Thursday, August 16th, 2012
by Benson Littman
For commercial buildings, emergency lighting is an important part of the accessibility of the building. Often, emergency lights aid navigation during the nighttime hours both inside and out. There is an array of types of emergency lighting out there and they are available in a wide range of styles that will function efficiently when installed correctly.
Test your emergency lighting regularly, they must be tested monthly for commercial buildings and at least annually for inspection if you have them inside a public building or your home.
LED lighting for emergency lights is a great option as they give off an excellent bright light with a small amount of energy.
Make sure you meet the code requirement set up by various authorities like the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and health Administration. Make sure you have a professional install and plan your emergency lighting system accurately. For your home, if you choose to install emergency lighting (although not required) it is just as easy to set it up on your own as the homeowner.
Thursday, August 2nd, 2012
by Benson Littman
Dark Sky regulated fixtures are essentially alternatives to the standard lighting systems in order to preserve the night sky; numerous parts of the country have created a legislation to put a stop to light pollution. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) was created about 20 years ago as a nonprofit organization devoted to preserve the night.
According to darksky.org, this association’s mission “is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.”
Among all of IDAs accomplishments, it is the Fixture Seal of Approval program (FSA) that began examining the various solutions to making outdoor lighting more friendly for the night sky. The Dark Sky regulated fixtures reduces glare and light interference as well as reduces sky glow in order to further prevent light pollution.
These reductions are thanks to communities using less outdoor lighting, aiming lights downward, accurately hanging outdoor fixtures and using IDA-Approved products; according to darksky.org, hundreds of products and dozens of manufacturers have been approved under the FSA program.
Properly installed outdoor lighting can also save money, energy as well as benefit the environment.
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
There are many advantages to using ENERGY STAR lights; choosing more efficient bulbs or fixtures can make a difference in your overall carbon footprint, limiting greenhouse gases as well as save you money in the long-run.
ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) use less energy than typical incandescent bulbs, about 75 percent less energy. According to energystar.gov, replacing the 60w incandescent bulbs with a 13w CFL will save you more than $30 in energy costs throughout the lifespan of the bulb.
ENERGY STAR fixtures and bulbs are far more durable than other products out there; as indicated by energystar.gov, “pin-based fixtures must last 10,000 hours, about 10 times longer than standard. CFLs must last 6,000 hours.” And all ENERGY STAR products come with a 2-year warranty, far more than the industry norm.
Opposed to the average incandescent bulbs, ENERGY STAR CFLs produce about 75 percent less heat, reducing costs in cooling your home and making you more comfortable. Because of this lower heat production, this also makes ENERGY STAR bulbs much safer to the touch; they light up to less than 100 degrees, whereas Halogen bulbs can get as hot as 1000 degrees, causing burns and sometimes fires.
ENERGY STAR lights are one option in order to save money and be more energy efficient; you can always go another way by using LED lighting as well. Both types of efficient lighting will benefit you in the long run.
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
Lighting uses about 10 percent of the total energy consumed in a home so it is always questioned how one can reduce that energy consumption. Using less energy greatly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves the air quality of the environment. Here are some ideas to help you reduce your energy costs and intake:
• Energy efficient bulbs like LEDs, CFLs and fluorescents are the best way to reduce your energy costs. Using them all throughout your home will be beneficial not only to your wallet but also the environment. Energy efficient bulbs like these produce considerably more light and last much longer than the typical incandescent bulbs. Anything that is an ENERGY STAR product or ENERGY STAR qualified lighting will help in your strive for energy efficiency. Fun Fact: According to epa.gov, if every American home swapped their five most used light fixtures or bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR we would save about $8 billion each year in energy costs.
• If you don’t want to go in the LED bulb direction, use more efficient PAR bulbs, especially with task and accent lighting; a 50-watt PAR30 bulb produces about three times more light than 1 65-watt BR30 bulb.
• Keep light bulbs and fixtures clean because it is known that dirt absorbs light, a clean bulb produces more light than a dusty or dirty one.
• Use dimmers with photoelectric lighting controls, such as motion or occupancy sensors or timers to routinely turn off your lights. The dimmers can be used throughout your home and the timers would be a good idea for your outdoor lighting when the sun rises.
Thursday, June 21st, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
If you are beginning to make a conscious effort in making energy-efficient adjustments to your home or business, you may qualify for federal tax credits if you meet the eligibility requirements.
In most cases, commercial buildings can benefit in federal tax deductions of up to $1.80 per square foot by indicating a savings of 50% of their combined energy use; this means your ventilation, heating, cooling, water heating as well as your interior lighting energy costs.
