Log homes are typically associated with quaint, isolated locations. These hidden getaways are normally seen as more of a retreat than a living space. But, with the trend of going green rising and continuing to rise, energy saving log homes are making their ways into more populated locations. With building resources available, like Mountain Creations Log Homes, it has never been easier to build the “green” home of your dreams.

Most of these energy saving log houses are built with Northern White Cedar wood. This wood is notorious for being environmentally friendly since it is one of the longest lasting and most durable building materials. When you lower the impact that your home makes on the environment, you’re making a small, but effective, step towards a cleaner, greener world. Instead of spending your money on costly paint or siding for the exterior of your home, let its beautiful natural finish shine through. Who knew that giving back to the environment could end up saving you money at the same time?

The energy efficiency doesn’t just stop at your log home’s gorgeous exterior. With the option to incorporate energy star panels, fixtures, and appliances into your home – the decision to build an energy saving wood home can be just the beginning of your positive impact on the environment. Once you start this exciting change in your life, you’ll notice that you go green in multiple ways – both in and out of your home. By getting in the “green” mindset by making the decision to build a log home, you’ll open the door to a plethora of opportunity.

Beauty Meets Brains

Aside from energy saving wood homes being efficient and environmentally friendly, they’re absolutely stunning. This investment will be one that you, your family, and friends will cherish for years to come. Your home is the most important place in your life. Whether you’re a newlywed, beginning to raise your family, or looking to retire – building a beautiful new log home can benefit you now and in the future.

Green Energy News wrote the following article about our lighting technology on their website at  http://www.renewable-energy-news.info/toxin-free-full-spectrum-led-technology titled Vanguard Lighting Company Offers Non-Toxic Advanced LED Lighting Solutions – Green Ray Technology Uncovers Cutting-Edge LED Products at West Coast Green.

“. . . Green Ray Technology (GRT), a leading manufacturer of energy efficent LED lighting, has unveiled their newest line of trailblazing LED products at the West Coast Green conference. The full spectrum LED lights generate radiance closer to that of sunlight, top the energy efficiency of compact florescent bulbs (CFLs), and are free of dangerous chemicals. GRT asserts that their new wave LED products will provide a sustainable drop in energy expenditure, as much as 50 percent, and are eligible for federal tax incentives and rebate programs made accessible by most electric utility companies . . . ” To read the full article, click here . . .

To view what these amazing lights look like, watch the following video -

Why not contact me at 707-206-6212 and I can stop by and let you see and experience a LED light in person?

Terry

This new reading lamp designed by Roy Perdana, a young Indonesian designer who live in England. Crafted from laminated teak wood and erosion wood in the middle of the stand.
A unique and one-of-kind reading lamp for you.

Powered by LED light, an energy-save light which comply with our green product manner.
This green and eco-friendly lamp for better environment and future are ready for order.
Do you want to be our first customer?

Going Green at Work

Having just started back to work, I’ve thinking how I can make my work day a little more earth-friendly.  Here are the top tips I found.

1. More Work, Less Energy
   For many people, a computer is the central tool at work. Optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices can be more than a modest energy saver. Set computers to energy-saving settings and make sure to shut them down when you leave for the day (“standby” settings will continue to draw power even when not in use). By plugging hardware into a power strip with an on/off switch (or a smart power strip), the whole desktop setup can be turned off at once (make sure to power down inkjet printers before killing the power—they need to seal their cartridges). Printers, scanners, and other peripherals that are only used occasionally can be unplugged until they’re needed. And of course, turn off lights in spaces that are unoccupied.
   
   
2. Digitize
   It does seem a bit strange that in the “digital age” we still consume enormous amounts of mashed up, bleached tree pulp, most of which gets used once or twice and then tossed or recycled. The greenest paper is no paper at all, so keep things digital and dematerialized whenever possible. The more you do online, the less you need paper. Keep files on computers instead of in file cabinets (this also makes it easier to make offsite backup copies or take them with you when you move to a new office). Review documents onscreen rather than printing them out. Send emails instead of paper letters. New software like Greenprint helps eliminate blank pages from documents before printing and can also convert to PDF for paperless document sharing.
   
   
3. Don’t Be a Paper Pusher
   When buying printer paper, look for recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content and the minimum of chlorine bleaching. Even recycled paper gobbles up a great deal of energy, water, and chemical resources in its processing (toxic pulp slurry is the paper recycling industry’s dirty secret). When using the real stuff, print on both sides of the page when appropriate and use misprints as notepaper. Try to choose printers and photocopiers that do double-sided printing. If your office ships packages, reuse boxes and use shredded waste paper as packing material.
   
