Residents in Brooklyn and Queens can switch out power-guzzling light bulbs for free

By Emily Myers | February 7, 2019 - 3:15PM

Residents in parts of Brooklyn and Queens can get free LED bulbs to replace inefficient incandescent and halogen ones. The program is open to residents in buildings with one to four units. It's estimated each LED bulb you switch will give you a $15 annual saving in energy costs.

Con Edison will send staff to your home to switch out the power-guzzling bulbs at no charge. There’s also a referral system with a $25 Amazon gift card on the table to encourage participation. Commercial spaces and multi-family units don't qualify for the replacement program.

The home visits are being offered when many residents think the company should instead be focusing on upgrading the grid. This map shows the number of power outages on any given time in New York City.

Eligible neighborhoods for free LED bulbs include Greenpoint, East Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bed-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Brownsville, East New York, Cypress Hills, Williamsburg, and Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

In Queens, the eligible neighborhoods are Richmond Hill, Howard Beach, Broad Channel, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Woodhaven, and Kew Gardens.

A map of eligible neighborhoods.

Con Edison

A recent lighting study found the number of households with LED bulbs in New York State has increased steadily since 2013 to 14 percent. It suggests consumers are beginning to see value in energy efficient bulbs, but at a rate that's much slower than nearby Massachusetts, where Con Edison also provides electricity. There, 27 percent of homes in Massachusetts use LED bulbs.

Improve LED lights make for a better (and cheaper) way to light your apartment

Improve Energy upgrades don't have to cost your building a ton of money

Buy What does it mean when a building is LEED-certified?

Emily Myers

Senior Writer/Podcast Producer

Emily Myers is a real estate writer and podcast host. As the former host of the Brick Underground podcast, she earned four silver awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Emily studied journalism at the University of the Arts, London, earned an MA Honors degree in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh and lived for a decade in California.

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