DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Introduction and Table of Contents
DPS Go Green Challenge Mission: Through hands-on, active learning, the Go Green Challenge allows
students to develop an ethic of environmental stewardship and take an active role in community
transformation. Teachers are encouraged to use school facilities as a basis for innovative programming
and serve as a tool for hands-on lessons. The Go Green Challenge has three areas of focus: Student
Achievement, Financial Stability, and Community Impact.
The Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt is the first Bonus Point Project of the Go Green Challenge. If your
Green Team completes the project successfully, you will earn a 1% reduction toward your 10% energy
savings goal.
NOTE: Newer DPS schools may not have any incandescent light bulbs. If your school does not have any
incandescent lights – DO NOT complete this project as you will not earn any Bonus Points if you do not
have bulbs to replace. For schools with no incandescent bulbs, please move ahead to Project 3 – Small
Appliance Inventory.
Lighting is one of the biggest energy users in your school. This project will help students identify
inefficient incandescent bulbs, calculate how much energy they use, and request and receive new
efficient compact florescent lights (CFLs) for your school.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Action Steps:
 Understand Project 2: “Watt’s” the Point?
Page 2
 Collect Light Bulb Data - Instructions
Page 3
 Map Your Bulbs (Optional)
Page 4
 Complete the Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt Worksheet
Page 5
 Complete and Submit Your Excel File
Page 6
 Communicate Results to Your School
Page 7
Additional Resources:
Broken CFL Clean-Up Procedure
Page 8
Incandescent vs. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)
Page 9
Calculate Energy Savings: “Watt’s” It Worth?
Page 10-11
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
1
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Understand Project 2: “Watt’s” the Point?
The Light Bulb Hunt has three easy steps:
1. Students search for, identify, and record the location of old inefficient incandescent light bulbs
in their school.
2. Complete the Light Bulb Hunt Calculator Excel sheet and email the file to
dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org.
3. Work with your Facility Manager (Engineer) to install replacement compact fluorescent light
(CFL) bulbs supplied by DPS Go Green.
REMEMBER: BY COMPLETING THIS CHALLENGE PROJECT, YOUR SCHOOL WILL EARN A 1% BONUS POINT THAT
WILL REDUCE YOUR OVERALL TARGET ENERGY REDUCTION RATE FROM THE ORIGINAL 10% GOAL!
Light Bulb Identification:
Incandescent Light Bulbs
Compact Fluorescent (CFL)
Some Light Bulb Facts:
INCANDESCENT LIGHT BULBS:
Use four times as much energy to produce the same amount of light
Do not last as long as compact fluorescents light bulbs (CFLs)
Use a large percentage of the electricity they consume to generate heat
COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS (CFLs):
Only need 25% of the energy of an incandescent light bulb to produce the same amount of light
Last 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs
Are affordable, readily available, compatible with most fixtures, not prone to flickering
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
2
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Collect Light Bulb Data - Instructions
Overview:
It’s time to take to the halls and start recording the incandescent bulbs you find! The activity involves
walking through your school with the Light Bulb Hunt Worksheet and recording the following
information:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The location of the incandescent bulbs
The number of incandescent bulbs
The bulbs wattage (record or estimate)
The number of hours the bulbs are on each day
Once the Light Bulb Hunt Worksheet is completed, the next step will be entering this data into the Excel
file and emailing the file to dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org .
Suggested Procedure:
1. Inform students and your green team that you will be doing the light bulb hunt and ask for
volunteers to help out.
2. Set a time that works for everyone when you can walk through the school and do the hunt.
(Right after the last class period might be a good time.)
3. Many of the incandescent bulbs will be in utility closets and other locked spaces - ask your
Facility Manager to open utility closets and other rooms that may contain incandescent lights.
4. Print blank copies of the audit form and bring with you on a clipboard. You may need more than
one sheet to count all of the bulbs in the school.
5. Record the room numbers/names where you find incandescent light bulbs, their wattages, and
estimate the number of hours the bulbs are on each day.
Guidance - Recording Wattages:
The wattage is usually written on the bottom of the incandescent bulb. If you cannot find the wattage
on a bulb, use 75 watts as an average.
Guidance - Estimating Number of Hours Bulbs are On:
In order to calculate energy costs and savings, it is important to estimate the number of hours a light
bulb is on each day. Use your best judgment in making these estimates. Some rules of thumb you can
consider using:
Utility Closets
Classrooms and Offices
Bathrooms and Hallways
2 Hours/Day
8 Hours/Day
10 Hours/Day
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
3
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Map Your Bulbs (Optional)
Overview:
To get started on your hunt, you will first need a map of your school.