   
4. Greening the Commute
   American workers spend an average of 47 hours per year commuting through rush hour traffic. This adds up to 3.7 billion hours and 23 billion gallons of gas wasted in traffic each year. We can ease some of this strain by carpooling, taking public transit, biking, walking, or a creative combination thereof. If there’s no good way to phase out your car, consider getting a hybrid, electric vehicle, motorcycle, scooter, or using a car sharing service like Flexcar or Zipcar. See How to Green Your Car for more depth on the subject. Some employers are even giving a bonus to bike and carpool commuters and special perks to hybrid drivers. For those who think bike riding is for kids and tattooed couriers, consider a high-tech folding bike or an electrically assisted one (see below for more).
   
   
5. Green Sleeves
   You might be amazed how sharp work clothes from thrift stores can look. If you buy new, get clothes made with organic or recycled fibers. Avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and if they so demand it, seek out your local “green” dry cleaner. See How to Go Green: Wardrobe for more tactics on greening those work duds.
   
   
6. Work From Home
   Instant messaging, video conferencing, and other innovative workflow tools make effective telecommuting a reality. If you can telecommute, hold phone conferences, take online classes, or otherwise work from home, give it a try. It’ll save you the time you would have spent on the trip as well as sparing the air. As a bonus, you get to work in your pajamas. Telecommuting works for 44 million Americans . Also, consider the possibility of working four ten-hour days instead of five eight-hour days (a consolidated workweek), cutting the energy and time spent on commuting by 20% and giving you some lovely three-day weekends.
   
   
7. Use Green Materials
   Some paper use can’t be avoided, so use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and colored using eco-friendly methods. Pens and pencils can also be made of recycled materials, and refillable pens and markers are preferable to disposable ones. Use biodegradable soaps and recycled paper or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen, and provide biodegradable cleaners for the custodial staff. Buy in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste are reduced, and reuse the shipping boxes. Recycling printer cartridges is often free, and recycled replacements are cheaper than new ones.
   
   
8. Redesign the Workspace
   Greening the space in which you work has almost limitless possibilities. Start with good furniture, good lighting, and good air. Furniture can be manufactured from recycled materials as well as recyclable. Herman-Miller and Steelcase are two groundbreaking companies that have adopted the Cradle-to-Cradle protocol for many of their office chairs. Incandescent bulbs can be replaced with compact fluorescents and there is an ever-growing selection of high-end LED desk lamps that use miniscule amounts of energy (seeHow to Green Your Lighting). Not only is natural daylight a free source of lighting for the office, it has been proven to improve worker productivity and satisfaction (as well as boost sales in retail settings). Workspace air quality is also crucial. Good ventilation and low-VOC paints and materials (such as furniture and carpet) will keep employees healthy (look for How to Green Your Furniture coming soon).
   
   
9. Lunch Time
   Bringing lunch to work in reusable containers is likely the greenest (and healthiest) way to eat at work. Getting delivery and takeout almost inevitably ends with a miniature mountain of packaging waste. But if you do order delivery, join coworkers in placing a large order (more efficient than many separate ones). Also, bring in a reusable plate, utensils, and napkins. If you do go out for lunch, try biking or walking instead of driving.
   
   
10. Get Others in on the Act
    Share these tips with your colleagues. Ask your boss to purchase carbon offsets for corporate travel by car and plane. Arrange an office carpool or group bike commute. Trade shifts and job duties so that you can work four long days instead of five short ones. Ask the office manager to get fair trade coffee for the break room and make sure everyone has a small recycling bin so that recycling is just as easy as throwing paper away. Ask everyone to bring in a mug or glass from home and keep some handy for visitors so that you reduce or eliminate use of paper cups.

Adapted from PlanetGreen.

What is your reason for switching to a greener type of lighting?

Please take our poll, and let us know your reason for switching to more efficient lighting.  If your answer isn’t already listed, please add it to the options below.

The California Energy Commission states that switching to energy efficient bulbs in your ceiling fixtures could save you as little as $30 a year per bulb on your electricity bill.

They point out that energy efficient lighting is particularly important in the fall when Daylight Saving Time ends and the days are shorter.

The latest generation of energy-saving lighting includes compact low-energy LED lighting is widely available. LEDs operate on less energy – between 5 and 15 watts – and last much longer than halogen and traditional lighting. LEDs will stay cool, even after they’ve been on for a long period of time.

Although LED lights are more expensive, their long lives and low energy costs make their total lifetime cost less than their lighting competition.

What is LED lights?

