Saving on lighting: 7 tips beyond the LED lamp
By Laurens Arends · updated 05-10-2026
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Saving on the energy consumption of lighting
According to Milieu Centraal, about 11% of average household electricity consumption goes to lighting. At 2.430 kWh a year, that is approximately 267 kWh. In another consumption overview, Milieu Centraal rounds the consumption of lighting to 300 kWh a year. With the average electricity price of € 0,27 per kWh in 2026, that costs about € 73 to € 81 a year according to our calculation.
The actual amount can be much lower if you already have modern LED lamps everywhere. The European Commission expects an average consumption of 132 kWh per European household for lighting by 2030, with more than 96% of lamps being LED.
The amounts below are our own calculations using € 0,27 per kWh, the average Dutch electricity price that Milieu Centraal gives for 2026. Do not simply add the savings together. A sensor and a timer, for example, can prevent the same unnecessary burning hours.
| Way to save on lighting | Worked example | Indicative saving (2026 price level) |
|---|---|---|
| Replace old lamps | 127 kWh less according to Milieu Centraal | € 34 a year |
| Switch off forgotten LED lamps | Three 8 W lamps, four hours a day | € 9 a year |
| Use a motion sensor | Two 8 W lamps, on six hours a day less | € 9 a year gross |
| Outdoor lamp on a timer | 10 W lamp, on six hours a day less | € 6 a year |
| Use more daylight | Three 8 W lamps, on two hours a day less | € 5 a year |
| Four small solar-powered garden lamps | Replace four 1 W mains lamps | Approximately € 2 a year |
| Use smart lamps selectively | Three lamps avoid four burning hours a day, after deducting standby consumption | Approximately € 5,80 a year (net) |
Find the last incandescent and halogen lamps
One of the simplest ways to save on lighting is by switching to LED lighting. LED is now the norm, but in the attic, in the shed, under kitchen cupboards and in old spotlights there are sometimes still incandescent or halogen lamps. According to Milieu Centraal, an LED lamp uses about 85% less electricity than a halogen lamp and 90% less than an incandescent lamp.
Milieu Centraal calculates with ten 20 W halogen lamps and one 40 W incandescent lamp being replaced by 4 W LED lamps. That saves 127 kWh a year. Our calculation at 2026 price levels comes to 127 × € 0,27 = € 34,29 a year. At an average purchase price of € 5,80 per LED lamp, eleven lamps cost approximately € 64. The simple payback period is then about 1,9 years.
Compare lamps on lumens and not on watts. Lumens indicate how much light the lamp gives. The European energy label also states how many kWh the lamp uses per 1.000 burning hours. On the new scale, a modern LED lamp can have label C, D, E or F and still be much more economical than an old halogen lamp. Via the QR code on the label you can check the product in the European EPREL database.
Switch lighting off in time
An LED lamp also uses electricity as long as it is on. Milieu Centraal therefore advises switching the light off as soon as you leave a room, even if only briefly. The popular story that switching back on uses more energy than leaving the lamp on is incorrect for household LED lighting. You cannot save on LED this way, so don't let that stop you from switching the light off.
If you leave three 8 W LED lamps on unnecessarily for four hours every day, you use 3 × 8 W × 4 hours × 365 days = 35 kWh a year. According to our calculation, that costs € 9,46 a year. With one forgotten LED lamp the amount is small, but several spotlights, decorative lamps and outdoor lamps quickly add up. Check the hall, landing, utility room, garage, shed, toilet and outside wall in particular. Lights there are often on without anyone being present for long.
Fit a motion sensor
A motion sensor is especially useful in rooms where you stay briefly and regularly forget the light. Think of a hallway, toilet, garage, storage room or side path. Set the switch-off delay as short as possible without the light annoyingly going off while you are still there.
If a sensor prevents two LED lamps of 8 W each from burning unnecessarily for six hours a day, you save 35 kWh or € 9,46 a year gross. The sensor's own electricity consumption and purchase costs are not included in this. With one small LED lamp, the financial saving can be so low that a sensor does not quickly pay for itself. Convenience and safety may then be more important than saving on lighting.
A sensor is financially attractive mainly if it controls several lamps and actually prevents burning hours every day. If your sensor including installation costs € 25, the payback period at a gross saving of € 9,46 is at least 2,6 years. In any case, check whether the expected lifespan is longer and also deduct its own electricity consumption from the saving.
Use timers
A timer works well for outdoor lighting, Christmas lights and other lamps with a predictable schedule. An astronomical timer follows the times of sunset and sunrise. As a result, an outdoor lamp in June does not follow the same schedule as in December.
If you leave a 10 W outdoor lamp on six hours less every day, consumption falls by 21,9 kWh a year. According to our calculation, that is € 5,91 a year at 2026 price levels. With several wall and garden lamps, the amount naturally becomes larger.
You can also easily control aquarium lighting with a timer, but do not cut back the lighting indefinitely. Fish and plants need a suitable daily rhythm. The timer mainly prevents the lamps from accidentally staying on much longer than the set schedule.
Be critical of smart lighting
Smart lighting can switch lamps off automatically, dim them or link them to presence and daylight. This only saves energy if the automation prevents enough burning hours. Smart lamps also use electricity when they are not giving light, because the wireless connection remains active.
