About Ecobulb
Ecobulb began in 2004 when founders Tom Mackenzie and Dr Chris Mardon set out with
one bold mission: get Ecobulb energy-saving bulbs into 50% of New Zealand homes and
cut the electricity use of an entire city. Within weeks of our first project – with Line Trust
South Canterbury and Foodstuffs – 66% of South Canterbury households bought five or more Ecobulbs.
Lighting up New Zealand
From 2005 to 2009, Ecobulb expanded nationwide through 37 major energy-saving projects
with the Electricity Commission, energy trusts, leading power companies, Foodstuffs
and Shell NZ.
By 2009, 57% of Kiwi homes were using Ecobulbs.
Alongside lighting, we delivered 33,000 home energy assessments, enabling 11,000
households to upgrade insulation, heating and downlights – many supported by EECA
funding.
Taking Ecobulb to the world
Ecobulb’s impact soon went global. We partnered with utilities and retailers across
Australia, Germany, Spain, Ireland and the United States – including Walgreens, where
Ecobulbs were sold in nearly 8,000 stores.
We became New Zealand’s fastest-growing company in 2007 (2,746% growth) and listed
on the NZX in 2011. In 2018, co-founder Dr Chris Mardon relaunched the mission through
Ecobulb Limited.
World-first lighting innovations
Ecobulb developed the world’s first screw-in retrofit LED downlight and one of the most
efficient LED bulbs ever produced, installed in hundreds of thousands of Australian
homes. We also partnered with manufacturers to roll out world-leading commercial
sensor LED fittings across Australia and New Zealand.
In 2018, we again partnered with LineTrust South Canterbury and EECA which resulted
in 73% of South Canterbury households collecting free Ecobulb LEDs in just two days.
Similar results followed in the King Country, Gisborne, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Ashburton,
North Otago and Waipa.
Transforming homes and communities
In 2021, Ecobulb launched the Home Energy Saver Programme with energy trusts, Māori health organisations and MBIE. Since then, we’ve delivered 20 major energy-efficiency projects with government, councils and lines companies across the Far North, Counties, Auckland, Christchurch and more.
Our 148 local assessors have completed 14,000 home energy assessments, saving households $9.4 million every year.
Expanding into hot water and large-scale lighting projects
In 2024 and 2025, Ecobulb entered a new phase of growth. We delivered major commercial LED lighting projects nationwide, helping large businesses and government buildings dramatically cut energy use.
In 2025, we expanded again – this time into the hot water heat pump market through an exclusive partnership with Emerald. Working alongside trusted plumbing partners across New Zealand, we now offer high-efficiency hot water systems that bring the same proven Ecobulb energy-saving impact into Kiwi homes.
Raising the standard for health and safety
As Ecobulb continues to grow, so does our commitment to doing things the right way. In 2026, we achieved ISO 45001:2018 accreditation, the internationally recognised standard for occupational health and safety management systems.
This accreditation reflects the systems, processes and culture we've built to protect our people, customers, installation partners and contractors. Whether we're delivering a commercial lighting upgrade or installing a hot water heat pump, our customers can be confident every project is backed by internationally recognised health and safety standards.
Our team
At Ecobulb, our team is driven by a shared mission: to help homes and businesses use energy smarter. From engineers and product innovators to community assessors and project specialists, we bring together decades of experience in energy efficiency, lighting technology and practical problem-solving.
Meet the people who power our impact.
Dr Chris Mardon
Managing Director
Fraser Scott
Strategic Sales Support
Hansen Paule
Senior Project Manager
Marcosa Calderon
Technical Lighting
Services
Bianca Johnson
Marketing Manager
Ramona Salvador
Energy Assessment
Coordinator
Awards
Ecobulb Limited (which listed as Energy Mad on the Main Board of the New Zealand Stock Exchange in October 2011 and delisted in December 2018) has won or being finalists in the following main awards:
2023
Finalist
New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards “Outcomes Award”
2022
Finalist
New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards “Innovation in Energy Award”
2019
Finalist
Deloittes Energy Excellence Awards “Energy Technology of the Year”.
2012
Winner
New Zealand International Business Awards for “Most innovative business model in international business”
2010
Winner
Air NZ Cargo Canterbury Export Awards “Emerging Exporter”.
