86% of U.S. homes use energy-efficient lighting

Most U.S. homes use more than one type of lightbulb, mainly a mix of incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The use of light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs is rising, with 29% of homes having at least one installed.

“In 2009, 58% of all households used at least one energy-efficient bulb indoors,” according to the EIA. Based on data from a study conducted from August 2015 to April 2016, 86% of homes were using at least one CFL or LED bulb. But 18% of U.S. households had no incandescent bulbs in their homes.

State and local governments and electric companies have put more emphasis on the use of energy-efficient lighting. Between the 2009 and 2015 studies on residential energy use, “lighting standards specified in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 began to influence residential lighting,” according to the EIA. “EISA increased the minimum efficiency standards for general service bulbs (the type most commonly found in homes) starting in 2012, requiring that new bulbs be about 25% more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.”

The following are some characteristics of households using energy-efficient lighting:

• Homes occupied by owners are more likely to use CFL or LED bulbs, compared to renter-occupied housing units (89% versus 79%).
• Households with an annual income of more than $100,000 were more likely to use CFL or LED bulbs, compared to those with annual income of less than $20,000 (93% versus 75%).
• On LED bulb use, 45% of households earning more than $100,000 were using at least one LED bulb, compared to 14% of households with an annual income of less than $20,000.
• While only 7% of U.S. homes have had an energy audit, 95% of them were using CFL or LED bulbs, compared to 85% of homes that haven’t had the audit.