Saving money in your home is on everyone’s mind, especially when it comes to green living. The double-dip recession that has gripped the global economy for the past five years has exhausted the resources of millions of people but has also imparted many valuable lessons. Careless expenditure and unwise investments have been eschewed in favour of cost-effective financial planning. Industries that promote cost-effective living have benefitted in the wake of plummeting wealth. LED lighting has enjoyed a significant surge in popularity amid the financial crisis due to their cost-effective nature.

Decreased expenditure on the necessities of life could save the global economy significant amounts of money. This can help safeguard against potential future recessions. The increasingly poor investments made by the worlds’ pre-eminent and prominent money men contributed to the financial hardships that many have faced. The lessons learned and improved investment techniques will help protect the economy from downfalls in the future.

Image via: Teri Fotheringham

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LED bulbs

LED bulbs have become central to cost-effective living in personal and professional fields. The lower energy costs that come as a direct result of implementing LED lighting solutions. Many governing bodies have begun implementing LED street lights into their constituencies as a means of reducing energy costs.

The largest of these initiatives has taken place in the city of Los Angeles in 2009. The scheme was pushed forward by the Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and ex-president Bill Clinton as a method to help the city reduce its energy costs every year. Since its inception, the scheme has helped saved the city millions of dollars every year. These saved costs have been re-distributed elsewhere.

Lower energy costs

Far from being the sole responsibility of governing bodies and authorities; LED implementation can create numerous benefits from the grass roots level. Installing LED lighting into homes can save the owner significant amounts of money; again this money can be re-invested elsewhere.

The lower energy costs that are a direct result of the implementation of LED lighting are supplemented by the lower replacement costs. In a blog for the New York Times, Eric A Taub discovered that the average LED bulb’s lifespan is up to 25 times as long as its traditional counterpart.

Image via: Cynthia Prizant – Prizant Design, LLC

Taub revealed: “Typical incandescent bulbs last 1,000 to 2,000 hours. But in speaking about LED replacements, lamp life is routinely quoted as 25,000 to 50,000 hours. Long lamp life, and the reduced power used to create the same amount of light, is what makes this technology so promising.”

As the economy begins to rear its head from the recessive hole in which it has been hibernating, the world’s population must aid the vulnerable beast. The temptation may be to back in a booming economy with superfluous investments and holidays in the sun; but we must all learn from previous mistakes. Implementing LED lighting solutions can help make the world a safe environment for the recovering economy and protect it from future downfalls.

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Lighting our homes isn’t usually something we think about when designing our homes and this generally includes where our water, air, and power come from. As long as the water runs when we turn on the tap, the heat and AC come pouring out when we set the thermostat, and the lights go on when the switch is flipped, we tend to ignore these incredibly convenient home amenities. And yet, we certainly notice the cost when our utility bills come in the mail. Although you can chalk it up to the cost of modern living, the truth is that you can save a lot of money by looking at just how you’re using utilities in your home. Instead of cranking the heat you can put on a sweater. You can conserve water by showering instead of bathing. But when it comes to lighting, you might not realize just how many options are out there to help you cut costs (and your carbon footprint). And if you haven’t yet considered LED lighting options, here are a few reasons you may just want to.

Image via: Phil Kean Designs

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1. Energy efficiency.

Although LED light bulbs will cost you a little more than their incandescent or CFL counterparts, and you may have to install special fixtures in order to use them throughout your home, you’ll find that the energy efficiency they provide more than makes up for the initial cost. While CFL bulbs are lauded for using only about a third of the energy needed for incandescents, LEDs could use as little as 1/30th. Imagine, just for a sense of perspective, that you’re currently paying $30 a month for lighting; by replacing incandescents with LEDs you could be paying as little as $1. And this is great news for the environment, as well, since the less energy you draw from the grid the less pollution you indirectly create.

2. Longer life.

LED bulbs are said to last for an estimated 30,000-50,000 hours. When compared to incandescent lights, which last about 1,000-2,000, and CFLs, which can offer 8,000-10,000 hours of use, you can almost see the savings stacking up. You’d have to purchase 15-25 (or more) standard light bulbs to get the same life as one LED. While you might only pay a dollar per incandescent and an LED bulb could cost you about $10, you’ll still save money (and time) on replacements. Plus, you’ll keep more products out of the landfill, and eco-enthusiasts will appreciate the fact that LEDs have no mercury.

3. Lower temperatures.

A standard light bulb produces somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 BTUs (British Thermal Units) per hour. If you have a lot of lights on, this can definitely add to the heat in your home, forcing you to crank the AC on hot summer nights. LEDs, on the other hand, emit closer to three or four BTUs per hour, creating much less heat in your home.

Image via: Mal Corboy Design and Cabinets

4. Better lighting.

Many light bulbs fall on either the warm or the cool side of the light spectrum. While incandescent bulbs have a fairly yellow cast in general, fluorescent lights, for example, tend to fall more on the blue or green side of the color wheel. This can have an effect on the way you see your home in a very literal sense. But LEDs produce white light, which means everything they illuminate is bound to be seen in true color.

5. Peace of mind.

You don’t need an ERH power inc representative to tell you that you’ll get a lot of benefits from switching to LED lighting options in the home. You’ll not only save on your energy bill, but you’ll also create a lot less pollution and waste in the process. However, the greatest benefit is the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you’re doing something good for yourself, your family, and the environment.

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Make It Right, Keep It Light: A Primer to Effective Home Lighting

How do you keep the lights in your home? Do you prefer a brightly lit interior in the evening? Or are you more apt to keep lights on dimmers, preferring a more den-like, cozy effect?

How you use your lighting indoors affects not only the room’s ambiance and overall feel, but also impacts on your energy efficiency and electricity bills. Many experts recommend using LED lighting in your home. The average life of a top-quality white LED bulb can be anywhere from 35,000-50,000 hours. That’s far higher than the 750 to 2,000 hours for incandescent bulbs, 8,000 to 10,000 hours for a compact fluorescent and 20,000 to 30,000 hours for a linear fluorescent bulb. While many of us might hesitate based on pricing considerations, LED fans will point to the advantages of LEDs: longer-lasting bulbs, money saved and better quality light.

Image via: Celebrity Communities

Can you make your home a well-lit, great space without escalating energy costs? Let’s a take a look how you can make effective home lighting work in your favor.

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Energy-Saving Bulbs

Many lighting experts suggest switching from regular incandescent bulbs to compact florescent ones to help save energy and money. The American Lighting Association (ALA) suggests using warm, “soft white” residential bulbs; they have great color quality and varying temperature selections to match your room’s need for light.

Image via: GDC Construction

Use Name Brands

The ALA also suggests buying name brands to avoid the frustration of low-quality generic brands. Recognizable brands and suppliers such as Kichler lighting can usually be trusted to provide high-quality color and a longer life.

Layered Lighting

A recent trend in lighting is “layered lighting,” according to Design Basics magazine. The term refers to a number of various-sized lights being used all around a room. From small cabinet-area lights to broader swatches of light over the dining or serving area, layered lighting could be a fantastic addition to your most-used room.

Lighting in the kitchen, for example, might consist of lights on the ceiling, smaller lights above and under the cabinets, lights on the kitchen island or around a table chandelier.  Building layers of light with dimmers can add an exquisite touch to everyday dining and dinner parties.

Image via: Lompier Interior Group

The Right Color

Some people prefer colored lights to the standard yellow hue of lamp lighting. For some rooms, a splash of color may be the right trick to “warm” or “cool” a room as desired. If you are interested in different colored lighting, see some of these tips from Energy Star on using light bulbs with good color quality:

• For a warmer, yellow light, buy bulbs marked 3500 to 4100 K (Kelvin/bulb temperature)
• For a bluer, cooler light, buy bulbs 5,000 to 6,500 K
• Lower Kelvin numbers indicate more yellow light temperatures; higher Kelvin numbers show more white or blue light

Seek Professional Advice

Lighting specialists can help you choose correct lighting for every room. Instead of trying to figure it out on your own, let a pro show you how the right amount of light can complement your furniture, interior walls and artwork. Low-voltage lights can be used to spotlight treasured home items and make a good addition to a closet’s interior. Find a happy medium that works for your budget and your needs.

For more lighting ideas on Stagetecture, click here.