Light fixtures that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label combine quality and attractive design with high levels of energy efficiency. Qualified fixtures (ENERGYSTAR®, n.d.-a):

• Use one-fourth the energy of traditional lighting;
• Last at least 10,000 hours (about seven years of regular use);
• Distribute light more efficiently and evenly than standard fixtures;
• Come in hundreds of decorative styles including portable fixtures (like desk lamps, for example) and hard-wired options such as front porch, dining room, kitchen ceiling and under-cabinet lighting, wall sconces, bathroom vanity fixtures, and more;
• Deliver convenient features such as dimming capability on some indoor models (fixture must have a dimming ballast to be dimmable), and automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensors on some outdoor models;
• Are available at most home centers, lighting showrooms, and specialty stores; and
• Carry a two-year warranty, double the industry standard.

Source: UF/IFAS Energy Efficient Homes: Fluorescent Lighting, Hyun-Jeong Lee, Kathleen C. Ruppert, and Wendell A. Porter, FCS3270, 2008

Additional Resources

UF IFAS Energy Efficient Homes: Fluorescent Lighting - http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FY1031  

Consortium for Energy Efficiency. (2007).  Residential lighting. Retrieved April, 18, 2008, from http://www.cee1.org/resrc/facts/rs-lt-fx.pdf  

ENERGY STAR®. (2008, April) Frequently asked questions: Information on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury, April 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2008, from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

ENERGY STAR®. (n.d.a). Compact fluorescent light bulbs. Retrieved April 16, 2008, from http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls