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Iowa legislators just have to look up to see how the state is saving money.

Last week, the last of 1,200 conventional incandescent light bulbs were replaced with the newest generation of cold cathode compact fluorescent bulbs in the Capitol dome and the House and Senate chambers. That’s in addition to the governor’s office, which already converted to the bulbs late last year.

For an initial investment of about $8,200, the bulbs are expected to save the state more than $30,000 over their average life of more than five years.

The beauty of the change, in addition to the cost savings, is that the new bulbs are as aesthetically appealing as the ones they replaced, said Tim Ryburn, administrator of maintenance operations for the Capitol complex.

“We looked at other fluorescents for the dome, and they just didn’t have the right color,” he said. “They had either an orange or a blue glow, and they just looked tacky, to tell you the truth.”

The other advantage is that these types of compact fluorescents are dimmable, which allows the state to further save energy by turning them down when no one is around, he said. The project should qualify for MidAmerican Energy Co. rebate incentives of $3.89 per bulb, for a savings of $4,668 off the initial cost of the bulbs. As they burn out, the bulbs will be recycled through a contracted recycling company, he said.

Ryburn said the Capitol complex has over the years switched to more efficient T8 fluorescent lights for its office spaces. The state is currently working with MidAmerican on an energy study that will provide possible other energy savings programs for the Capitol complex.

By the numbers

98,332 kilowatt-hours: Annual energy savings
516,000 kWh: Lifetime energy savings
$30,152: Lifetime cost savings
159,296 pounds: Annual CO2 savings
$6.85*: Cost of each cold cathode CFL bulb
5.2 years: Average bulb lifetime
* after MidAmerican rebate of $3.89 per bulb