Cinemas dim their lights to near darkness when the feature presentation starts playing to keep movie-goers engaged with the action on the screen. This light design enhances the movie-going experience and keeps customers coming back to experience movies the way they were meant to be seen.

Incandescent light bulbs dim easily to provide the optimal viewing experience, but current models don’t meet new federal-mandated energy regulations. The challenge for cinemas is to find energy efficient light bulbs that dim as well as incandescent. Standard hot cathode CFLs (the kind found in most home improvement stores and big box retailers) are available in dimmable models; however, they do not dim as low as incandescent. A better option is to look for dimmable cold cathode fluorescent light bulbs or dimmable LED light bulbs.

Cold cathode fluorescent light bulbs dim down to 5% of their light output, which is perfect for cinemas that dim their theatres to near darkness during the feature presentation. Cold cathode bulbs that are designed to replace incandescent bulbs can replace up to a 60-watt incandescent bulb when operated a full voltage. This provides movie-goers with enough light to find their seat before the previews start and help employees clean the theatre quickly when the movie is over.

Dimmable LEDs can also provide an energy-efficient lighting alternative for cinemas, but not all dimmable LEDs have the ability to dim to very low light levels needed for movie theatres. Cinema operators need to make sure they properly test LEDs before purchasing them to ensure quality and that the LEDs meet their needs. In addition, some LEDs do not dim as gradually as incandescent and cold cathode light bulbs. Poorly-made dimmable LEDs might drop down to 50% of light output after a minimal adjustment to the voltage. Look for dimmable LEDs that provide gradual dimming for optimal performance. In addition to dimmable wall sconces in the theatres, LED reflector light bulbs work well in recessed cans, where light needs to be pushed downward.

In order to save energy in cinemas and maintain or upgrade the light design, cinemas need to look outside of traditional fluorescent light bulbs to find the right energy efficient light that suits their needs. In the end, the benefits of cost savings and customer satisfaction far outweigh the time spent doing the research.