All schools have a Fire Escape Plan that includes Floor Plans of the building. Work with staff or ask your
Facility Manager (Engineer) if you can make copies.
With copies of the floor plan, you can then record which rooms have been investigated and where you found
incandescent bulbs. Consider making this into a poster for display in the hallway.
REMEMBER: Make sure to save your maps, as they will be valuable for future Go Green Challenge projects
throughout the year.
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
4
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Incandescent Light Bulb Worksheet
Purpose: Identify energy hogging incandescent lights in your school for replacement with energy
efficient Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs).
Room Number / Name
Number of Bulbs
Example (Do not enter)
Watts/Bulb
3
Hours Used/Day
75
2
NOTES:
1. If you cannot find the wattage on a bulb, use 75 watts as an average.
2. If you are not sure how long a bulb is on each day use:
Utility / Janitor Closets = 2 Hours/Day
Classrooms and Offices = 8 Hours/Day
Bathrooms and Hallways = 10 Hours/Day
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
5
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Complete Light Bulb Hunt Calculator (Excel)
Purpose:
By entering the data collected on the Light Bulb Hunt Worksheet(s) into the Incandescent Light Bulb
Hunt Calculator (Excel File), you will be able to see how much energy and money can be saved by
replacing these old inefficient bulbs with new efficient Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs).
Procedure:
A) Enter data Into the Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt Calculator:
1. After you complete the walk through, transfer the written information into the Incandescent
Light Bulb Hunt Calculator Excel file.
Note: You can do this even if you are not familiar with Microsoft Excel or you can find someone
more familiar to help you. You will only need to type in the numbers and save the file.
2. Enter the data into each cell. Only enter data in the light blue cells; the results in the red and
green cells will calculate automatically.
3. The spreadsheet contains space for up to 30 rooms. If you have more than 30 rooms to enter,
make a copy of the file to record the extra rooms.
4. If you are interested in how the results are calculated, the formulas are listed at the bottom of
the spreadsheet.
5. Save the file with your school name – e.g. D.I.T. Light Bulb Hunt.
B) Submit Data To DPS Go Green:
1. Email your file as an attachment to dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org. We will mail or deliver the
requested bulbs at a later date.
2. If you are having trouble, please email us at dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org, or call 313-578.7135.
3. Tell us how it went! What did your students get out of the experience? We’d love to hear your
story and possibly share it in an upcoming Go Green Challenge newsletter.
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
6
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Communicate Results to Your School
You have the opportunity to complete this Bonus Point Project while simultaneously working to reach
the overall energy reduction goal. As you’ve discovered, saving energy requires adopting energy
efficient practices for the whole school. In order to help inspire behavior changes, it’s especially
important to share the results of the Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt. Try one or more of the following
options to share what you’ve discovered to inspire positive, energy-efficient changes:
Ask your Principal if you can dedicate 5 minutes at your next staff meeting to share with your
teachers and administrators the total number of bulbs you found, as well as the total number
of kilowatt hours you will save by switching to CFLs. Don’t forget to recognize those teachers
and personnel who have been helping and will eventually help change out all the incandescent
bulbs to new efficient compact fluorescents!
Create a Go Green Challenge Board to showcase the work you and your team have done,
keeping a tally of total savings for this and future projects.
Create a poster to hang in the hallway to share your Green Team’s findings and potential savings
or enlarge and display your map and data.
Share your project findings as part of the school’s morning announcements.
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
7
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Broken CFL Cleanup Procedure
REMEMBER: Students and staff should NOT be handling light bulbs during this activity; leave that to the
Facility Manager once new CFLs have arrived.
CFLs contain a small amount of mercury vapor, an amount considerably less than the amount of
mercury that is put into the atmosphere by burning coal for less efficient, incandescent bulbs. If a bulb
breaks, there is no cause for alarm. The clean up procedure is simple, safe, and reliable.
Before Cleanup
Have people leave the room.
Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.
Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulb:
1. Stiff paper or cardboard;
2. Sticky tape;
3. Damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes (for hard surfaces);
4. A glass jar with a metal lid or a sealable plastic bag.
During Cleanup
DO NOT VACUUM. Vacuuming is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other
cleanup steps have been taken. Vacuuming could spread mercury-containing powder or
mercury vapor.
Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder. Scoop up glass fragments and
powder using stiff paper or cardboard. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any
remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.
After Cleanup
Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected
area until materials can be disposed of. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials
indoors.
If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/air
conditioning system shut off for several hours.
References:
1. http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
8
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Incandescent Light Bulbs vs. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)
An Incandescent Light Bulb is a clear or frosted glass bulb having a looped filament (thin wire) and a
metal screw base. Over time, the solid filament turns into a gas as it is heated (a process called
“sublimation”).