LED is a light-emitting diode (LED) semiconductor chip that emits light when conducting current. LED’s are very versatile due to their ability to emit nearly all spectrum of light.

An energy bill passed December 2007 made incandescent lighting prohibited for sale in stores by the year 2012.

LED lighting is 70-80% more efficient than traditional lighting that lasts years beyond their predecessors.

It is estimated that LED lights can last for at least 12 to 15 years, giving them a clear advantage over halogen and compact fluorescent lighting.

For more information on LED, download the National Lighting Product Information Program’s (NLPIP’s) abstract on LED Lighting Systems prepared by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY by clicking here (pdf)

Why not contact me and I can stop by and let you see and experience a LED light.

Terry

In this video edition of Rad Science, Dr. Kiki explains the science inside the LED -

Further questions?

Contact me and I’ll help you understand why this technology is so great!

Terry

Here are my list of benefits for using LED lighting -

1. LED lights have many advantages over traditional lighting methods.
2. LED lights have a long service life – they can last up to 50,000 hours.
3. LED lights have a low energy consumption – retrofit bulbs use up to 80% less kilowatts than convention fluorescent lighting.
4. LED lights are safe and environmentally conscious – they contain no mercury and are cool to the touch. Which means you use less AC.
5. LED lights have a directional distribution of light – meaning they are good for interior task lighting.
6. LED lights are Durable – they are resistant to vibrational shocks and turn on instantly from -40C° to 185C°, making them ideal for frequent on-off cycling.
7. LED lights don’t have frequency interference – meaning there is no ballast to interfere with radio and television signals.
8. LED lights don’t have infrared or ultraviolet radiation – which makes them excellent for outdoor use.
9. LED lights have a range of color – they are manufactured in all colors of the spectrum without filters.
10. LED lights are fully dimmable – they do not change their color tint when dimmed.

If you are located in Northern California – call me today at 707-206-6212 for a demonstration that will have you switching out your old lights immediately.

Terry

Is

Drum roll please …

Efficiency and Savings.

Comparing LEDs to Traditional Light Sources Energy efficiency proponents are accustomed to comparing light sources on the basis of luminous efficacy. To compare LED sources to CFLs, for example, the most basic analysis should compare lamp-ballast efficacy to LED+driver efficacy in lumens per watt.

Data sheets for white LEDs from the leading manufacturers will generally provide “typical” luminous flux in lumens, test current (mA), forward voltage (V), and junction temperature (Tj), usually 25 degrees Celsius.

To calculate lm/W, divide lumen by current times voltage. As an example, assume a device with typical flux of 45 lumen, operated at 350 mA and voltage of 3.42 V. The luminous efficiency of the LED source would be:

45 lumens/(.35 amps x 3.42 volts)= 38lm/W)

Because LED light output is sensitive to temperature, some manufacturers recommend de-rating luminous flux by 10% to account for thermal effects. In this example, accounting for this thermal factor would result in a system efficacy of approximately 29 lm/W.

However, actual thermal performance depends on heat sink and fixture design, so this is only a very rough approximation. Accurate measurement can only be accomplished at the luminaire level.

Call me today 707-206-6212 and I can explain why you should have LED lighting in your business, home, outdoors and in your street lights.

Terry

Modern, stylish, and eco-friendly?

One man’s trash, another man’s treasure. Rodrigo Alonso was able to construct these lamps by molding crushed electronic waste into reusable plastic, with a base created using aluminum beer cans.

Made by Rodrigo Alonso’s design studio in Santiago, Chile.

“Green Weddings” or “Eco-Friendly Weddings” are more than just a trend–they’re a new way of thinking about wedding traditions, many of which have their roots in a celebration of nature and life.  In fact, the bride’s bouquet as a symbolic connection to nature is a wedding tradition that dates back in various forms for thousands of years (http://ourmarriage.com/html/why_does_the_bride_carry_flowe.html). 

The Heather H Bouquet, Courtesy of A Night in Bloom Event Floristry

Today, more than ever, brides and grooms are looking to decrease their wedding’s impact on the environment.  The Sierra Club’s website 10 Steps to a Green Wedding (http://www.sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/03/10_steps_to_a_g.html) has a variety of ideas for brides and grooms with an eye on their wedding’s environmental footprint.  Similar advice on going green on your wedding day can be found at How to Go Green:  Weddings (http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/weddings/) and Great Green Wedding (http://greatgreenwedding.com/default.php) and its blog (http://greatgreenwedding.com/blog/). 

The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/fashion/11green.html?_r=1) and USA Today (http://www.usaweekend.com/09_issues/090607/090607thinksmart-green-weddings.html) have also recently published articles on green weddings as well.

