Choosing Lighting Fixtures –

ENERGY STAR® Qualified Lighting Products

Residential light fixtures
Decorative light strings (DLS)
CFLs (Compact fluorescent lamps)

Residential Light Fixtures

Residential light fixtures are now included in the list of products that can qualify for ENERGY STAR in Canada. The ENERGY STAR symbol can be used by participating manufacturers and retailers to promote qualified residential lighting fixtures. Consumers who purchase these fixtures can expect to reduce their electricity consumption and costs by about 66 percent compared to a standard fixture.

More details on qualified residential light fixtures
Questions and answers on qualified residential light fixtures

Decorative Light Strings (DLS)

ENERGY STAR qualified Decorative Light Strings (DLS) consume up to 95 percent less energy than standard decorative lights. To qualify for ENERGY STAR, a DLS must consume 0.2 watts of energy or less per lamp. The criteria is also based upon electrical requirements, as well as lifetime, inspection, and – depending on how the DLS are to be used – weathering tests. Coloured light strings must have an average maintained light output of no less than 70 percent to qualify for ENERGY STAR. Strings containing white or phosphor-based lamps must have an average maintained light output of no less than 50 percent to qualify.

Qualified brands and authorized importers of decorative light strings
Questions and answers on decorative light strings

ENERGY STAR Qualified Compact Fluorescent Lamps

Regular incandescent light bulbs have changed very little since their invention in the 1800s. They waste a lot of energy – less than 10 percent of the energy they consume is used for lighting. The remaining 90 percent is wasted in the form of heat.

The next time you need to replace some light bulbs, remember that ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) will give you as much light as 6 to 10 regular incandescent light bulbs while using 75 percent less energy.

The ENERGY STAR Symbol: A Smart Investment in Energy Efficiency

The international high-efficiency ENERGY STAR symbol displayed on a select number of lighting products helps consumers to buy the best – and most versatile – energy-efficient products on the market.

Products that are ENERGY STAR qualified have met technical specifications meant to reduce electricity use in your home. For compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), the ENERGY STAR symbol also means that the product meets stringent specifications for long life, energy savings, start time, colour and brightness.

Energy efficiency pays. The 30 light fixtures in the average Canadian home consume close to $200 worth of electricity every year. Replacing just five bulbs with CFLs in areas that require more than three hours of light a day can save approximately $30 a year. Replacing just one standard light bulb with an ENERGY STAR labelled compact fluorescent bulb in every Canadian household would have the same environmental impact as taking 66,000 cars off the road.

CFLs have undergone many changes since they were first introduced 15 years ago. Many look like they are twisted; others look like regular incandescent light bulbs. You can find a design to fit in almost any light fixture.

ENERGY STAR labelled bulbs:

• replace standard incandescent bulbs in almost any fixture
• last between 10 000 to 20 000 hours or an average of seven years are sold in local home improvement centres, hardware stores, local independent and regional retailers, and selected grocery stores

List of models: CFLs

Manufacturers of ENERGY STAR Qualified CFLs

Note: We are currently sharing lists of product models and manufacturers of ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs with ENERGY STAR in the United States. When you click on these two links above, you will be taken to the U.S. ENERGY STAR Web site.

• ENERGY STAR qualification criteria for CFLs in Canada
• ENERGY STAR technical specifications for CFLs in Canada
• Questions and answers about CFLs

More information on ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs:

The ENERGY STAR name and symbol are administered and promoted in Canada by Natural Resources Canada and are registered in Canada by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.