LED bulbs and CFLs offer immediate and long-term savings for you and your company. Replacing the standard incandescent bulbs with energy efficient ones will save you money on your electric bill and in turn possibly qualify you for these federal tax credits. Focusing your attention on commercial LED products when lighting your business will absolutely give you an advantage for the future.
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
Sea Gull Lighting is one of the leaders in manufacturing energy-efficient lighting and the company’s expansion of their ENERGY STAR and LED products has been officially recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
EPA has named Sea Gull Lighting the winner of the 2012 ENERGY STAR Award for Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion; awarded for the company’s command position in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through its support of consumer education endeavors that endorse energy-efficient products.
An ENERGY STAR affiliate since 1992, Sea Gull Lighting is being recognized for their work with products and programs that meet ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency. The company’s ENERGY STAR line is continuing to expand and now consists of more than 600 light fixtures and ceilings fans with more than 40 lighting collections – the most sizeable assortment of energy efficient products in the industry.
This is Sea Gull Lighting’s third win of the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award and they have been a two-time recipient of ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year honors.
According to a representative from EPA, “…Sea Gull Lighting has been a valued partner to the EPA; they truly embody our ENERGY STAR Award for Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion.”
The ENERGY STAR Award is presented to an array of organizations in appreciation of their energy efficient achievements and they are chosen among 20,000 companies that are ENERGY STAR partners.
Because of ENERGY STAR, industries and families from all over the U.S have saved close to $230 billion on utility bills averted greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of about 350 million automobiles. ENERGY STAR is now celebrating its 20th anniversary, continually offering businesses and consumers energy-efficient resolutions to protect the environment as well as save energy and money.
Sea Gull Lighting is a Generation Brands company that has been illuminating residential and commercial spaces since 1919. They supply more than 3,000 products in a range of classes to an international group of distributors and they continue to create more designs with the intention to sustain and improve the planet.
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
LED technology is continuing to grow and will most likely become the market dominator – the U.S has already banned the production of 100-watt incandescent bulbs and plans to stop production of bulbs generating above 40 watts of energy by 2014. More and more companies are working on new and improved LED light bulbs, trying to finally replace the energy-draining incandescent bulbs for good. Firefly LED Lighting is one of those businesses that are pushing forward with their production of energy-efficient lighting.
The Austin, Texas company is the only U.S based LED manufacturer and its products surpass the top two challenges in the LED market: light output and early failure. Firefly LEDs last 5 times longer than rival LEDs and generate more light. One of the very special things about Firefly LED is that as LED technology presses onward (changing rapidly and evolving like most technology does) Firefly’s lamps are readily upgradeable by modifying the driver chip and the LED circuit board.
The Firefly Par38 LED bulb is one of the company’s newest products and is a traditional spot or flood lamp used in exterior or interior spotlighting applications. This modular design, which allows for a more enhanced function, features an interchangeable lens system with 25, 40 and 120 degree beam angles depending on the needed output of light. Like this LED bulb, Firefly LEDs lower energy costs and last up to 25 times longer than conventional bulbs with about a 40,000 hour lamp life and 70% maintained light output.
Not only are Firefly LEDs dimmable, unlike CFLs and competing LEDs, and include a “patent-pending heat sink technology to move the heat away from the LED more efficiently, which reduces temperature by 32%.”
Like Firefly LED Lighting, Philips has unveiled a brand new LED bulb in hopes of replacing the current incandescent permanently called the EnduraLED, which is said to last longer and use fewer watts than even the current LED bulbs on the market today.
The U.S Department of Energy challenged a number of firms to create the most energy-efficient bulb and Philips rose to the challenge winning the $10 million “L Prize,” aiming to replace the traditional incandescent bulb options. After about 18 months of thorough testing, Philips created its next-generation LED bulb; Philips says the new bulb will last 3 ½ years longer than other LEDs, while using two to three fewer watts (converting to about 44 to 77 cents less of electricity annually.
It is because of companies like these that we can look toward a future that supports using less power in the home and making the strides toward helping the environment one LED bulb at a time. Changing your current incandescent bulbs to LEDs is a wonderful way to save energy and is truly cost-effective; with more and more LED bulbs being sold and the slow extinction of incandescents, it seems energy efficient lighting is a positive direction to take all the while saving money and reducing your carbon footprint.
Tuesday, April 24th, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
Earth Day 2012 has passed and it is now time to ask ourselves what we can do beyond just Earth day to protect our planet. There are enormous advantages in using LED lights that can make a big difference in reducing your carbon footprint as well as begin to recognize how easy it is to go green and re-define the value of the environment. LED bulbs use less energy, last longer, are cost-effective and far more durable than the traditional incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. Major manufacturers in the lighting industry put forth great efforts in engineering the most energy efficient designs in lighting; players like Kichler Lighting and Hinkley Lighting are implementing LED lights throughout their collections.
