Lighting systems are one of the largest consumers of energy within campus buildings.  Therefore, energy consumption can be reduced significantly and easily by replacing traditional, inefficient incandescent light bulbs with newer, more efficient lighting technology such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

To this end, UNC Chapel Hill adopted a new Energy Efficient Lighting Policy in September 2007.  This campus policy phased out the use of incandescent bulbs by January 31st, 2008, in favor of fluorescent lighting wherever possible.  The University has also moved to increase efficiency in its fluorescent ceiling lamps by replacing T12 fluorescent tubes with more efficient T8 fluorescent tubes with electronic ballast.  T8 fluorescent tubes use less energy, produce less waste heat, and create up to 10% more light.

While fluorescent lamps do offer an economical and energy-efficient alternative to incandescent bulbs, they do contain a small amount of mercury and must be handled very carefully.  According to the EPA, “an average CFL contains 5 milligrams or about 1/100th of the amount of mercury found in a mercury fever thermometer …No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use; exposure is possible only when a bulb has been broken.”  Fortunately, safe disposal of burnt out or broken CFLs is easy.

Click here for easy instructions on how to handle burnt out or broken fluorescent lamps.