OSRAM SYLVANIA ’Socket Survey’ Reveals Americans "In The Dark" On Light Bulb Phase Out
A new national study revealed that 78% of Americans are unaware of the federal legislation put in place last year to phase out the incandescent light bulb, starting in 2012. The First Annual SYLVANIA Socket Survey, commissioned by OSRAM SYLVANIA, a division of Siemens AG, is said to be the first national pulse taken to evaluate general awareness of the changing lighting landscape and analyze attitudes about the rise of energy-efficient lighting technologies, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
The survey comes on the horizon of the first anniversary of the 2007 Clean Energy Act, passed by the U.S. Congress last December. The law established efficiency standards for lighting, phasing out the majority of inefficient light bulbs by 2014 – a move rendering Thomas Edison’s iconic incandescent bulb essentially obsolete and encouraging the transition to more efficient and sustainable bulbs.
Lighting accounts for one-fifth of U.S. energy consumption, according to the Department of Energy, cementing the $37 billion sector’s role as a significant part of America’s "greener" future. The typical incandescent light bulb devotes only five percent of its energy use to creating light, with the rest lost on heat. OSRAM SYLVANIA has been at the forefront of the lighting industry push to develop technologies that generate more light and less heat, fueling an eco-lighting evolution that is generating energy and cost savings for consumers and businesses.
"The survey results are a call-to-action for a comprehensive awareness campaign to help consumers make the transition from traditional light bulbs to newer technologies, such as LEDs and CFLs," said Charlie Jerabek, President and Chief Executive Officer, OSRAM SYLVANIA. "In the current global ecological and economic climate, next-generation lighting can play a key role in cutting electricity costs, and reducing power-plant emissions."
Despite a lack of knowledge regarding the incandescent phase out, most Americans are adopting a "green" mindset and realizing cost-savings. Energy efficiency ranks as a key factor, with 88 percent considering how much energy the bulb uses before purchasing a light bulb. Most consumers (85%) are aware that CFLs use less energy than incandescent bulbs. 77% percent also know CFLs last 10 times longer than traditional light bulbs. Over the lifetime of the bulb, 78% believe that CFLs are less expensive than traditional light bulbs.
While advances in lighting technologies have been prolific in recent years, consumers are eager to catch on to the evolution beyond the bulb. 68% are early adopters of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) with 76 willing to switch to CFLs in the future. Only 21% of Americans have light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are widely touted as the ultimate successor to traditional light bulbs, in their homes.
