Landscape Lighting Energy: efficiency vs. cost

Landscape Lighting Energy: efficiency vs. cost

If you plan to regularly illuminate your landscape at night your landscape designer can help you select a low-voltage energy-efficient system that will spare you from a dramatic spike in your utility bills. Shop for systems that utilize newer technology compact florescent and LED lighting. Here are some of the most commonly used types of lighting and their relative energy efficiency:

--LEDs (or light emitting diode) lights, consisting of tiny two-metal electrodes encased in epoxy lenses, are now revolutionizing lighting, especially in landscaping. Technology in this field is changing rapidly and ever-brighter LEDs seem to appear almost monthly. They are dimmable, waterproof, can tolerate impacts, and with an operational life of 100,000 hours or more, they last longer than any other kind of light source. LEDs are about 30 percent energy efficient but that rating is constantly increasing. Colored LEDs that are now available eliminate the need for colored lenses.

--Incandescent lighting uses old-fashioned tungsten filament bulbs; simple and reliable the technology hasn’t changed significantly since the late 1800s. New types of incandescent lamps produce light more efficiently by using xenon and halogen gases inside the bulb. Incandescents are dimmable. Expect to replace incandescent bulbs every few months -- more often if they are used extensively or in severe climates. Incandescent bulbs are one to ten percent energy efficient (that is, they only turn that percentage of the power they use into light). These bulbs are the least expensive but they also have the shortest life.

--Florescent and compact florescent bulbs use ionized gas as the light source within. Extensively used in commercial landscape applications, their diffused light makes them ineffective for spotlighting and fixtures require internal electronics. Compact florescent bulbs combine these components into the base of the bulb so they can be used almost anywhere an incandescent bulb will fit. However, these bulbs must be placed inside weather-protected fixtures or their internal electronics may fail. Most florescent bulbs cannot be dimmed. Although more expensive than standard incandescent bulbs, many utility companies pay rebates to retailers or consumers who purchase compact florescent bulbs. Lifespans can be as long as 20,000 hours but substandard bulbs may fail early. Overall, these types of bulbs are about 40 percent efficient.

--HID or high-intensity discharge bulbs light with an electric arc. Mercury vapor bulbs produce a bluish (distorting to skin color) tint and are 20 percent efficient. Metal halide bulbs are similar but produce a whiter light; even better, they approach a 50 percent efficiency rating. Sodium bulbs are up to 80 percent efficient but they produce a starkly yellow appearance that washes out colors. These types of bulbs are larger, much more expensive and often require special lighting fixtures and starters. They are not usually dimmable but they have a much longer service life.

Low quality lighting products provide a false sense of economy because they may fail early, especially in severe weather, heat or cold. Although regular maintenance will reduce corrosion and sudden darkness just when you need light, the best practice is to choose products for their durability and efficiency out of the box.

Landscape Lighting | Landscape Lighting Glossary | Landscape Lighting Info | Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor Lighting Safety | Lighting Efficiency vs. Cost | Lighting Activation

Outdoor Lighting Tips and General Information for Buying Landscape Lighting
Tiki Torches, Path Lights, Directional Lighting, Bollards, In-ground Lighting, Step Lights, Wall Mounted Lighting, Garden Lighting Low-voltage Outdoor Lighting, Tiki Torch, Landscape Lighting Fixtures, Tiki Torches, outdoor lights, landscape lighting, landscape lights, yard lights, garden lights, home lighting, flush mount lighting, outdoor lighting fixture, home and garden lighting, torch light, propane torch, natural gas torch, bamboo tiki torch, patio torches, pool torches, gas tiki torch, deck torch, torch lamp, landscape lighting and gas tiki & luau torches in the following Florida locations: Bradenton, Sarasota, Ft. Myers, Naples, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Melbourne, Vero Beach, Indian River Shores, Sebastian, Ft. Pierce, Hutchinson Island, Ocean Breeze Park, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Bal Harbour, Miami Beach, Hialeah, Hollywood, Key Biscayne, Coral Springs, Marco Island, North Port, Port Charlotte, Englewood, Boca Grande, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria, Palmetto, St. Petersburg, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Redington Beach, Seminole, Indian Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Crystal River, Cedar Key, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola, Daytona Beach, Venice, Pensacola, Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Key West, Lakewood Ranch, Palmer Ranch, Manatee, Sarasota & Charlotte county Florida, outdoor lighting, outdoor garden lighting, discount yard lights, light fixtures, outdoor lighting products and accessories, low voltage and line voltage landscape lighting, accent lighting, landscape luminaries, Florida outdoor lighting, patio lighting, pool area lighting, yard lighting, home outdoor lighting, commercial outdoor lighting, romantic outdoor lighting, luau torch, tiki torch, malama torch, electric landscape lighting, propane gas torches, natural gas torches, kerosene torches, landscape illumination, hawaiian gas torches, hawaiian tiki torches, hawaiian luau torches, hawaiian landscape lighting, landscape lighting in S.W. Florida, luau torches in S.W. Florida, tiki torches in S.W. Florida, wholesale landscape lighting, wholesale tiki torches, wholesale luau torches, wholesale gas torches, quality landscape lighting, discount landscape lighting, quality luau torches, quality tiki torches, discount gas torches, discount tiki torches, discount luau torches, spot lights, electric spot lights, hawaiian luau torch, hawaiian gas torch, hawaiian tiki torch, hawaiian gas lights, hawaiian torch light, gas luau torch, gas torch, gas tiki torch, gas lights, torch light, luau torch, path lights, bollard lights, directional lights, inground lights, step lights, wall mounted lights, lighting accessories, landscape lighting accessories, transformers, landscape lighting transformers, hawaiian malama torch, gas malama torch, propane gas malama torch, natural gas malama torch, gas fired torch, gas fired tiki torch, gas fired luau torch, gas fired lighting, Florida gas lighting, Florida gas torches, Florida luau torches, Florida Tiki torches, Florida landscape lighting, Florida electric landscape lighting