50 watt halogen downlights are an older, less-efficient lighting method.

Why
50 watt halogen downlights use a lot of energy for the amount of light they put out. High numbers of downlights are commonly used in small rooms or spaces, thus requiring a lot of unnecessary energy. There are several energy-saving alternatives that provide comparable lighting levels while saving between 30% and 90% of electricity required.

How
Replace 50 watt halogen downlights with more efficiency lighting models. These include:

• 35 watt IRC (infrared coated) halogen lamps
• Micro-fluorescent
• LED (light emitting diode)

Some models, including the 35 watt ICR halogen lamps and some LED lamps, plug straight into existing globe sockets. There is now a 15W direct replacement Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) that plugs straight into the existing fixture.

Other lamps, including some micro-fluorescents and some LED models, may require an electrician to install the lamps.

50 watt halogen replacements can be purchased from most large hardware stores or from speciality green stores.

To view the Switch to Save tutorial video visit: http://www.carboncompass.com.au/switch-to-save#3

How we calculate this

Replacing 10 X 50W halogen downlights with 35W ICR lights saves a total of 150W per hour. Assuming a business runs its lights for 2000 hours per annum (250 business days X 8.5 hours a day), a total of 300kWh can be saved. Using the Victorian Scope 2 and 3 electricity emissions factor, an annual saving of 411kg CO2-e can be achieved.