2008
Winner
Bayer Innovations Award for “Design & Engineering”.
2007
Winner
Deloitte Unlimited Fast 50 “Fastest Growing Company in New Zealand” (12th Fastest Growing Company in
Asia/Pacific).
Price Waterhouse Coopers “New Zealand Hi-Tech Emerging Company”.
Price Waterhouse Coopers “New Zealand Hi-Tech High Growth”.
Sustainable Business Network “Making a Difference” Award.
2006
Winner
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority “Special Award for Energy Efficiency”.
New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards “Sustainability and Clean Technology”.
Light Up Your Life with Energy Efficiency
For 20 years we have worked with government, the electricity sector, energy trusts, city councils and local communities to deliver large scale energy saving residential and commercial lighting projects and home energy efficiency projects – to reduce consumer power bills, to reduce the need for new power stations and poles and wires to be built and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Our mission is to save enough electricity to power New Zealand for a year – and we are 64% of the way to our goal!
Why Choose Ecobulb?
Lower Power Bills
At Ecobulb we are dedicated to rolling out energy efficiency projects that save homes and businesses significant amounts on their energy bills.
We Do All the Work
We realise that our government, electricity sector, energy trust, city council and local community partners are busy with their day jobs. From go to whoa, we therefore take care of delivering everything in our energy efficiency projects with our partners to maximise their benefits for their minimum possible workload.
Fewer Power Stations
Equally importantly, our energy efficiency projects reduce the electricity network peak loads up to ten times more cost effectively than it costs electricity generators to build new power stations and lines companies to build new poles and wires.
Proven Track Record
We have a proven track record from delivering 110 large Ecobulb and energy efficiency projects with governments, the electricity sector, energy trusts, city councils and local communities in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Germany since 2004.
Discover Ecobulb's Technology
We provide world leading high quality ecobulb LEDs that maximise the energy savings, the electricity network peak load reduction and the carbon dioxide emission reductions. We have developed the world’s most efficient residential LED light bulbs and world first ecobulbs to replace inefficient incandescent downlights without needing an electrician and to replace inefficient halogen light bulbs. Our ecobulbs have previously topped the leading consumer group tests of energy saving bulbs in New Zealand, Australia and Germany.
Our commercial LEDs are about 50% more efficient than the standard products found on the New Zealand market. When combined with each of our LEDs having occupancy and daylight sensors, they use as little as half of the electricity of other commercial LEDs.
We have also developed a unique Power$aver software platform for in-home or remote tablet-based assessment of a home’s energy savings potential. Power$aver allows an assessor-led, tablet-based assessment of a home’s energy savings potential with instant results and recommendations through a personalised, easy-to-implement energy savings strategy for each home.
Finally, we are tackling the challenge to make heat pump water heaters affordable for kiwis to unlock this huge energy savings opportunity for New Zealand.
World-leading Residential LEDs
Ecobulb’s world leading residential LEDs replace incandescent and halogen light bulbs and incandescent downlights. They have the highest energy efficiency of up to 140 lumens per watt, the longest 54,000-hour lifetimes and power factors of up to 0.99.
Below are specification sheets for the following residential Ecobulb LEDs:
World-leading Commercial LEDs
We supply and install world leading commercial LED fitting replacements of up to 240 lumens per watt efficiency and 54,000-hour lifetimes with motion and daylight sensors integrated into each fitting.
Below are specification sheets for the following commercial building fitting replacement sensor LEDs:
High efficiency Heat Pump Water Heaters
Heat pump water heaters can reduce hot water heating costs by up to 75%. However, they are expensive – it can cost up to $10,000 to buy and have one installed in New Zealand – so only 0.6% of kiwi homes have one. That’s why we at Ecobulb are taking everything we have learnt over the last 20 years in our lighting and home energy savings projects to change this and unlock this huge energy savings opportunity for New Zealand.
Click here for the specifications of the heat pump water heater we use.
Innovative Home Energy Assessment Platform
Our unique Power$aver software platform allows an assessor-led, tablet-based assessment of a home’s energy savings potential with instant results and recommendations through a personalised, easy-to-implement energy savings strategy for each home.