When considering an eco-friendly wedding, the words “green” and “DJ” might not seem to go together at all!  Truthfully, a disc jockey’s mobile setup in the 80’s or even 90’s did consume a lot of power.  Turntables for vinyl records and the motors on CD players used a lot of energy. 

Lighting was always the worst draw in a DJ’s environmental footprint though–traditional or halogen bulbs required at least 250 watts, and usually more in the neighborhood of 500 watts to have an impact on a banquet room or tent.  Most of these lights had powerful fans as well, to keep the units from running too hot.  DJs using 4 or more of these lights usually drew so much power that the lighting needed to be plugged into a separate circuit.

Technology has come a long way in the past few years toward allowing a DJ to run a much more green setup than ever before.  Laptops or hard drives have replaced CDs as a much more reliable, environmentally friendly source of music. 

The real revolution has come in mobile DJ lighting though.  LED, or “light-emitting diode” lighting uses far less power than traditional or halogen lighting.  As Scott Davies, General Manager of the DJ equipment company American DJ explains, mobile DJs no longer have to “worry [about] finding enough power to run their lights. They can also run their lights longer without worrying about overheating. DJ’s will also be free of what is now a pretty much constant concern about replacing lamps, because of the very long useful life of LED units” (http://www.djzone.net/pg/news/lighting/lets-talk-led-dj-lighting.shtml).  In years past, a DJ could run a traditional or halogen light for maybe 250-500 hours at most (one wedding season) before having to “throw away” a non-biodegradable bulb and replace it.  Today’s LED lights can run from 50,000 to 100,000 hours before any bulbs need to be replaced (http://www.mobilebeat.com/index.php?s=revo+III).  As Davies notes all of this technology allows a DJ to put on a better light show for your guests while using less power:  “typically the LED effect products from 30-50w ratings offer similar output to 400w halogen fixtures and units 50W and up offer output more than 500w halogen units – you really can’t measure them with a meter and have it make sense – it is the effect you see with your eyes that tells the true story” (http://www.djzone.net/pg/news/lighting/lets-talk-led-dj-lighting.shtml).

The Bride and Groom share a moment together set to DJ Bri's music and lighting. (Photo of Courtesy of Lori O'Toole Images)

As the owner of Spinning with Style, I, DJ Bri Swatek, have converted my entire lighting show over to eco-friendly, low-environmental-impact LED lighting.  The two types of lighting effects I use in my DJ setup are the American DJ Par 64 LED Pro and the American DJ Revo III.  These 2 LED lighting effects are used during open dancing to create a party atmosphere.  The Par 64 LED Pro creates a soft wash of color during ballads.  The Revo III then changes pattern in time to the beat of the music during party songs.  At Spinning with Style, the lighting is always pointed at the ceiling and upper walls of the venue to ensure that the effect is “felt” but not distracting in terms of being at eye level.  The lighting system is kept turned off during important dances and special events to allow photographers to work with the venue’s normal lighting, ensuring the best photos possible.

LED lighting is just one of many choices that a bride and groom can make to decrease the environmental impact of their event and “go green” on their wedding day.

________________________________________________________

DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York

Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com 

More and more people are converting a portion of their home into a home office. Some people have a spare bedroom, others covert their garage into an office and still others may only have a corner spot somewhere in the house. However, no matter where your home office ends up being you can still take steps to go green.

First of all, you need to realize that having a home office will use up lots of energy and resources if you’re not careful. Below are a few tips that can help you make your home office more eco-friendly.

• Cut Back on Paper Products – Whenever possible cut out using paper. For example, instead of printing out emails or special instructions for specific projects, try storing this information in a special folder on your computer. When you do print out something and it’s appropriate, use both sides of the paper.

• Use Recyclable Waste Baskets – By doing this, you can easily separate your recyclables so they can be sent to the correct waste recycling plant in your community. You will find that if you make it convenient to recycle, you will be more likely to actually follow through with it.

• Choose Your Supplies Carefully – When choosing your supplies search for the ones that are eco-friendly. There are plenty to choose from such as folders, ink cartridges and printer paper that are made from recycled materials.

• Turn Off Your Equipment – When you’re not working, turn off your office equipment. It’s even suggested that you plug your equipment into power strips so you can turn it to the off position when not in use and this will save more energy. Even though your computer, printer and so forth are shut down they still draw some energy unless they are unplugged or on a power strip that can be shut off.

• Get Educated – The more you know about going green the easier it will be for you to make good choices and take steps to save the planet’s precious resources.

