July 27, 2011

Switching from conventional light bulbs to energy-efficient alternatives is not as easy as it appears. Now finding the right fit, style and light quality will be as easy as hitting a button on your smartphone. The Eco Hatchery Light Bulb Finder helps users find the right bulb and calculates how much energy and money the efficient models will save. The smartphone app gives instant recommendations for energy-efficient lighting equivalents to traditional incandescents. For each recommendation, the app displays the energy-efficient bulb’s image, price, environmental impact and the expected money savings. The bulb app can also help users create a shopping list for CFLs or LEDs online or at local retail stores and consumers can buy bulbs directly through the app.

The Light Bulb Finder allows users to walk through their home and enter information about their current lighting fixtures and incandescent bulb styles. The app will then create a room-by-room replacement guide. Users can also share energy and environmental savings on Facebook and encourage friends to save energy, money and the environment. The light bulb finder app is available for free for iPhone, iPad and iTouch through the iTunes app store. It’s also available for Android smartphones via the Google Android Market.

A law signed in 2007 called for all incandescent light bulbs to be phased out nationally between 2012 and 2014. Starting in 2012, the traditional 100-watt bulbs will go off the market followed over the next two years by lower-wattage bulbs. Once the phase-out is completely in place, it’s estimated the law will save consumers about $12 million dollars a year in energy costs.