Are you ready for the end of inefficient lighting?

CHICAGO — Because the next phase of the U.S. Department of Energy''s (DOE) energy-efficiency lighting legislation went into effect on July 14, 2012, W.W. Grainger Inc. has outlined seven questions that should be considered, according to a press release.

The legislation requires all impacted lighting to use energy more efficiently, effectively banning the sale of new incandescent and halogen bulbs in preference of compact fluorescent light (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) varieties, the release stated.

Meeta Kratz, senior director of customer business issues for Grainger, said, "Grainger has been following the legislation closely in partnership with our lighting suppliers to ensure we''re helping our customers prepare for the changes. Even with the recent deadline extensions, the second phase of the legislation is still a very important milestone for efficient lighting and presents a huge opportunity for businesses to improve their energy management practices."

Some of the queries contained in Grainger''s "Test-Your-Readiness" questionnaire are:

• Do you know the lifespan of LED versus CFL vs. halogen and incandescent bulbs?
• Did you know that facilities can significantly save on long-term costs when inefficient lighting is replaced with energy efficient alternatives?
• Have you explored your lighting retrofit options?
• Do you know what lumen equivalent to look for when replacing inefficient lamps?

Grainger encourages interested parties to view their "lighting language dictionary" for a list of commonly used lighting terms, the release noted.