Re: Re: Energy Efficiency/New Building Regulations

Well what is proposed is actually quite unambitious insofar as it’s only phase one. Only bulbs 75w and over will have to be energy efficient from March next year – this enables the vast majority of domestic light bulbs to continue to be sold unaffected until March 2010. Everything from the classic candle bulb, to the standard 60w table lamp bulb, to halogen spots to Sacred Heart bulbs (;)) will remain untouched until then. The Department estimates “perhaps 50%” of the market will be affected – I think it’s more like 30% at best. Essentially all that is being encouraged over the next 18 months is for people to change the standard 100w pendant in the centre of bedrooms and hallways to a 20w CFL.

The proposed legislation discussion document isn’t very clear on translating the required efficiencies into actual products, so what exactly will vanish off the shelves post-2010 has yet to be confirmed. From what I can make out though traditional halogen bulbs (below) – which never really took off in Ireland – do not appear to be affected provding they comply with the requirements. I think they just about scrape it in. They’re 20-30% more efficient than traditional bulbs as they burn brighter for less energy, therefore you typically chose a 25w instead of a non-halogen 40w.

Again the Shelbourne also uses the above candle bulb encasing a halogen capsule to elegant effect on some exterior lanterns. Admittedly they’re not quite as good as those above, featuring a plastic ring around the base, but still the only instance I’ve ever encountered of them in Ireland. They also last over twice as long as traditional incandescents. Why in the name of all that’s sane the State isn’t investing in even this basic technology that’s been around since the 1960s is beyond me. As we can see, there’s a host of krypton and halogen solutions on the market that are more energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

Furthermore, now is the ideal opportunity for that State to properly invest in its array of historic chandeliers, all of which received economising 1950s and 1960s electrifying solutions whereby bulb sockets were simply shoved directly into the candleholders, with no attempt made to recreate the lofty elegance of candles these chandeliers were designed to hold. This is done across Europe and can even lead to efficiencies with the use of miniature halogen capsules at a meagre 10-20w each. No excuses.

(traditional candle bulbs are used here but ya get the idea!)

I understand what you mean jimg about the heat of incandescents being useful but the reality is the vast majority of people do not have individual room thermostat controlled heating – the heat blasts on regardless. Even controls on radiators are useless in that respect. The same applies for this nonsense about replacement windows; absolutely nothing changes in efficiency unless heating and insulation controls also change.

Not sure what the output of the earlier LED bulbs are Peter, other than they ‘replace 12w bubs’. I suspect that refers to halogen capsules in which case that’s a pretty decent output.