Lighting
Lighting accounts for about 10-12% of residential energy use, and with the advancement of compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs, lighting is often a easy place for homeowners to make energy efficient upgrades. Most types of light bulbs can be found in a more energy efficient configuration and the prices and quality of both CFL and LED bulbs continues to improve. In addition to replacing incandescent bulbs with a more efficient version, adding dimmer switches and lowering lighting levels can also reduce lighting energy use. Daylighting can also reduce electric lighting loads during the day.
However, none of these measures for reducing lighting loads are particularly novel and so a field test would not likely be testing the energy consumption of a house full of CFL bulbs. A lighting control system, on the other hand, could be the focus of a residential field test. Lighting control system using photo sensors and dimmable lighting is a more common feature in advanced commercial buildings but can also be found in residential buildings.