Founder | BPI® Energy Auditor Certified Professional
Installing an energy-efficient ceiling light fixture system in your home can be costly. Even though energy-efficient lighting options save you money with time, their initial price is usually much steeper than what you’d pay for their standard counterparts.
For this reason, navigating today’s oversaturated market and deciding on the fixture that will be worth its hefty price tag can often be more challenging than you’d think.
The Top Energy-Efficient Light Fixture
The best overall energy-efficient light fixture for a net-zero home is the Dorsbey 36W LED Ceiling Light. It’s one of the most durable, powerful, and long-lasting options on today’s market. The fixture comes with a sleek design and a six-year warranty guaranteeing its quality.
However, depending on your unique needs or requirements, there might be some options that are better suited to you:
- If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative, go with the LED Flush Mount Ceiling Light Fixture.
- If you’re looking for an alternative with the best-looking design, Kira Home Event Integrated LED would be the best option for you.
- If you’re looking for the highest-end option on the market that delivers its promised value, go for the Sunlite 49 Flush Mount Ceiling light fixture.
In the following sections, we’ll introduce you to some of the most crucial components you’ll want to consider when in the market for an energy-efficient light fixture. Afterward, we’ll take you through some of our recommendations regarding high-quality fixtures that fit every homeowner’s needs and requirements.
Factors to Consider
Before browsing the market for your ideal energy-efficient light fixture that’ll fit right into your net-zero home, it’s essential to consider some factors first.
Given that there’s no shortage of quality-looking options on the market, it can often be challenging to differentiate between the ones that will truly deliver value and the ones gaining an edge through clever marketing strategies.
Luckily, by checking these crucial, quality-indicating elements, you’ll be able to filter through the endless options in no time.
How Much Power The Fixture Uses
The first thing you’ll want to account for when choosing an energy-efficient light fixture is its power. The power of a light fixture is an essential quality for those living in larger, open spaces that require considerable wattage to make a dent in the darkness.
The whole premise of LED lighting devices is their efficiency in converting electric power into illumination, as they consume more than 75% less energy than their incandescent counterparts.
Therefore, if you’re looking for an energy-efficient fixture for the first time and are unsure of the wattage that would best fit your living space, you’ll want to choose an option whose power reads around 75% lower than the alternative you’ve been using thus far.
For example, suppose you’ve been purchasing 80-watt incandescent fixtures for your home. In that case, you’d need to choose a 20-watt LED alternative (or less, depending on the option’s efficiency) to provide the same amount of light.
Remember that the wattages we’re mentioning are only indicators of the amount of electric power consumed, not the output. Therefore, you might need to experiment with different options before choosing the one that works best with your space.
The Light’s Color Temperature
The next criterion you’ll want to pay attention to when shopping for an energy-efficient light fixture is color temperature, specifically when it comes to shade options.
Even though LED alternatives are fantastic for their sustainable features, many find the particularly harsh lighting a dealbreaker. Luckily, as technology has progressed, manufacturers have developed a plethora of softer lighting options and shades that diffuse LED light well.
However, you’ll likely still need to vet many alternatives before settling down on the one whose color temperature fits your living space and the ambiance you’re trying to create.
Generally speaking, you’ll want to look for a fixture whose color is advertised as “warm” or “soft,” as these alternatives are usually much better suited to living spaces. These fixtures typically have tempered glass or plastic shades with a yellowish tint.
If you don’t want to depend on advertisement alone, you can always check a fixture’s color rendering index (CRI). This indicator refers to a light source’s ability to indicate an object’s true colors.
You’ll want to choose a fixture with a CRI of at least 80, but ideally, opt for one that registers 90 or above on the index.
As we briefly mentioned, warmer, softer lighting usually fits living spaces much better, so most homeowners prefer fixtures that hover around 2700-3500 Kelvin. In this context, Kelvin (K) is the unit that indicates how your fixture’s light looks compared to the color of the sun.
As the unit’s degree increases, the light’s temperature becomes colder and harsher, with 6000K+ options often referred to as “daylight fixtures” since the light they produce resembles sunlight.
Choosing the right-colored option for your living space will depend on your preferences. Still, anything below 2500K could challenge your vision, while anything above 3800K could leave your home feeling like a hospital.
Lumen Value
As mentioned in the “Power” section of this article, while a fixture’s wattage describes the energy it consumes, it leaves us with no clue regarding the light it outputs. That is where lumen value comes in.
It’s true that if you’re purchasing an energy-efficient light fixture for the first time, you’ll have to experiment a bit to find out the lumen value that works best with your space. However, it’s unnecessary to go through the same vetting process if you’ve already had a chance to evaluate the light emission level of a particular fixture.
To make the next light fixture purchase easier, all you have to do is check your current selection’s lumen value and adjust it depending on your preferences when choosing its replacement.
For example, say you feel like your current fixture doesn’t produce enough light. In this case, you’d want to look for an option whose lumen value is higher and vice versa.
This indicator can also help you find the most efficient alternatives on the market, as you’ll be able to compare the wattage a fixture consumes with the amount of light it outputs.
