If you’ve got fluorescent T12 lamps, it’s time to start thinking about a change. Starting in July 2012, most types of T12 lamps and magnetic ballasts will no longer be manufactured due to federal mandates requiring energy-efficient lighting in commercial buildings.
It’s the perfect time to switch to more efficient lighting with the help of Tacoma Power.
When you switch from T12 to T8 or T5 lamps before the federal standards kick in, Tacoma Power can pay up to 70 percent of the project cost.
T8 lighting is not only highly efficient - the lamps provide better and brighter light than the old T12 lamps, which will be in limited supply after July 2012.
Over time, all lamps begin to lose their intensity and brightness. But T8 intensity degrades more slowly, losing less than 5 percent of its initial brightness after 7,000 hours of use. By comparison, T12 lamps lose almost 20 percent after the same number of hours.
Tacoma Power offers incentives for switching from T12 lamps to T8 or T5. With these incentives helping to reduce project payback, it may take as little as one to two years to fully recoup the T8 lighting upgrade costs. In large facilities with extended hours of operation, the rate of return is even better, particularly when occupancy sensors are also installed in appropriate locations.
Q. How do I know if I’m still using T12s? What’s the difference between a T8 lamp and a T12?
A. Fluorescent lamps are named according to their size and measured in eighths of an inch. A T8 lamp is one inch in diameter; T12 lamps are one and a half inches in diameter. Both come in multiple lengths, with four feet being the most common.
Compared with older T12s, newer T8 technology provides significant energy savings due to lower energy use and increased light output. A high-performance T8 system can save up to 50 percent of the energy used by your current T12 system.
Q. Why do I need to change the lights I currently have installed?
A. Current T12 and some first generation T8 lighting technology will not meet minimum federal efficiency standards as of July 2012.
As of that date, manufacture of most types of T12 lamps will cease. It is expected that within a few months of this effective date, T12 products will no longer be available in stores and supply houses as inventories are exhausted. So now is the time to get paid to upgrade to more efficient lighting.
Q. How long will it take me to recoup installation costs?
A. With the current incentives offered by Tacoma Power, many business owners have recouped project costs via energy savings in as little as one to two years.
Q. Will the new lamps hum like my current ones?
A. With T8s, the new electronic ballasts operate differently than the old magnetic ballasts. The new electronic are much quieter and more efficient, eliminating the humming typically associated with fluorescent fixtures.
Q. Is the lighting quality better?
A. Yes. Most lighting technologies have a color rendering index (CRI) rating associated with their lighting quality. The CRI for T8 lamps is higher than the CRI for T12 lamps.
Q. Should I upgrade my T12 lamps now?
A. Yes. Tacoma Power is offering incentives to switch from T12 lamps to T8 or T5. By switching now before the new federal standards kick in, Tacoma Power can pay up to 70 percent of the project cost. And you’ll see immediate energy savings and lower utility bills.
Contact us at (253) 502-8619 or power@cityoftacoma.org for project eligibility and rebate information.
Program requirements and rebate amounts are subject to change without notice. Tacoma Power does not endorse any particular contractor, manufacturer or product. Tacoma Power makes no express or implied warranties of these products.