Going green with your home office is not as difficult as you may think. Even small steps add up to make a difference and using the tips above can help get you started.

Fluorescent lighting is very important to the general health of the world in general, and your pocketbook in particular. Not only does it contribute less to the greenhouse effect, but it is far more efficient, produces less heat, and is far more efficient.

Because it saves on energy, it reduces pollution, uses less electricity, and lowers your electric bills. Not as well known, it also reduces eye strain, which increases productivity both at work and at home. The bulbs do not get hot, and will not burn little fingers that accidentally touch them when they are on.

These much improved bulbs now come in cool and warm tones, to go with your decorating. They are quiet, cool, and can be purchased for standard lamps, spot lights, track lighting, ceiling fan lights, and even landscape lighting. Because of the safety factor, some insurance companies give you a credit for using this lighting. In some cases, special fixtures need to be used, but the new CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) screw into most standard fixtures.

Yes, there are some cons to switching. Certain closed light fixtures run too hot for these bulbs. Presently, they still cost more than incandescent lighting, though they last from five to ten times longer. In very short order (less than three months), your lower electric bills will have more than covered the cost! Not all CFLs can be used with 3-way or dimmer switches, though you can buy an adaptor that allows for it.

If you are still not convinced to make the change, and you are buying new fixtures, keep this information in mind. One 100 watt incandescent bulb will give you more light than two 60 watt bulbs and uses 17% less power. Make certain, however, that your fixture has a maximum wattage that allows for a 100 watt bulb.

Over the past two weeks, I have come across some striking lighting that makes use of recycled and/or renewable materials. Whether you’re working with a modest budget – under $100 – or are looking for a high-end, knock-their-socks-off custom installation, this post should offer something of interest.

Elements 7 Lamp from Light Art at 3Form

Everything here is original, and because I value learning about the person behind any original, I have included a bit about the artisans who made each of these handsome pieces.

Light Art’s Elements Lamps

Ahna Holder and Ryan Grey Smith invented the first of their Elements pendant lights in their kitchen, melting a resin material in their oven and then shaping it into a lighting unit on top of their dining room table. The two were already successful in the architectural and design business, but little did they suspect then that their project, created for the home of a Seattle friend, would grow into a successful business of its own.

Their business, which recently joined the 3-Form company, is known as Light Art. I recently had the pleasure of meeting one of Light Art’s two founders, Ahna Holder. I spent a day with Ahna and 3-Form’s Northern California rep, Meg Bruce, and as they toured San Francisco interior designers’ and architects’ offices to introduce Elements lamps to the trade.

3Form Light Art Chandelier, Saks 5th Avenue, Palm Beach

As a consumer, the name 3Form may leave you scratching your head. If you’re not in an interior design or an architectural business, it’s likely that you have never heard of it. However 3Form is hot stuff among designers. And although you don’t know it, you’ve been encountering 3Form materials – glass and resins of many different types – all over the place. They are in IBM’s headquarters, at Cisco Systems, at the Vancouver International Airport, at the San Francisco Shopping Center, in the Smithsonian and in the Santa Barbara Surf Museum, to name just a few spots. The 3Form company was founded in 1991 by interior design and architectural types who had decidedly green leanings.

Varia Eco Resin, the material used in the Elements light coverings, is made from a minimum of 40% post-industrial recycled resin. Designers use Varia to create for everything from room dividers to tabletops and furniture, and although Varia comes in a staggering array of colors, textures and transparencies, a pure white version with a sueded finish is used to create the Elements lamps. Light Arts medium-sized pendants (shown at the top of this post) are single bulb fixtures that range from 30″-40″ in length and priced around $650. Small pendants, priced around $550, are single bulb fixtures that range from 14″-30″ in length. The best way to get one of these affordably-priced originals is to work with your interior designer; Light Art sells to the trade.

While most of my readers are not likely to be commissioning a large, custom-designed piece of art costing tens of thousands of dollars, it’s still impressive to know that Light Art is quickly growing a reputation for making 18-foot high chandeliers like the one shown above to the left!

Hannah Nunn's catkins lamp

If you’re in San Francisco, you can see one of these chandeliers in Saks Fifth Avenue near the perfume counters by Post and Powell Streets. Creating and installing such a large chandelier calls for considerable expertise, and Ryan Grey Smith, who at one time supervised museum installations for master glass artist Dale Chihuly, has it.

Nature-Inspired
Paper Cut Lamps

Artist Hanna Nun, who lives in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England, creates beautiful and modestly-priced lights from cut parchment.

