2008 Woodie Awards
Energy efficient light bulbs come to Tech, require special disposal
Tina Arons
Issue date: 9/3/08 Section: La Vida
Say goodbye to traditional light bulbs and hello to a more energy-efficient future.
An energy bill signed into law by Pres. Bush in December 2007 will phase out Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb by 2012.
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 calls for bulbs to use 25 percent to 30 percent less energy for the same amount of light.
Most bulbs that currently meet those standards are compact florescent bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
But the bright idea is no shock to those who have already implemented the more energy-efficient bulb.
Mark McVay, associate director of the housing facilities and operations at Tech, said residence halls began replacing incandescent bulbs with compact florescent bulbs about a year ago in the Wall and Gates residence halls.
Currently, all but Horn and Knapp residence halls use the more energy-efficient bulb, but both will be receiving the bulbs this fall.
"We decided to go with compact florescent bulbs because a 26 watt bulb puts out the same light as a 100 watt bulb," McVay said. "It's about one-fourth of the energy for the same amount of light."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that if every American home replaced one light bulb with a compact florescent bulb, it would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gasses equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
During the last five years, Tech has made several efforts to switch from incandescent lighting to compact fluorescent lighting.
"We tried to hit every building we've got," said David Bradshaw, engineering services manager at the Texas Tech Physical Plant.
Bradshaw said fluorescent tube-shaped bulbs in classroom light fixtures also have been updated to more efficient models of the fluorescent bulbs.
However, there has been some concern about the health and environmental impact of elemental mercury found in compact florescent light bulbs.
An energy bill signed into law by Pres. Bush in December 2007 will phase out Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb by 2012.
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 calls for bulbs to use 25 percent to 30 percent less energy for the same amount of light.
Most bulbs that currently meet those standards are compact florescent bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
But the bright idea is no shock to those who have already implemented the more energy-efficient bulb.
Mark McVay, associate director of the housing facilities and operations at Tech, said residence halls began replacing incandescent bulbs with compact florescent bulbs about a year ago in the Wall and Gates residence halls.
Currently, all but Horn and Knapp residence halls use the more energy-efficient bulb, but both will be receiving the bulbs this fall.
"We decided to go with compact florescent bulbs because a 26 watt bulb puts out the same light as a 100 watt bulb," McVay said. "It's about one-fourth of the energy for the same amount of light."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that if every American home replaced one light bulb with a compact florescent bulb, it would save enough energy to light more than three million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gasses equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
During the last five years, Tech has made several efforts to switch from incandescent lighting to compact fluorescent lighting.
"We tried to hit every building we've got," said David Bradshaw, engineering services manager at the Texas Tech Physical Plant.
Bradshaw said fluorescent tube-shaped bulbs in classroom light fixtures also have been updated to more efficient models of the fluorescent bulbs.
However, there has been some concern about the health and environmental impact of elemental mercury found in compact florescent light bulbs.
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