The IEA 4E programme tested 236 smart lamps and luminaires from 67 manufacturers. The measured standby consumption varied from 0,08 to 3,5 W, with an average of 0,51 W. The measurements dated from 2015 up to and including 2020 and came from different continents. For lamps now sold in the European Union, a limit of 0,5 W applies for networked standby. That is why we work with 0,5 W standby consumption in our worked example.
Ten smart lamps that are each on standby at 0,5 W for 22 hours a day together use about 40 kWh a year. According to our calculation, that costs € 10,84 a year. If you want to save on lighting, you can only do so with smart lighting if you compensate for that standby consumption. At the same time, smart lighting does require an investment that is difficult to recoup this way. A smart switch that controls several ordinary LED lamps together can be more efficient than a separate connected smart lamp for every fitting.
Replacement can pay off in places where lamps burn unnecessarily for hours every day and the existing lamp needs replacing anyway. To be financially worthwhile, the standby consumption should preferably be lower than the European upper limit and the purchase price should be limited.
Three smart LED lamps of, for example, € 9,99 with 5,9 W consumption, 0,2 W standby and 25.000 burning hours cost € 12,57 more than three ordinary LED lamps at an average of € 5,80. If they avoid four burning hours every day, approximately € 5,80 saving a year remains after the standby consumption and the extra cost is recouped in about 2,2 years, well within the theoretical lifespan of approximately seventeen years at four burning hours a day.
If, on the other hand, the purchase price is € 64,99 per lamp, as with a Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance lamp with 8,1 W consumption, 0,2 W standby and 25.000 burning hours, three lamps cost € 177,57 more than three ordinary LED lamps. At four avoided burning hours a day, the saving after standby consumption is approximately € 8,40 a year and the payback period rises to about 21,1 years.
That is longer than the theoretical lifespan of approximately seventeen years at four burning hours a day. Any Hue Bridge that may be needed has not yet been included. In other words, not all smart lamps automatically pay for themselves. Of course, they do offer other advantages.
Use daylight where possible
During the day, open curtains and sun shading so that you don't need to switch on the lighting. Note, though, that on hot days it is sometimes better to close the curtains so that you need to switch on the air conditioning less.
If possible, move a workspace closer to the window and use daylight instead of the ceiling lights. If this lets you keep three 8 W LED lamps off for two hours a day, you save 17,5 kWh. According to our calculation, that is € 4,73 a year. The amount is modest, but the measure costs nothing.
An extra window or roof window helps bring more daylight into the home, but requires a large investment. The annual electricity saving normally does not outweigh the construction costs. Of course, you would not fit an extra window solely to save electricity for lighting.
Use solar-powered garden lighting
A solar lamp charges a small battery during the day and uses no mains electricity in the evening. This is especially handy in places where there is no cable. Financially, the advantage compared with small LED lamps on mains electricity remains limited.
Four connected garden lamps of 1 W each that are on for an average of five hours a day use 7,3 kWh a year. Replacing them completely with solar lamps prevents, according to our calculation, a maximum of € 1,97 in electricity costs a year. That makes it difficult to recoup the investment. So don't throw away LED garden lighting that works well just because of this small electricity saving.
Replacement does make sense if the connected garden lamps are worn out anyway or if you would otherwise have to lay cables and a power connection in a new spot. At € 1,97 electricity saving a year, four solar lamps yield a maximum of € 9,85 in electricity benefit over a calculated lifespan of five years. A long lifespan is essential for the payback period. So choose a weatherproof model with a replaceable battery and do not pay much more than for comparable mains lighting.
Frequently asked questions about saving on lighting
I want to switch to LED lighting, but can I dim it too?
Yes, but the LED lamp and dimmer must match. Check whether the packaging states that the lamp is dimmable and use a dimmer suitable for LED. A wrong combination can cause buzzing, flickering or a limited control range.
I have fluorescent tubes. Can I easily switch to LED?
Not every LED tube is directly suitable for every fluorescent fitting. The right solution depends on the starter and the magnetic or electronic ballast. RVO warns that modifying the wiring has consequences for the CE marking of the fitting. So have any necessary conversion carried out by an expert.
What affects the lifespan of LED lamps?
For an ordinary LED lamp, Milieu Centraal often calculates with about 15.000 burning hours, compared with approximately 1.000 hours for an incandescent lamp. The actual lifespan depends heavily on the quality of the electronics, heat dissipation, ambient temperature and the fitting.
Why are LED lamps recommended?
According to the IEA, an average modern LED lamp delivers about 100 lumens per watt, compared with approximately 20 lumens per watt for halogen. Some professional LED products achieve more than 200 lumens per watt. LED lamps also last longer and avoid the mercury in fluorescent lamps.
How can I save on Christmas lights?
Use LED Christmas lights and switch them off with a timer or remote control when you go to bed. According to the Consumentenbond, a string with 100 incandescent bulbs uses about 30 W on average and a comparable LED string 5 W. At eight hours a day for thirty days, the difference is 6 kWh, or € 1,62 per string at 2026 price levels.