Perfect Diapason

Fluorescent lights no longer provide just a dull flicker. Yes they are the green option to incandescent light bulbs, but they can also be funky and are a favourite of modern designers. So why are they a good green choice, and what’s so hip about them?

Any electrician can tell you that fluorescent lights tend to last four to ten times as long as normal (filament) light bulbs and use around 20% of the energy. The trouble with incandescent light bulbs is that 95% of the power they use is lost through heat and only 5% is in fact used to light up a room.

While fluorescent bulbs are more expensive to purchase at first, they will save you cash in the long run, usually paying for themselves in under a year. And they fit in nearly all existing light fittings, so you won’t even call for an electrician to change your fixtures.

One more direct environmental advantage is that because the light bulbs last so much longer they make less waste for the dump as fewer are being thrown away every year. And once you’re fitting them and doing your bit, you may even feel so green and ecologically aware that you take your responsibilities further and turn lights off when they’re not being used.

When you do need to toss away fluorescent light bulbs at that time attempt and do so responsibly. Contrasting normal light bulbs, they have a tiny quantity of mercury which is ecologically damaging if they are binned, so ask your local committee about recycling services for light bulbs and do your part to keep them out of the dump.

Now for the fun bit! Fluorescent lights are fantastic if you want to create a colour wash on the wall or against draperies. They may be recessed so that the glow seems to come magically from a concealed supply and if the light shines against a reflective facade, you can create a very spectacular effect. You can also talk to your electrician about installing more than one fluorescent tube so that you have a choice of colours at your fingertips.

FL lights of course come in white but also four fundamental colours – red, yellow, green and blue. If not any of these agree with your scheme, you may put a white light following a coloured filter of your choice or even get coloured theatrical lighting goo which can be applied to the bulb to achieve the effect you’re after. There are even companies that sell bulbs already coated, offering a range of colours if you can’t face doing it yourself.

If you’re putting together a lighting plan bear in mind that fluorescent white light tends to look cool rather than warm. FL bulbs can be integrated into a dimmer plan when of course they become less bright, but they won’t make a warm glow like a filament bulb. As well as being put onto dimmers your electrician could go one step further and incorporate them into a plan of pre-set scenes to generate numerous mood alternatives for your room.

The fact is that in 2007 the US Administration announced that filament light bulbs are to be banned by 2011, which ought to help save around 5 million tons of CO2 by US household users alone. So it makes sense to get ready now for this new age in lighting. Light bulbs in the US are now graded A-G for green efficiency, so it’s easy to pick ones that do less damage and that will save you cash in the mid and long term. And it doesn’t mean living in darkness – fluorescent lights have come a long way since their flickering early stages.