Though a city girl by birth, Hannah found great inspiration in the countryside when she studied crafts at Carmarthen college in West Wales. There she stayed for many years, raising her two small children, sketching and drawing in the fields and woodland and gathering her ideas.

Today Hannah is part of Northlight Studio, a cooperative guild of 26 resident artists which has received support from the Yorkshire Art Council. Hannah Nunn’s small lamps are priced at $83 and large table lamps are priced at $98; they are available to US customers through Hannah’s shop on the Etsy website.

Artist Jerry Kott's Krysallis lamp

In Vino e Veritas:
Wine Bottles Illuminated

Artist Jerry Kott creates colored, sculptural lights from recycled wine bottles. Kott’s Krysallis lights are available online from re:Modern, which calls them the “Color Block” lamp. Price varies according to number of color blocks per lamp: 3 color blocks for $190, 4 color blocks for $260 and 5 color blocks for $310.

Interestingly, “RE” is actually the name of a series of glass art works that Kott has created over a span of years. Kott says that the “RE” series is about rebuilding, redefining, reliving, reinventing and recycling. To make Krysallis lamps, Kott says, “I take empty wine bottles, cut them apart, polish the edges, frost the glass (inside and out) and reassemble them into hybrid bottles of various shapes, sizes, colors and uses.”

Kott gave the lamp its name because the filament of the 40-watt frosted tubular incandescent bulb inside “will flutter, much like the fluttering of a butterfly about to leave the chrysalis.”

Most of the Krysallis lamps are green to gold in color, as shown at left, but Kott has also created some striking lamps from blue and frosted white bottles. Kott has designed one series of Krysallis lamps that hang as pendants. Another series is designed to stand on a table, supported by a silver metal base.

Paper clip chandelier

Paper Clip Chandelier

If you have time on your hands, you might actually want to create a chandelier using a couple thousand paperclips.

I have seen several different paperclip chandelier designs, ranging from the sleek, sophisticated curvilinear version by New York designer Gary Ponzo (shown at right) to simple versions in which the strands of clips hang in tiers from a hoop. The Gary Ponzo chandelier is being manufactured by Alan Tanksley and can be purchased through him.

Alternatively, by investing about $60 for 4000 paperclips, plus around $5 for a wreath-making frame, you could make your own paperclip chandelier. The process is simple, if a bit time-consuming; it might be a way to occupy your hands while watching TV. If you’re interested, there’s even an internet video on making a paperclip chandelier available to show you how!

>>>>>>>>

3Form Varia Ecoresin - Naturals series laminated with maidenhair fern

This Amazing Day

(excerpt – full poem here)

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

-ee cummings

As of February 21st, 2009, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Northern Virginia will begin to offer LED landscape lighting. We were the first and only company to offer low voltage ceramic metal halide (CMH) bulbs (still the most energy efficient light source used in landscape lighting, even better than LED).  The LED (Light Emitting Diode) has made tremendous technology advancements and we believe that it will continue to until it becomes the true industry leader.
We did not want to enter the LED market without being able to offer the highest quality fixtures available.
Many entered into the market early without the proper testing and their customers suffered. The color was off on many of the fixtures and they had a slight blue hue to the color.
The other major consideration in the LED fixture in the light source is the driver. Many people experienced driver failure. When this happened the entire fixture needed to be replaced. We also found in our testing that a very short voltage spike instantly reduced the life of the fixture by half. A 50,000 hour light source was instantly reduced to 25,000 hours. It obviously did not take many voltage spike to reduce this fixture to nothing.
We also removed the electronic components outside the fixture so the heat would not damage them. We found this increased the electronic life by up to 1,500% and increased light output by 10-15%.
Our fixture has gone through many tests to meet our strict requirements. We have found this new fixture matches our current 20 watt and 35 watt halogen in color, temperature, and light spread. We are estimating the life span to be 50,000 hours, although HID and LED take much longer to test because it is not possible to accelerate the aging process as it is with halogen or incandescent.
The initial cost of this LED system is almost double that of the traditional landscape lights. The payoff for this system comes over time. Typically in just energy consumption, this system will pay for itself in 5 years. If you add the savings of not having to replace bulbs, you will find that you not only save money, but also reduce waste, and reduce your carbon footprint dramatically.
All of our fixtures will be made from the most durable and beautiful materials. Each fixture is either spun copper or spun brass. There is no point having a light source that could last 50,000 hours and using a painted surface that will deteriorate after five years.
There are still some limitations for certain LED applications, but our combination of LED and CMH systems will reduce energy consumption by over 70%. Many people have become so tired of the the term “green“, but we hope there are people out there that appreciate our constant pursuit of delivering the highest quality light fixtures and using the most energy efficient lights available.

