Smartphone App Helps Consumers Navigate New Standards for Energy-Efficient Lighting

July 12, 2011 - PRLog -- Consumer confusion regarding energy-efficient lighting is coming to a head as more bulbs are hitting the market and new standards are being phased into the marketplace. A free smartphone app, Light Bulb Finder, cuts through the confusion and helps consumers find energy-efficient bulbs that fit right, perform well and have the warm light quality to which they are accustomed.

Concern over lighting options has been building in anticipation of the House vote this week on the BULB Act (H.R. 2417), a bill that would repeal the energy efficiency standards for light bulbs that were enacted in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 under President George W. Bush.

The standards do not mandate a ban on incandescent light bulbs as some fear. Rather, the standards require bulbs to be 27 percent more energy-efficient, as about 90 percent of the energy in today’s incandescent bulbs is wasted as heat.

If all goes as planned, the standards will come into play starting in January 2012 with 100-watt bulbs, followed by 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 60- and 40-watt bulbs in 2014. More efficient lighting is expected to provide the energy savings equivalent to the production of 30 large power plants and save consumers more than $10 billion per year in electric bills when the standards are fully implemented.

While the new efficiency standards are being phased in, there is no need for consumers to wait to realize the savings potential.  Switching to energy-efficient lighting can save the average American household over $120 a year without sacrificing either appearance or light quality.

The Light Bulb Finder app enables consumers to find the right energy-efficient bulbs for their homes and helps them make informed financial decisions on which bulbs to replace proactively.

Users enter basic information about their fixtures and current incandescent bulb types. Light Bulb Finder provides on-the-spot recommendations for energy-efficient equivalents, including each bulb’s price and financial payback. Users can create a shopping list and purchase compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and LEDs directly through the app or at local retail stores.

“The technology for energy-efficient light bulbs is improving by leaps and bounds, and CFLs now come in all shapes and sizes, from kitchen spots to porch lights and dimmables,” said Adam Borut, president of Eco Hatchery, the company that developed Light Bulb Finder.

“Our goal is to make the transition to energy-efficient lighting a positive experience, leading to the greatest impact,” he emphasized.

The Light Bulb Finder app is free for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices. To download the app, visit the app store on a mobile device and search for “Light Bulb Finder”.

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Eco Hatchery, LLC is a sustainability consulting and technology firm specializing in energy efficiency software and mobile applications. The flagship Light Bulb Finder mobile app combines a user-friendly interface with e-commerce, location-based marketing and reporting of users’ aggregate energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. For more information on the app and community efficiency programs, please visit www.ecohatchery.com and www.lightbulbfinder.net. Connect with Light Bulb Finder on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/LightBulbFinder