Australia to lead in sustainable lighting

Global lighting giant Philips has called on Australians to prepare for the federal government’s plans to phase out the use of inefficient incandescent lighting, which is predicted to begin in late 2008.

Following the budget commitment to increase spending in the area of energy efficiency, Philips believes Australians have the opportunity to lead the world in the take-up of sustainable lighting solutions for the home, office and outdoor applications.

“Philips wants consumers and businesses to understand the positive benefits of changing — both to their budgets and the environment — and start switching over now rather than wait until the last possible changeover day,” said Michael Downie, general manager Philips Lighting Australia.

The International Energy Agency has calculated that electrical lighting uses 19% of all electricity produced worldwide. In Australia, this figure is estimated at around 15%, providing a good opportunity for consumers, businesses and government to save on power costs and energy expenditure.

“We believe the only way to achieve this is for government and industry bodies to work collaboratively on a comprehensive education program. Consumers should be enabled to save on their energy costs, not confused and left in the dark,” he said.

The phase-out is expected to occur in stages to allow households time to adapt to and swap over their inefficient lighting from 2008 to 2015. The first light bulb to go will be the ‘traditional’ incandescent light globe (A55/A60), marking a dramatic change in the way Australians light their homes.