Switching to efficient bulbs saves energy, but it also can create a design challenge. Swirly compact fluorescents stick out visually, don't work with traditional clip-on shades and can cast different colors of light than their incandescent counterparts.
Manufacturers are aiming to solve these issues with new products that address the aesthetics of CFLs, the industry abbreviation for the bulbs. Improvements in the works include the shape of the bulb, the color of the light and the way the bulbs fit into traditional fixtures.
"The new generation of CFLs is a lot better about coming on instantly. They don't flicker like they did before," says Meletio Electrical Supply Co. general manager Henry Scott.
Mr. Scott says a good rule of thumb for understanding both the wattage and efficiency differences between these types of bulbs is a ratio of four-to-one. For example, the brightness of a 60-watt incandescent is roughly equivalent to that of a 15-watt CFL bulb. Fluorescents use about 75 percent less energy than incandescents.
The average household reduces its energy budget by $12 to $20 a month using compact fluorescents, according to Steven Hamburg, interim director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Brown University. Additionally, better technology has made the bulbs' harsh, industrial glow somewhat warmer and softer, though many people still object to it.
Home Depot has plans to introduce more dimmable compact fluorescents within the year. Mr. Hamburg and colleagues at Brown recently developed a box that absorbs the bulb's small amount of mercury – so there would be no need to fret if a bulb breaks in the box.
From:www.dallasnews.com
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