Durham, N.C.-based Cree, (s CREE) maker of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), will soon illuminate a wing of the Pentagon that’s now undergoing renovations. Defense Department officials signed an agreement today for the company to supply more than 4,200 recessed LED fixtures for part of the Pentagon called Wedge 5. According to Cree, the so-called LR24 luminaires have delivered 22 percent energy savings in government testing. Cree would not disclose details of the Pentagon contract — it’s part of a long line of government deals for Cree dating back to the company’s founding — but the company said the fixtures retail for about $380 apiece.

Pre-Cree Pentagon

Test installation of Cree fixtures at the Pentagon

Funding for the deal will come from Title III, a Department of Defense program designed to “promote creation and strengthening of domestic industrial capabilities to support national security needs.” The program’s stated goal is to enable low-cost early adoption of new technologies into weapon systems.

Cree’s deal could be just one of a slew of energy conservation projects supported by the Department of Defense in the name of national security during the next four years: President-elect Barack Obama’s chosen national security advisor, General James Jones, has advocated for the creation of an energy-policy czar who would sit on both the National Security Council and the National Economic Council to ensure that energy is a central, uniting force in government policy.

I have had many readers tell me they really like the chandelier from a previous post made from coffee stirrers .  So in response, I have hunted down a few more recycled chandeliers that I think are also beautiful and inspiring.

This light of pop art flowers is made from recycled soda bottle bottoms.  

Artist Michelle Brand says her Cascade Chandelier can be seen two ways, as a grim comment on a throw away culture or an homage to the beauty found in mass produced items. I can see this as being a fun family project when the weather outside is too cold or wet.

 
 Don’t let the color fool you on this next light by Stuart Haygarth.  

This light is crafted from 416 disposable plastic wine glasses.  A pink fluorescent light inside creates the striking color.  If this light is too big he also makes one from 280 glasses.  I want to know who is drinking all that wine.

Stuart Haygarth has made many chandeliers from found objects.  My new favorite of his is made from water bottles confiscated at the airport.  It replaces my previous favorite, the Tide chandelier, made from trash that washed up on the shores of the Kent coast line. 

For smaller lights, I admire the work of Johanna Keimeyer.  She carves up plastic bottles to create interesting and whimsical pendants.

Big players in the lighting market have snapped up startups in recent years at a breakneck pace. Cree (s CREE) acquired LED Lighting Fixtures in March. Lighting Science Group bought Lamina Lighting’s assets in July. Philips (s PHG) spent $5.4 billion on startups between 2005 and 2007 and acquired four LED companies: Lumileds, TIR Systems, Color Kinetics and Genlyte. We’ve rounded up some of the brightest startups working on lowering the cost of LEDs, developing energy-management software, and devising ultra-efficient lighting technology — and raising millions from investors while they’re at it — to see where they’re headed.

SuperBulbs: With investment from VantagePoint Venture Partners, this stealth startup is working on LED bulbs that look like conventional incandescents and use 30 percent less energy than compact fluorescent light bulbs. While SuperBulbs has named the standard 4″x2″ A19 bulb as its first product, it plans to develop a family of bulbs for the $12 billion replacement market.

Oree: Israel-based Oree added $4 million in venture loans last month to $7 million raised in its Series A round of equity financing. In the two years since its founding, the company has secured funding from Silicon Valley Bank, Kreos Capital, Genesis Partners and Gimv for development of flexible, credit-card-sized LEDs for office or retail spaces and LCD displays.

HID Laboratories: American River Ventures, Big Sky Ventures, Greenhouse Capital Partners and the CalCEF Angel Fund have invested in HID Labs, which is working on a demand-response platform to control and dim high-intensity-discharge lighting, often used for large areas (think stadiums, warehouses, big-box retail stores). The company says its digital ballast can boost efficiency by 40 percent over existing magnetic-ballast options.

Adura: Funded by VantagePoint Venture Partners and Claremont Creek Ventures, Adura has developed a wireless lighting management system already in use at UC Berkeley and the Alameda County Water District headquarters. The company’s software combines timers with motion and ambient light sensors to automatically turn off unused lights, delivering savings of 40 to 70 percent.

Vu1: Vu1, which announced the close of a $5 million round of financing last week, is working on a technology that accelerates electrons toward phosphor-coated glass to produce light in a standard bulb casing. The company says it’s aiming for efficiency on par with today’s compact fluorescent light bulbs. Reflector bulbs — floodlights often used for recessed kitchen lighting — are first in line for production.

