Energy Efficiency Myths | The Truth Behind The Myth

Myth: Leaving LED Lights On Is More Efficient Than Turning Them Off And Back On Again

This myth comes from the idea that the energy used to power up an LED light uses more energy than leaving the light on. This myth made its way into households when the popular Discovery Channel show Mythbusters decided to put it to the test.

The result? Busted.

They measured the energy used (by a number of common types of light bulbs) to turn the light on, maintenance while the light was on, and then to turn it off, compared to the energy used while a light was consistently left on. The result was, for all light bulb types, the energy surge used to turn the bulb on was not enough to justify leaving the lights on (unless you’ll be returning in less than 20 seconds).

You can see a full summary of the experiment here.

Myth: Electricity Can Be Created From Nothing

This energy myth is of the mindset that energy can be created.

The fact is that energy can be converted. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed into a variant form of energy.

Backup generators are not creating electricity; they transform mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Myth: New Buildings Must Be Efficient

It may be true that better practices go into building some residential, commercial and industrial buildings, but that doesn’t mean the building runs efficiently. Most of what impacts the energy efficiency of a building is the way the building and the activities in it are managed.

The true efficiency of a building is tied to understanding an organization’s use of the building and how internal operations and processes have an impact on energy consumption. Empower yourself to become a stakeholder in your organization’s energy efficiency efforts.

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Manitoba Hydro Place is a great example of a building that is managed well from an energy perspective. In fact, it is one of the most energy efficient and green office towers in North America.