Good looking energy efficient lighting has been hard to find, but this has changed with the continued introduction of new technology, so now you can save money, help the environment and have the latest in design.

This includes compact fluorescent downlights and downlight fittings, dimmable compact fluorescent lights, fluorescent palm lights, fluorescent floodlights and fluorescent candle lights, as well as LED and higher efficiency halogen alternatives.

Incandescent light bulbs usually also contain a glass mount on the inside, which supports the filament and allows the electrical contacts to run through the envelope without gas/air leaks. Many arrangements of electrical contacts are used, such as a screw base (one or more contacts at the tip, one at the shell), a bayonet base (one or more contacts on the base, shell used as a contact or only used as a mechanical support), and for some lamps an electrical contact at either end of a tubular lamp.

One invention that addressed the problem of short lamp life was the halogen lamp, also called the tungsten-halogen lamp, the quartz-halogen lamp or the quartz-iodine lamp, wherein a tungsten filament is sealed into a small envelope filled with a halogen gas such as iodine or bromine. In an ordinary incandescent lamp, the thickness of the filament may vary slightly. The resistance of the filament is higher at the thinner portions which causes the thin areas to be hotter than the thicker parts of the filament. The rate of tungsten evaporation will be higher at these points due to the increased temperature, causing the thin areas to become even thinner, creating a runaway effect until the filament fails.

LED-based lighting is becoming common, because it offers very high efficiency. A 3 W, 120 VAC LED bulb can replace at least a 15 W incandescent bulb and will last 60 times longer than the incandescent bulb.[citation needed] In the long run, LED bulbs save money, despite costing more up front than incandescents. Compared to fluorescent bulbs they contain smaller quantities of harmful metals such as mercury.

In fact, any shape or size of light you can think of will have an energy efficient alternative, suitable for both interior and exterior and domestic and commercial applications.

Low voltage halogen downlights have become a very popular lighting solution in recent years, but there are some problems associated with their installation and use, including being a potential fire hazard, having high running costs and reducing ceiling insulation levels.

The usual downlight globe is a 50 watt halogen, and with the transformer the total power use can be as much as 65/70 watts per light. Combining this with the need to install a relatively large number of downlights in any given room, underlines the significant increases in energy costs through the use of downlights.