Bridgelux: One of the older kids on the block, six-year-old Bridgelux raised a Series D round of $40 million in April, bringing its total financing to more than $70 million. The company makes LED chips (the light-emitting part of light emitting diodes), mostly for electronics and vehicles. Bridgelux’s other claim to fame: Patent litigation from Cree.

Luxim: Luxim works with solid-state plasma for studio and stage lighting, producing high-intensity light with 50 percent less energy than conventional HID options. Sequoia Capital joined the $21 million round of financing the company announced earlier this year.

Amusement Park in Las Vegas

 

BEFORE: 10W Incandescent Bulbs

AFTER: 0.08W Miller LED™ Bulb/Ballast Retrofit Kit

ENERGY SAVINGS: 9W per Fixture. Saves $11.80 per Year per Fixture, Plus Lower Maintenance. Payback 15 months.

OTHER BENEFITS: The Miller LED™ Bulbs Have Dramatically Reduced Maintenance Cost. Engineers Had Reported that the Traditional Bulbs with Filaments Were Susceptible to Vibration Damage from the Rides. That Problem Was Eliminated with the Miller LED Bulbs.

At Miller Lighting Products we help clients successfully retrofit their existing lighting to either Miller Induction or Miller LED Bulbs/Ballasts.  Here is another recent success at a convention center in Nevada.

APPLICATION: Convention Center Retrofit in Nevada

BEFORE: Traditional 500W Par56 Incandescent Bulbs

AFTER: 200W Miller ‘A’ Style Dimmable Induction Bulb/Ballast Retrofit Kit

Energy Savings: Over 300W per Fixture, Plus Air Conditioning Savings.  Saves $385 per Year per Fixture, Plus Lower Maintenance. Payback 20 Months.

OTHER BENEFITS: The Life of a Miller Induction Bulb is over 100,000 Hours, Saving Maintenance Costs. The Customer Expects More Savings Because of Energy Credits and the Use of Miller Dimmable Bulbs.

Convention Center Retrofit by Miller Lighting

Direct solar rays and their destruction of property was a huge concern for the Guggenheim Museum. In a building full of priceless paintings, sculptures and artistry, sun damage of any level was not acceptable. The daylighting design not only eliminated harsh, direct light, but reduced the effects of the solar rays to very nearly zero.

At the Guggenheim, light and airiness have made the completed building a world class destination. Its innovative features and design was considered risky when it was planned, and it was bashed by some architects who labeled the design as “atrocious” but proved to be a smashing success with the art world and visitors alike. The green features of daylighting did not go unnoticed by visitors as well, creating a lot of positive buzz about the museum and its ambiance.

The materials available to daylighting designers and implementers are widely varied to meet the needs of various climates and geographical challenges. Additionally, the innovative design and materials add interest to buildings, benefiting company image and increasing the perception of companies showing concern for fiscal and environmental prudence. Because daylighting is indirect, rooms are well lighted and the sun’s harsh rays don’t reach art, furniture or carpets.

Further, daylighting’s designs can utilize products that incorporate state of the art technology including special glazes and louvers on all light allowing surfaces. Additionally an array of attached to photo sensors monitor and cut the amount of light allowed in to the building during the brightest hours and permit more light in low light conditions. The continuous, pleasant glow does not contain the harsh spectrum of sunlight that causes thousands of dollars in damage to interior furniture, carpets and artwork annually.

The success of the Guggenheim is largely attributed to the pleasant ambience created by daylighting designs incorporation there and the lofty, airy feeling that the light brings to the building. The indirect lighting feature of daylighting design allows artwork, photos, furniture and carpets to be installed and utilized without fear of sun damage.

For more information about “Going Green” with daylighting, please contact Ken Petersen, America’s Daylighting Specialist, at www.innovativeskylightsofca.com, or  661-940-0981

At Miller Lighting Products we have helped our clients successfully retrofit their existing lighting fixtures to either Miller Induction or Miller LED Bulbs/Ballasts.  Here is another recent success, at a high-end car dealer in Arizona.

APPLICATION: High-end Automotive Dealer in Phoenix, Arizona

BEFORE: 250W Metal Halide Bulbs with 45W Per Ballast, Total 295W Each

AFTER: 100W, 5000K Miller Rectangular Induction Bulb/Ballast Retrofit Kit, Total 105W Each

SAVINGS: 253W Per Fixture Including Air Conditioning Savings Estimate of 63W. SAVING $122 / Year / Fixture, Plus Lower Maintenance. Payback < 1 Year.

OTHER BENEFITS: The Dealer Has Reported That The High-End Vehicles Look Better Under The Miller Induction Lights. They Bring Out The Rich Colors.