the fixture and into the attic or roof space. One way to avoid this is to use surface-mounted track lighting instead of recessed fixtures. If recessed lighting must be used, select airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact to avoid a fire hazard.

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