GE "Ship in a bottle" CFL reinvents the compact flourescent lightbulb

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) have improved so much in the past few years. Yet much as I know about how wasteful old-school incandescents are, I’m one of those folks who has only grudgingly changed over. It’s about the quality of light, mostly. Maybe it’s because I live in NYC’s urban canyons where I don’t get to see the sky as much as I’d like. I’m just not eager to fill my living spaces with the harsh, cold light of first-generation CFLs.

There are other problems, too. Many CFLs are a bit bigger than the bulbs they replace, and don’t fit in some ceiling fixtures or lamps. And I’ve found CFLs can take longer than to fully warm up, so if you’re using them in a room you zip and out of — say a bathroom or quick kitchen stop — it can mean you don’t get full light before you turn them off again.

All the same, I’ve kept an eye on CFLs in recent few years, watching for when they get good enough to end my ambivalence. CFLs are getting smaller, faster to start, and with better light quality so fast that it seems every few months my Home Depot is showing something better, and closer to my ideal.

With it’s latest entry, GE may have answered my lingering complaints. I’ve been trying out one of their Energy Smart CFLs for the past few days and have found it to be the closest option to an old-school incandescent bulb. Most obvious is the form factor: GE has shrunk the control electronics that typically make up a clunky base in most of today’s CFLs such that it all fits snugly in the confines of a standard bulb shape. The tell-tale spiral glass tubing is invisible too, tucked behind a regular-looking frosted glass bulb that’s manufactured, according to the engineer in the company video below, “like building a ship in a bottle.” The bulb fires up to full brightness instantly and is very close to the warm white of an old fashioned bulb.

Aston, Adam. "GE "ship in a bottle" CFL reinvents the compact flourescent lightbulb." Business Week 12/19/2008: n. pag. Web. 22 Jul 2010. <http://www.businessweek.com/investing/green_business>

Which flourescent lights are best for my business

T12, T8, and T5 are all linear, tube-shaped lamps; the “T” simply indicates the tubular shape of the lamp. The number after the "T" indicates the diameter of the lamp in 1/8s of an inch. So a T12 lamp is 1 1/2" in diameter, a T8 is one inch, and a T5 is 5/8 inches. These lamps are available in different lengths with 4 feet being the most common.

T12 lamps are the older fluorescent lighting systems that are still in widespread use. T8 lamps are now the standard lamp used in general overhead lighting, having replaced the less efficient T12 lamps. T5 lamps are the newest technology and generally used in different applications than T8s. For example, because T5 lamps are brighter than T8s they are better suited to locations with higher ceilings because of the glare they can produce.

High performance T8 and Super T8 lamps are two different names for the same type of lamp. High performance T8 lamps have a higher efficacy (more lumens per watt) than standard T8s. And they last longer than standard T8 lamps. There are also energy saving, or low wattage, T8 lamps. Although they will use less energy than standard T8s, they will also provide less light.

T5 lamps provide about the same amount of light for the energy used as T8 lamps. However, improvements in the design of luminaires (fixtures) are improving the overall performance of T5 lighting systems. Newer luminaires are also being designed to allow T5 lamps to be used in more varied applications. Because of their different size and optical properties, T5s should only be used in fixtures designed for them, and generally can’t be used in fixtures designed for T8 lamps.

High output T5 lamps are also available. High output lamps are not the same as the high performance T8 lamps discussed earlier. As the name implies, they provide a lot of light per lamp. A 4-foot high output T5 lamp will provide about 40% more light than a standard T5, but at about twice the wattage. High output lamps allow a space to be lighted with fewer fixtures. T5 lamps are gaining in popularity as a replacement for metal halide lighting in high bay applications. One big advantage fluorescent lighting has over metal halide is the time it takes them to reach full brightness, especially when the lights are turned off and then right back on. The warm up and restrike time for metal halide lamps can be as long as 15 minutes.

So which lamp type is best for your business? It depends. Lighting is a tool, and like any other tool you want the right one for the job. You can always improve lighting quality and efficiency by replacing T12s with either T8s or T5s. T5s are newer, but not necessarily better or significantly more efficient. T8 lamps will continue to be a good choice for many applications

Baranowski, Craig. "Ask a Lighting Expert." CMP Frequently Asked Questions n. pag. Web. 22 Jul 2010. <http://www.cmpco.com/YourBusiness>.

Energy Saving tips: lighting

• Turn off lights (and other equipment) when not in use. High utility costs often include paying for energy that is completely wasted.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), wherever appropriate. CFLs cost about 75% less to operate, and last about 10 times longer.
• Install switch plate occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present, and back on when people return. Even good equipment can be installed wrong, so don't install the sensor behind a coat rack, door, bookcase, etc. It must be able to "see" an approaching person's motion to turn on the light before, or as they enter an unlit area.
• Adjust lighting to your actual needs; use free "daylighting."
• To prevent glare, eyestrain, and headaches, do not "over-light." Too much light can be as bad for visual quality as too little light - and it costs a lot more.
• Install ENERGY STAR qualified exit signs. These exit signs can dramatically reduce maintenance by eliminating lamp replacement and can save up to $10 dollars per sign annually in electricity costs while preventing up to 500 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Consider upgrading to T8 (1" diameter) fluorescent lamp tubes with solid-state electronic ballasts that are more efficient than older T12 (1.5" diameter) tubes with magnetic 

"Energy Saving Tips: Lighting." Green Businesses 06/25/2010: n. pag. Web. 22 Jul 2010. <http://www.business.gov/manage/green-business>.