End of Incandescence Part 1

by Maureen Hannan Adams and Charlie Little

The incandescent light bulb is as familiar to us all as the yellow number-two pencil.  Or as the chrome pop-up toaster.  The familiar shape of the light bulb is burned into our brains:  the icon for bright new ideas, the symbol of innovation and sudden awareness.  As a home builder, though, I suddenly find myself in the position of educating my clients about the fate of the incandescent bulb.  Few people realize that it is about to become a symbol of the opposite of innovation.  The traditional light bulb is, by a 2007 law, on its way to obsolescence.

As a general contractor, I take seriously my responsibility to keep abreast of trends and legal changes that affect all aspects of home-building.  In December of 2007, I was fascinated to read a U.S. News and World Report article on the piece of energy legislation that would mean the end of the incandescent light bulb.  The phase-out (beginning with 100-watt bulbs) is slated to begin in 2012.  By 2014, the energy-inefficient incandescent bulb will be completely banned in the U.S.   (Ninety percent of the energy incandescent bulbs consume is given off as heat, not as light.) Remaining on the market will be CFL (compact florescent light), LED (light-emitting diode), and halogen bulbs—though it will be the LED and halogen bulbs that will dominate the market.

When I read that article two years ago, I thought, “Well, that is a pretty big deal; but I’m sure we’ll see some great lighting innovations introduced well before the mandatory phase-out begins.”

So, here we are early in 2010.  Surely, several innovative and cost-effective solutions for lighting and fixtures are by now flooding into warehouses and stores, right?

Well… not exactly.  Stay tuned ...