Photometric Terms Lumens: Also known as Luminous Flux, which is measured in lumens (lm), is the total amount of light produced by a light source without regard to direction. The luminous flux is provided by lamp manufacturers and common lumen values are included in the lamp matrix. Candela: Luminous intensity, measured in candela (cd), is the amount of light produced in a specific direction. Graphically, this information is compiled into polar formatted charts that pinpoint the intensity of light at each angle away from 0° lamp axis (nadir). The numeric information is also available in tabular...


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These days, a browse through Alcon Lighting's website (alconlighting.com) or even the lighting aisle at Home Depot is likely to leave you baffled. Here are the terms you need to know. LUMENS: The amount of light a bulb produces. Depending on which government agency you ask, this is “brightness” or “light output.” Your reference point: A standard 100-watt incandescent produces about 1,700 lumens. WATTS: Not a measure of brightness; instead, it’s a measure of how much energy a bulb consumes to reach its claimed brightness. WATT EQUIVALENT: Since we’ve conflated watts and brightness,...


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Say goodbye to watts and hello to lumens. Compact fluorescent and LED bulbs use fewer watts, or less energy, to produce the same amount of light, or lumens, as incandescent bulbs. But the color of the light varies by the type of bulb, so you need more information than just a bulb's watts to get the light you'd like. The Lighting Facts label, patterned on nutrition labels on foods, will give you much of that information. It lists the bulb's lumens, or brightness; its estimated yearly energy cost; how long the bulb is expected to last; its appearance, from warm to cool; how much energy, or watts,...


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If you're buying CFLs or considering LEDs, look for rebates from retailers and utilities and  at www.energystar.gov and www.dsireusa.org/incentives. And save your receipts in case there's a problem. Also keep in mind: Think about the fixture CFLs last longer and perform better if they're on for 15 minutes or more. That longevity makes them good for hard-to-reach fixtures. But they take time to reach full brightness, from about 30 seconds for spirals to roughly 2 minutes for recessed bulbs and 3 minutes for outdoor bulbs, so don't use them in staircases or other areas where you need instant...


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