When an incandescent light bulb is turned on, an electric current enters through the metal screw base
and flows into the filament, causing it to heat up rapidly and glow. Thus, a large percentage of the
electricity used by typical incandescent light bulbs goes not to producing light, but to generating
unwanted heat, turning only 5 to 10% of the energy they consume into light! Despite their wastefulness,
incandescent light bulbs remain popular because they’re cheap, easily available, dimmable, fit most
conventional lighting fixtures, and cast a nice warm tone.
In contrast, compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, are the second generation of energy-efficient lights.
CFLs need just 25-35% of the energy used by an Incandescent Light Bulb to produce the same amount of
light and last much longer, which justifies their slightly higher cost. They’re also cooler, fit in most
lighting fixtures, and are available in warmer color tones. Some models are dimmable, but others can’t
be used with a dimmer switch. One big concern with CFLs is the mercury they contain. These bulbs can’t
be thrown in the garbage when they die -- they must be recycled at a center that takes hazardous
materials -- and broken lamps have to be cleaned up carefully to minimize mercury contamination (See
Broken CFL Cleanup Procedure).
Often overlooked in discussions of energy-efficient lighting, it’s nearly impossible to beat sunlight. It’s
free, it reproduces color beautifully, it enhances productivity and elevates mood -- in fact, it’s essential
to our health. It can’t be used after sundown, however, but if incorporated into more buildings, it could
reduce energy costs dramatically.
Optional reflection activities:
1). Place one incandescent light bulb and one CFL in an area easily visible to students. Ask them to
compare and contrast what they see.
2.) Place one incandescent light bulb and one CFL in an area easily visible to students. Ask them to draw
each kind of bulb.
References:
1. http://www.healthyhouseinstitute.com/a_637-Incandescent_Lighting
2. http://greenliving.about.com/od/scienceandtechnology/ss/lighting_choices.htm
3. http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/fluorescent-lighting
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
9
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Calculating Energy Savings: “Watt’s” It Worth?
Now that you counted all the incandescent light bulbs in your building, you can calculate the amount of
energy and money those inefficient bulbs cost your school each year. While the Excel file sent along with
the project calculates your savings atomically, you or your students may also be interested in working
out the calculations by hand. The steps below show you how your efforts translate into real energy and
financial savings for your school this year (and beyond). Use the formulas provided to plug in your
numbers and get excited about the measurable good work your Green Team has done! You will likely
have to use estimates for the amount of time bulbs are used per day. Facility managers, custodians, or
other staff may be able to help with this. If you don’t know the wattage of the incandescent bulbs,
enter 75 watts as a default value for Step 1.
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Calculate the cost of an incandescent bulb AND a CFL using Step1 and Step 2 (remember CFLs
use fewer watts to produce the same amount of light)
Step 4:
Where:
W = Bulb wattage (watts)
t = Number of hours per day the bulb is used (hr/day)
d = Number of days per year the bulb is used (day/yr)
kWh = kWh of electricity the bulb uses in one year.
Note: 1000 watts equals one kilowatt – “kilo” means a thousand
r = Utility billing rate per kWh ($/kWh). Use $0.12 in Detroit.
C = Total annual cost to operate one bulb ($)
S = Total annual savings you earn by switching to a CFL ($)
Example
An incandescent light bulb lasts about 750 hours. (That means, if you kept an average incandescent light
bulb on all day and night, it would only last for 31 days!) If you were to leave a 75-watt bulb burning for
24 hours each day, and assuming it was possible to keep it on for 365 days straight, how much would
you save if you switched this incandescent bulb to a CFL? Let’s find out!
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
10
DPS Go Green Project 2 – Incandescent Light Bulb Hunt
Using Step 1 above, we can find out how much energy the light bulb uses each year:
Based on this, we know that the power company will bill you for 657 kWh for one light bulb.
A kilowatt-hour of electricity costs about 12 cents. How much does it cost to operate your incandescent
bulb each year at this rate? Let’s use Step 2 to calculate this:
In contrast, an average CFL costs lasts about 10,000 hours. This light bulb would stay on for over a year if
you never turned it off!) If you were to leave a 19-watt CFL bulb burning for 24 hours each day, 365 days
per year, you can use Steps 1 and 2 to see that it would use 166.44 kWh per year at a cost of $19.97.
How much money did you save in one year by switching your bulbs?
You saved $58.87 by switching a single bulb! Imagine what you could save by switching ten bulbs, or
100!
References:
1. http://ase.org/resources/lesson-plan-which-light-bulb-really-cheaper-6-9
2. http://www.epower3.com/cfl-calculator.html
Email: dps.gogreen@detroitk12.org
Phone: 313-578-7135
11