Switch on to the benefits of LED lighting

Households will have to start switching to LED lightbulbs from next month, when a ban on the production of halogen bulbs comes into effect across Europe. Halogen lightbulbs will no longer be produced or imported for sale into the EU from 1st September in a bid to slash CO2 emissions. You may still find halogen bulbs for sale after this date though, as remaining bulbs can continue to be sold until stocks run out.Why are halogen bulbs being phased out?Halogen bulbs are being phased out because they are significantly less energy efficient than the greener alternatives now available. For example, according to technology company and lighting manufacturer Philips, they consume five times more energy and emit much more heat than LED bulbs, negatively impacting the environment. Separate data from the European Commission shows that switching to energy efficient lighting in Europe could save enough energy to power 11 million households for one year and avoid the emission of 12 million tonnes of CO2 as a result.Switch and saveChanging from halogen to LED bulbs is not only better for the environment but should save households money over the long-term. According to the Energy Saving Trust, if the average household replaced all of their bulbs with LEDs, it would cost them around £100, but would trim about £35 a year off energy bills. A 5W LED light only costs about 70p a year to run compared to £7 for a 50W halogen. Halogen bulbs only have a lifespan of around two years, compared to up to 25 years for LEDs.Tips for buying replacement bulbsYou don’t need to rush out and replace all your halogen bulbs at once – you can replace them with LED ones gradually when your halogen ones run out. When choosing LED bulbs, take one of your old halogen ones with you so that you can check the fitting is the same. If you want your LED bulbs to emit a warm-white light, choose bulbs with a colour temperature rating of 2,800K (Kelvins) and remember that the higher the lumen output shown on the box, the brighter the bulb will be.