Changing your indoor bulbs to LEDs is a good start to becoming more energy efficient but it’s time to move your energy-saving efforts to the outdoors; this is where Kichler and Hinkley’s endeavors with LED lighting have produced a stylish turning point for your homes outside design. Both companies offer an array of tasteful, elegant designs in landscape LED accent lighting. These lights have a more accurate angle and beam of light that significantly reduces energy consumption – all from using LED bulbs.
LED lights come in a wide range of colors that will expand your style options while benefiting you in the long-run because of its long life-span (lasting much longer and saving you more money on replacement bulbs) to the considerable money saved in energy costs over the life of each LED fixture. When deciding on your energy efficient landscape lighting design, remember the important designs to consider: up-lighting (creates ambient lighting in the area), down-lighting (targeted light from above), silhouette lighting (provides dramatic accents) and of course the options of LED colors, with the varying colors of LED lights you can add an appealing touch to your outdoor lighting.
Whether it’s indoors or outdoors LED bulbs are a wonderful way to start helping the environment and reducing general pollutants while making a smart investment in bulbs that are rated for continual use for up to 100,000 hours and use 50% to 90% less power than standard bulbs. It doesn’t have to be Earth Day for anyone to put in the effort and start using energy efficient lighting.
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
Earth Day is coming up this April 22 and for years it has brought awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural environment and pushes everyone to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable planet. There are several ways in which people can make a difference and one of the easiest is to incorporate energy efficient lighting into their homes.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs have transformed energy-efficient lighting. Compared to traditional incandescent options, LEDs are long-lasting, resilient, temperate, Mercury-free, cost-effective and extremely more economical. They last 10 times as long as compact fluorescents with an operational life of about 100,000 hours and consume 50% to 90% less power than conventional light bulbs. LED bulbs normally use only about 10 watts of electricity, which is equivalent to 60 watts of an incandescent. They remain cool by converting energy to light instead of heat and are made of recyclable components and do not contain any toxic or hazardous materials.
Although LED bulbs are initially more expensive, the cost is recovered over time – the longevity allows for significant savings in electricity, operating costs and bulb replacement.
There are various designs and models of LED bulbs so when choosing a bulb remember to assess your preferred wattage (a 3W LED is comparable to a 45W incandescent), decide between ‘warm’ light used for accent lighting or ‘cool’ white light for task lighting. LEDs are also offered in an array of standard base or pin base bulbs to choose from, depending on your sockets.
So, in celebration of our Planet Earth, do something green for the environment and switch to energy efficient lighting with LED bulbs; they drastically reduce your energy consumption, reduce greenhouse gasses and other pollutants and are instrumental in saving you money in the future.
Friday, February 17th, 2012
by Littman Bros Lighting
Current economic times have left home owners struggling to find a safe way to invest in their home. Common ideas such as landscaping have the potential to add value to your property but it also suffers from wear and tear and demands constant upkeep. One investment that requires no maintenance, does not suffer from aging, and always retains the original value is quality lighting fixtures.
Lighting manufacturers such as Hinkley Lighting stand by the fact that their products will increase the value of a home. Hinkley has dedicated an entire section of their website to inform homeowners of the lights that will add the most value. Lighting Tips at hinkleylighting.com is a step-by-step guide for installing the lights that realtors look for.
Benson Littman, Owner of Littman Bros. Lighting based in Schaumburg, IL, says, “Customers who are selling their home will come into our store and buy lights for their entire house.” In talking about how lighting has the potential to increase the property value of a home, Littman added, “It’s like investing in fine art. It never loses value.”
This is true for both interior and exterior lighting. “Bathrooms are sometimes overlooked rooms in terms of lighting. Beautiful bathrooms really enhance the value of a home,” said Littman. Hinkley has a guide on the best lighting practices specifically for bathrooms. According to Hinkley, proper layering is essential for all bathrooms. “It is the room where people get ready for the day and it is important that the colors and shadows are just right, bathroom lighting will dictate the functionality of a bathroom,” says Littman who has been in the lighting industry for almost 35 years. As the director of littmanbros.com, Littman strives to ensure customer satisfaction by offering the most options with great customer support. His site offers advice from lighting experts with decades of experience in the lighting business to guarantee customers are buying the lights that will best fit their home and eventually return on their investment.
Lighting fixtures are a flawless investment for any home. It is makes your home more enjoyable to spend time in and above all it increases the bottom line should you decide to sell.