Lighting technology has advanced tremendously over the last decade, and numerous options are available for providing aesthetically-pleasing ambient light at a fraction of the energy usage of traditional incandescent lamps. Two types of lamps provide energy-efficient residential lighting—LED and fluorescent lamps.
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are well suited for ambient lighting. CFLs are categorized by their type of base—screw-type, pin-type, and the new GU24 twist and lock sockets. Screw-type lamps fit into standard fixtures, while pin-type and GU24 bases must be matched to dedicated fluorescent fixtures. The variety of dedicated fluorescent fixtures is rapidly increasing, due in part to programs such as ENERGY STAR (www.energystar.gov) and fixture design competitions such as Lighting for Tomorrow (www.lightingfortomorrow.com).