APR 18

A free app that won the EPA's Apps for the Environment contest lets you calculate the energy and cost savings you'd see by swapping out your light bulbs for more efficient versions. The EPA estimates that using the app can help homeowners cut their electricity bill by $120 a year and cut their CO2 emissions by 1,360 lbs a year.

The Light Bulb Finder app lets you choose the type of fixture and bulb that you want to replace and then recommends a good replacement based on fit, appearance and quality. The app then shows users a picture of the bulb, its specifications and the savings users will see in energy, costs and emissions based on the user's location if they make the switch. To make it easy as possible, the app also directs users to where they can buy the bulbs either online or at local retailers.

As a home owner, I know that walking into a large home improvement store and trying to pick out efficient bulbs from the shelves can feel a little overwhelming, especially when you're not sure about fixture fit and the quality of light you'll be getting. This app is great because it takes the guessing out of making the switch to more efficient bulbs and as the incandescent bulbs start disappearing from shelves starting as the new light bulb standards go into effect, easy access to this information will become important.

The app is available for iOS devices and Android-based smartphones.

via Challenge.gov

Comments (6)

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written by Timetrvlr, April 20, 2012

What utter nonsense! No one needs an app for something that simple. Just shop around the big box stores for the best price on CFL's(Compact Florescent Lamps). I buy them in six pacs for an average price of $1.67/each. They last for years, provide quality light, and use 70% less power per lumen than incandescent. The new LED lamps use about 75% less power per lumen, slightly more efficient, yes, but they currently cost 20 times more. What's so hard about that?

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Not all light is the same
written by Jake, April 20, 2012

Light is designed to illuminate an area, but if the light is too harsh or bright then it is not being used properly. People need to feel comfortable depending on what situation they are in.

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written by Gripp, April 20, 2012

Are people so dumb these days that they need an application to work out which light bulbs to buy?

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written by Tony, April 20, 2012

I have CFL bulbs in my house, I bought some LED but they are very expensive. I love my LED bulbs, I hope the price will go down because I want to buy more of them.
GO GREEN

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written by Joyce, April 26, 2012

Just a lot of flash and not necessary to make the car go. KIA Soul door speakers with LED's Keep the Hamsters happy. Money can be better spent NEW air filter Oil changes? Save you money led panel light

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written by Marci, April 27, 2012

I can't believe that at this moment anyone needs an app to convince them to engage in fluorescent lights. I have had compact fluorescent bulbs for about 6 years and have had to replaced only a few. That together with my solar PVC installation has me only using 2 kw hours of off the grid energy and that is only because I haven't had the money to invest in more efficient A/C for my 90 year old house. If we still need to provide an APP to convince morons, then we should probably find keepers for them.

IMHO

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