Go Green with Lighting
by Lynda Gould and Gary Contreras
In 2008, going "green" is at the top of everyone's minds, but it can often be time consuming and expensive to implement more environmentally friendly practices in the home. Customers struggle frequently when trying to make smart purchasing decisions that will help them minimize their families' carbon footprints. This is where professional lighting designers come into play.
Designers and homebuilders alike now have the opportunity to use their knowledge and expertise to suggest green products and systems for their clients' home decorating projects. Thus, home owners are now realizing the small ways they can make a difference to preserve the earth's natural resources without sacrificing their own taste or budget.
Go Compact
One of the easiest and most common ways to decrease a home's impact on the environment is to exchange standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. This simple change is both cost effective and energy efficient. However, people are often reluctant to make this change because of the negative perception of fluorescent color quality. Many think that fluorescent light is always either cool white (blue) or warm white (very red tone). Experts can counter this false belief and offer suggestions on ways to go green without turning blue.
Lighting designers and homeowners now have a seemingly limitless selection of fluorescent bulbs with Kelvin (K) temperatures suitable for all lighting needs. Consumers need to be informed that the quality of the compact fluorescent has significantly improved over the years, and these products are now available with a variety of options. Fluorescents can produce the same color and quality of light as halogen light at 3,000 to 3,500K, a soft incandescent light at 2,700 to 3,000K, bright midday sunlight at 6,500K and many other light variations in between.
Most high-quality compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are two- or four-pin lamps for use in dedicated fluorescent fixtures. We can expect this type of quality to be added to retrofit screw-in fluorescent lamps as their popularity increases and their prices drop. Additionally, the color rendering qualities of each of these types of light is approaching 100 percent. In other words, some new fluorescents can emit a light that makes color appear very close to the way it looks under natural sunlight.
If a fluorescent bulb is of the older variety, one way to counter the cool blue tint it gives off is to use a lampshade lined with gold foil on the inside. The reflection of the CFLs that the bulb emits, coupled with the glow of the gold foil, creates a more yellow tone that is reminiscent of a traditional incandescent bulb.
Proper Disposal
A common fear held by bulb-replacement critics (including some home owners) is that fluorescent bulbs are being improperly disposed of and therefore releasing mercury (which can be classified as hazardous waste) into the environment when the proper precautions are not taken. Although the amount of mercury in a fluorescent lamp is minimal and there are even low mercury lamps available, the issue is a valid concern as more and more of this product appears on store shelves. This mercury plays a vital role in the lamp producing high efficiency light.
With proper handling and recycling practices, the mercury is 100 percent reusable. When the lamp requires replacement, dispose of the defective lamp in a sealed, airtight container or a double plastic bag. Take great care to avoid breakage. If the glass breaks, the EPA recommends scooping up the glass and powder with cardboard and, wearing disposable gloves, wipe the area with a damp paper towel. Place the debris in a sealed plastic bag. The lamps may then be transported to an approved recycling center in your neighborhood.
When it comes time to throwing CFLs away, homeowners and designers should investigate the correct way to do so that is community and environmentally friendly. We suggest contacting your local town or city authorities to find out how and when they handle disposing of hazardous waste.
Energy-Saving Options
There are measures other than changing light bulbs that will reduce the energy consumption of lighting. Consumers who don't consider florescent lamps an option can save energy and energy costs by using low voltage recessed lighting. Low voltage fixtures use lower wattage bulbs but still give high lumen output that satisfies the light levels needed in some task orientated areas of a home. Recessed lighting has become a popular installation in many homes as consumers are opting to buy homes that come with dedicated florescent lighting rather than traditional incandescent lighting. These florescent lights are designed with built-in reflectors to maximize lumen output.
As consumers become increasingly aware of the vast selection of lighting available today, they are learning that many types of lighting offer both style and function rather than one or the other. For example, customary six-inch recessed lights are now being swapped out for smaller versions. The three- and four-inch bulbs present a sleeker look and feel, allowing consumers to move away from the previous utilitarian design accomplished with larger barrels, and they save energy at the same time.
A less commonly known solution for reducing energy use is to add a high quality dimmer switch to a frequently used lighting circuit in the home. As the light is dimmed, the energy consumption is lowered. In addition, a dimmer allows the homeowner to customize the light level of a space. A dimmer set at 50 percent of its range can increase the life of the light bulb by up to 20 times. California Title 24 recognizes dimmers as an energy saving option that meets code requirements in many areas of the home.
Another way to save energy is to use an occupancy sensor switch. It's a foolproof way to remember to turn off the lights when you aren't in the room. These smart switches will turn off the lights in a room after a predetermined period of time if no movement is detected. Sensor switches are ideal for bathrooms, bedrooms (especially kids' rooms) and laundry rooms.
As green consciousness becomes the norm for society and green practices become mainstream behavior in everyday life, leaders in the lighting industry are eager to meet growing consumer demands and present innovative ideas to keep green from getting old. Suppliers are now designing with an eye on aesthetics as well as energy efficiency. Exterior and landscape lighting, too, has evolved to offer environmentally friendly products. For example, motion sensors and dawn to dusk lighting are available in beautiful styles and period designs.
Hopefully, the "greening" of our planet will continue in all facets of our lives, and making small lighting changes is a great first step toward a greener future for all.
Lynda Gould IDS CID ALA, is a design consultant for Lamps Plus. Gary Contreras is Texas Regional Manager for Lamps Plus. (800.782.1967)
