The “Green Light” Movement

A maintenance component in community associations that has the potential to significantly impact maintenance fees is the use of lighting. Lighting accents entry and water features, illuminates the inside of our community centers, and provides for safe streets and park areas while also providing the biggest opportunity for immediate savings for our communities.

You’ve probably heard of the “energy savings light bulb” compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). These bulbs can be easily installed and, in some cases, completely eliminate the need for an expensive ballast. Compared to incandescent light bulbs, CFLs use less power and have a longer rated life, but they come with a higher purchase price. A CFL can save over $30 in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime compared to an incandescent lamp AND save 2,000 times its own weight in greenhouse gases. So, even though the initial upfront cost is higher, the end user reaps the benefit of both energy and cost savings. In addition, the longer bulb life of CFLs alone will reduce the related labor replacement cost by 50%.

However, like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury which complicates their disposal. Currently, Home Depot has initiated a recycling program to reclaim these bulbs. There are other issues to consider when switching to a CFL. For example, CFL lumens can be reduced by as much as 30% when the ambient temperature is below the freezing mark. In extreme cold cases, they may not be able to fire up, thus making their use in street lamps in the colder climates questionable. Additionally, since CFLs produce very little heat, they may not be able to melt snow on street lights, creating a traffic danger.

While there are considerable benefits to switching to CFLs from incandescent light bulbs, weigh both the advantages and disadvantages to determine if it is a workable solution for your association before you commit the time and money to becoming a “Green Community”.

J. Matthew Steele
CMCA®, AMS®, PCAM®
Vice President of National Field Services
Associa Recional Office
Lewis Center, OH