Lighting constitutes 20% of total U.S. electricity consumption, corresponding to around 800 TWh per year (Azevedo, 2009). The electricity consumption of U.S. residential lighting sector is projected to increase at an annual rate of 0.5-1%, as a result of not only the rising number of households but also per-household lighting energy use (EIA, 2006). Increasing demand represents not only the challenges but also the opportunity for the lighting sector to transform. Efficient lighting technologies, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), can be one of the most promising opportunities for residential energy and emission savings. For instance, Mckinsey & Company (2010) estimated lighting constitutes 82% of the saving potentials and 240 megatons of CO2 emission reduction potentials if existing lighting technologies are replaced by more energy-efficient ones. Federal and state governments have realized and started to harness the potential in the lighting sector, by putting various energy efficiency standards and voluntary programs in place in order to facilitate the transformation of U.S. lighting system. Consumers' perceptions of these efficient lighting technologies are important to guarantee their widespread adoption. Although CFLs and LEDs outperform traditional incandescent lamps in terms of efficiency, some lighting attributes of these new technologies may be far from satisfactory from consumers' perspective.;This thesis investigates the implications of the transition in U.S. residential lighting system by assessing consumers' perceptions and preferences for general service lighting to determine lighting characteristics preferred by end-users, and examining the consequences of federal lighting energy efficiency standards that promote efficient lighting technologies in terms of electricity savings and emissions.
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