Incandescent light bulbs, on the endangered list for years, received a final blow with two new rules recently adopted by the Biden administration.
According to the New York Times, the rules will phase out manufacturers’ ability to sell most incandescent bulbs in 2023.
The Department of Energy estimates that LED last as much as 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs, while using a fraction of the electricity and also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“The lighting industry is already embracing more energy efficient products, and this measure will accelerate progress,” says Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in a press release.
The department said in a release that Americans will collectively save $3 billion a year on utility bills, and will cut emissions by an estimated 222 million metric tons over 30 years.
No breakdown was provided on the kinds of savings the rule changes will have on institutional and commercial facilities, but many facilities long ago started making the switch to LEDs, including Sacramento State University, which during the COVID-19 pandemic replaced incandescent bulbs with LEDs in the student library, saving thousands of dollars in energy spending.
Dave Lubach is managing editor, Facility Market.