Certifications
While all previously-mentioned criteria are essential when choosing a new energy-efficient light fixture, you can’t always take a company’s word regarding their product’s specifications. As with any product, manufacturers can make an item seem more favorable through clever marketing tricks.
What you can rely on are independent, third-party certifications. Today, a wide and varied certification system is in place that evaluates LED lights based on several crucial qualities and indicators.
There are quite a few certifications you may want to look out for when buying an energy-efficient light fixture, but Energy Star is an excellent one to base your choice on.
Energy Star is one of the most widely-known certifications in the industry, and this stamp of approval means that the fixture you’re buying is one of the most energy-efficient on the market.
Best Energy Efficient Light Fixtures for Home
Now that we’ve covered some of the most important criteria to consider when purchasing a new energy-efficient light fixture for a net-zero home, we’ll take you through some of our top picks.
Making a generalized recommendation in this context can be difficult, as the “ideal option” varies depending on our budget, needs, and preferences. However, the alternatives in the following list all have one thing in common—they’re excellent investments that provide incredible value at their respective price points.
In short, all of these fixtures are quality, long-lasting options that fit the essential criteria, so you’ll be able to choose between them depending on your requirements with absolute peace of mind.
Best Overall: Drosbey 36W LED Ceiling Light Fixture
Our top energy-efficient light fixture pick is the powerful 36W option from Drosbey. As far as value goes, we doubt you’ll be able to find a better alternative on the market.
First of all, the installation process is a breeze. The product comes to your door equipped with all the necessary mounting hardware and a straightforward installation guide, meaning you’ll likely be able to set it up all by yourself in minutes.
This Dorsbey fixture is durable and long-lasting, as the company estimates around ten years of life, even with frequent use. Moreover, given its reasonable price point, its cost-per-use comes out to be almost entirely free.
If you’re still skeptical, you’ll be glad to hear that the company offers a six-year warranty to guarantee the product’s quality.
The fixture is around 70% more efficient than its traditional counterparts while maintaining a sleek and modern appearance.
Lastly, and more importantly, the product is highly-tested and entirely safe to use. It comes equipped with a short circuit protection feature to prevent electricity-based accidents.
Pros
- Excellent value for the price
- Easy to install
- Long-lasting
- 6-year warranty
- Efficient
- Safe
Cons
- Not certified by Energy Star
- Metal color might wear off with use
Best Affordable Light Fixture: LED Flush Mount Ceiling Light Fixture
The best thing about today’s oversaturated market is that being on a budget doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise on quality or design. This flush mount ceiling light fixture is proof of that.
As with the previous option, this product is light and easy to install. All you need to do is follow the manufacturer-issued guide’s two-step process. However, beware that you’ll need a few standard tools of your own to complete the installation.
This light fixture’s ultrathin design makes it one of the most elegant and aesthetically-pleasing options on this list. However, don’t let its sleek design fool you. The product is still impressively powerful at 24 watts, while its sturdy design makes it long-lasting and usable for up to 10 years.
Pros
- Affordable
- Elegant design
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Not Certified by Energy Star
- You’ll need some tools to install it
Best Design: Kira Home Everett 24″ Modern 3-Light 19W Integrated LED
Interior design enthusiasts looking for a fixture that will add visual interest to their space will love this Kira Home Integrated LED. The product isn’t only aesthetically pleasing, but it is also high-quality, long-lasting, and easy to install.
More importantly, Kira Home always makes safety a priority for its products, meaning you’ll be able to set up this energy-efficient light fixture without worrying about electric shocks or other similar hazardous incidents.
This fixture is gorgeous, and the light it outputs is exceptionally flattering. In terms of color temperature, this option’s emissions fall within the ideal range at 3000K.
However, this visual addition to your living space comes at a price. Like many other Kira Home products, this fixture hovers around the higher end of the industry’s price range. However, the overall value it provides more than justifies the cost.
Pros
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Qualitative
- Easy to install
- Safe
- Flattering light
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Expensive
- Lower wattage than other alternatives
Best High-End: Sunlite 49093-SU LED Oval Flush Mount Ceiling Light Fixture
We recommend this Sunlite oval flush fixture for those looking for the crème de la crème of today’s energy-efficient light fixtures.
First of all, the product comes with a sleek, modern design that fits right into any elegant, minimalist living space. However, it is much more than just a beautiful piece of equipment.
This Sunlite option is made out of premium quality steel, making it one of the strongest and most durable energy-efficient light fixture on today’s list. This type of design also allows it to provide optimal light diffusion, creating a pleasant, visually-calming atmosphere in any living space.
The light comes equipped with a dimming feature that allows you to adjust its intensity according to the mood you’re trying to create.
Even though this option might require a hefty initial investment, its longevity makes it a reasonable, money-saving purchase in the long run. You can install it in any environment (no matter how humid, hot, or cold), and you’ll still be guaranteed safe, excellent performance.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Long-lasting
- Pleasant light
- Durable
- Safe
Cons
- Expensive
- May need frequent bulb changes
Key Takeaways
Energy-efficient light fixtures are an excellent addition to any net-zero home. As long as you keep a few key considerations in mind throughout the decision-making process and browse the mentioned recommendations in this list, you’ll be able to find the right option for you in no time.