New efficiency standards dictate higher efficiency levels for fluorescent tube lamps.
New lamp standards, which will take effect in 2012, have been hammered out. They will have little effect on the outward appearance or lighting performance of the affected light bulbs. For fluorescent lamps, highly efficient “T8” lamps (lamps with a 1-in. diameter) will replace “T12” lamps (which have a 1.5-in diameter). For reflector lamps, standard incandescent and halogen technology will be replaced with highly efficient halogen infrared reflector technology, a change that will save consumers energy, but not result in any outward change to reflector lamp appearance.
