As their name suggests, lighting controls include all the various technologies you can use to manage the different lights in your home or business. For instance, common types of controls are dimmers, motion or occupancy sensors, and photosensors. There are even all encompassing lighting systems that allow you to customize a wide range of options, … Read more
For decades, recessed lights (also known as can lights or downlights) have remained a favorite choice for modern, streamlined lighting in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, basements, and in commercial spaces. They are used for both accent and general lighting, and because they are relatively compact, they work wonderfully in small spaces. One of the latest types … Read more
For the third post in our Energy Saving Outdoor Lighting series, we’re going to focus on walkway lighting, which is used as a decorative element and to help people safely navigate a path. Walkway lighting also creates a warm, welcoming ambiance that makes visitors feel comfortable and encourages them to remain on your property. If … Read more
In our last post, we introduced our new blog series on energy saving outdoor lighting. As mentioned, inefficient outdoor lighting is a huge energy waster and can cause your electric bills to skyrocket. Thus, it’s especially important to choose the right type of lighting for your property, as well as the most energy efficient bulbs. … Read more
When it comes to reducing energy costs, one of the most commonly overlooked areas for improvement is outdoor lighting. This is because outdoor lights are often out of sight and out of mind during working hours, and even when they are noticed, business owners sometimes view them a necessity with little options. In reality, there … Read more
For our final installment in the Light Fight series we’re going to compare two bulbs that have been around for decades: fluorescents and high intensity discharge lamps (HIDs). Although there are newer technologies on the market, these bulbs have proven their abilities and continue to remain popular choices. Still, even if you know you want … Read more
For the past few blog posts we’ve been running a series of “light fights,” where we evaluate two types of competing light technologies. We explore light quality, energy efficiency, cost, and more to determine the best overall lamp for common applications. In today’s matchup we’re going to compare the well-known and inexpensive HID light against … Read more
In this post, we’re continuing our “Light Fight” series where we compare two different lighting options used in similar applications. In today’s matchup we have the ever-popular fluorescent bulbs versus the still evolving, yet promising LED lights. Have LEDs already surpassed fluorescents in terms of quality, cost, and energy efficiency? Let’s explore the two technologies… … Read more
With so many different types and varieties of lights on the market, choosing one to best suits your specific needs can be downright confusing. Not only do you have to compare prices, but you also have to contend with watts, lumens, CRIs, energy efficiency, and a whole gamut of other descriptors. We decided to simplify … Read more
In 2007, when the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was signed into law it resulted in the Department of Energy (DOE) issuing new energy efficiency standards for light bulbs. Although you may not have noticed, since 2012 (or 2011 if you live in California) the DOE has been progressively phasing out some of the … Read more