Energy Saving Lighting and Bulbs

Why should you choose My Green Lighting?

My Green Lighting is proud of our levels of customer service, both before and after a sale. If you need advice about which product is right you, just give us a call and we'll talk through the options with you. We'll never sell you a product that we don't think is right for your requirements.

If you're looking for something that you can't find on the site, we can probably track it down for you. Our previous requests have ranged from a single spot light, to a light fitting to install at the bottom of a well!

Once you have placed an order with us, it's usually dispatched the same day.

If an item isn't currently available the site will make it clear, and provide an option to be notified when it's back in stock again.

If there's a problem with your delivery or the products don't do what you expect, we offer an easy process of problem solving. This might mean that we send a replacement product, or offer a refund, either way - we'll put it right.

Above all, we're a friendly company who can offer honest simple advice, backed up with top quality service.

What is energy saving lighting?

A low energy, or energy saving light source, is one that produces more light for less power, which results in lower running costs.

There are a variety of energy saving lights available. The two most common at the moment are LEDs and compact fluorescents.

LED lamps are now the fastest growing option for home lighting. They are very efficient, offer instant light, and although not suitable for every application, they can offer the highest savings over the lifetime of the product as they offer over 90% reduction in energy and running costs.

Compact fluorescent bulbs have been around for a long time, and the technology is still improving. For 'standard' bulb shapes (e.g. GLS, candle etc) they are currently the best choice for energy efficient lighting as they produce lots of light and use approximately 80% less power than traditional incandescent bulbs. This corresponds to an 80% reduction in your running costs.

Lighting and the building regulations

More than 25% of the electricity in an average house can be used up by lighting.

Part L of the current building regulations requires a certain percentage of lighing in new homes and extensions to be low energy. It defines a minimum number of Lumens per watt - most of our low energy bulbs and lamps will meet if not exceed this requirement but give us a call if you have any doubts or questions.

Some UK building regulations, such as the Code for Sustainable Homes also state that in all new homes and extensions, a percentage of all the habitable rooms must have dedicated low energy lighting.

Installing a dedicated energy saving light fitting is a step further than just using low energy light bulbs. It means that the fitting will only accept low energy bulbs so it's physically impossible to install a normal incandescent bulb because the lamp holder has a different type of connector.

All of our low energy fittings meet the demands of Part L of the building regulations, or the Code for Sustainable homes that require dedicated low energy lighting to be installed.

There are a variety of lamp holders and lamp caps that are used solely for energy efficient light bulbs. We have a page that shows the different types of lamp caps in common use.

Where should we use low energy lighting?

Everywhere! This might not always be possible as there are still a few limitations to the way the systems work.

How do I use energy saving lighting?

A low energy light fitting is installed in exactly the same way as any other light fitting. You don't need any extra wiring or equipment.

As with all electrical work, we recommend that you employ a qualified electrician to do the installation.

Where can I buy low energy lighting?

Right here! You're in the right place - you can browse our low energy products using the category pictures at the top of this page.

My Green Lighting is the UK's leading retailer of dedicated low energy fittings.

Low energy downlights

Downlights are a very popular type of light ftting. They are neat, unobtrusive and can provide a good level of light. Unfortunately they can also use a lot of electricity. Don’t despair though - there are other options that are much more energy effcient.

Before you can decide on the best ways to improve the energy efficiency of your downlights, you need to know what you already have. Historically there have been 3 main types of downlight, low voltage halogen, mains voltage halogen and screw fit tungsten bulbs. The easiest way to tell which you already have is to take out one of the bulbs and have a look at the connector.

Low voltage bulbs have a push in connector, with two (usually quite sharp) pins. These bulbs run at 12 volts rather than the mains voltage of 230 volts. This means that there also has to be a transformer somewhere. Some installations have one transformer per light ftting and some other one transformer
running multiple lights. Some people incorrectly believe that low voltage is the same as low energy. It isn’t. Energy is measured in watts which is what you pay for. Low voltage bulbs still run at the same number of watts as a mains voltage bulb. Remember - it’s the watts that count not the volts.

Mains voltage halogen bulbs, also known as GU10 have a ‘twist and lock’ connector. There are two pins on the bulb with ‘feet’ on them.

Main voltage bulbs are available in a variety of wattages, the most common being 20w, 35w and 50w.

The most efficient replacements for these are now LED spot bulbs, which are available in a wide range of wattages, beam angles and colour specta. Try our LED GU10 Chooser to find the right option for you and see what we currently recommend.