Next month, the UAE is set to eliminate the usage of light bulbs that are deemed to be not environmentally friendly. With this change in mind, Philips has been encouraging UAE residents to get prepared for the move, and to start thinking about the lighting options available to them.
According to the recent announcement made by Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Meteorology (ESMA) regarding new lighting standards, the ban in the UAE will come into effect on July 1, 2014. There will be an import ban for incandescent and low-quality energy saving bulbs, with only legislation compliant and ESMA registered energy saving bulbs allowed for import. Retailers and wholesalers will have six months to sell their current stock of inefficient bulbs, before, starting from 1 January 1, 2015, a sales ban of incandescent and low quality energy saving bulbs will come into place.
Paolo Cervini, general manager of Philips Lighting Middle East and Turkey, explains: “Energy consumption is a very crucial topic across the globe. People need to be made more aware of their individual choices and the impact it has on the country’s sustainability efforts. Making the switch to energy-efficient lamps and solutions allows us all to reap the life-long benefits.”
Energy-efficient options include: halogen, compact fluorescent and LED, which are all retrofit solutions for current lighting fixtures, including candles for chandeliers which are a popular feature in the UAE.
Philips has also introduced a 60W replacement in warm white, The Philips LED 9.5W, to replace the most common light bulb in UAE homes, which provides up to 87.5 per cent energy savings and will last up to 15 years during normal use.