February 2008 Archives

Philips has developed fabrics with illumination fully integrated into the textile -- for use as clothing, furniture, drapes, etc.

The colorful lighting can be used on shirts and jackets for logos, slogans, graphics and is applications include advertising and promotion for events, architectural lighting displays as a high impact medium.

Lumalive is the brand name for Philips' light emitting textiles. This short video shows the impact of these light emitting shirts. Lumalive textiles make it possible to create fabrics that carry dynamic advertisements, graphics and constantly changing color surfaces. Early prototypes were exhibited at Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) 2005— Philips Research has made immense progress in fully integrating Lumalive fabrics into garments

Lumalive fabrics feature flexible arrays of colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fully integrated into the fabric - without compromising the softness or flexibility of the cloth. Fabrics like drapes, cushions or sofa coverings become active when they illuminate in order to enhance the observer’s mood and positively influence his/her behavior. The electronics, batteries and LED arrays are fully integrated and invisible to the observer and wearer. The jackets feature panels of up to 200 by 200 mm², although the active sections can be scaled up to cover much larger areas such as a sofa.

The products include features that make them practical for daily use. For example, when integrating the Lumalive fabrics into the garment Philips Research has made the parts that can’t be easily washed — such as the batteries and control electronics—simple to disconnect and reconnect after the garment has been cleaned. Even the light-emitting layer can be easily removed and refitted to the jacket. SOURCE:

Combining solar light from sunlight with incandescent or fluorescent artificial lighting lamps can maximize cost efficiency and quality of light.

Sunlight Direct produces hybrid solar lighting systems under $10,000 for retail and offices that reduce lighting costs as much as 60%. They also provide humanized light -- a reddish glow in the early morning, bright white light at noon and a reddish glow at quitting time to tell you to go home!

Use of fiber optics allows light transmission of 30-50 feet -- enough to light the top floors of a building. More research is needed to improve fiber optic transmission quality, but today's fiber optics are inexpensive and that helps save lighting costs.

Oak Ridge National Labs is also interested in hybrid solar to reduce costs and increase efficiency of hot water heating, IR heating and hydrogen production. With five hybrid solar lighting systems already in place and another 20 scheduled to be installed, the forecast is looking sunny for a technology developed at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Hybrid solar light collects sunlight and pipes it into buildings using bundles of small optical fibers, show potentially significant energy savings in lighting and maintenance costs. An added benefit is that, for most uses, natural light is vastly superior to artificial light.

The most recent technology is Hybrid solar lighting, which collects sunlight and routs it through optical fibers into buildings where it is combined with electric light in "hybrid" light fixtures. Sensors keep the room at a steady lighting level by adjusting the electric lights based on the sunlight available. This new generation of solar lighting combines both electric and solar power. Hybrid solar lighting pipes sunlight directly to the light fixture and no energy conversions are necessary, therefore the process is much more efficient.

Ever wondered how much energy an energy-saving bulb saves? The answer is 80%.

They last 10 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs and when they are worn out, Ikea customers can bring them back to Ikea and this retailer recycles them.

Or for lamp disposal information for your state, please go to

Lightbulb recycling site: www.lamprecycle.org

or the recycling and resources site: Earth 911

to obtain more information about recycling energy-saving light bulbs such as "compact fluorescent lights" (CFLs).

Compact fluorescent-compatible lighting fixtures and bulbs are the next generation for indoor lighting. True, LEDs will save you even more...but they're not as readily available as compact fluorescents yet. So, you can save money, time and environmental impact by replacing your current light bulbs with CFLs. Here's how much!

Figure Your Lighting Savings

• Compact fluorescent bulbs last an average of 10,000 hours (5 years of typical use) compared with only 750 hours for a typical incandescent bulb. You save by having to drive to the store less often! As well as the cost of the extra bulbs.

• To figure your savings for the typical 10,000 hours of a 13 watt compact fluorescent bulb vs. a 60 watt incandescent bulb -- try this formula. Use a typical energy cost of 10 cents per kilowatt hour.
  
  

  Type of Bulb	Incandescent	Compact Fluorescent	LED
  Watts	60 watt	13 watt	6 watt
  Life Span/Hours	750 hours	10,000 hours	60,000 hours
  Cost of Bulbs for 60,000 hours	$ per bulb (x 80!)	$ per bulb (x 6)	$ per bulb (x 1)
  Kwh Electricity used per month	270	63	27
  Your local Kwh cost:	$ .10 ?
  Figure it out:
  Misc. Addtions	Time spent shopping	Fuel doing the shopping	Time spent changing bulbs

• Ordinary incandescent bulbs have a typical life of 750 hours, so by using compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or LED lights, you will save even more in bulb replacement costs.

• A standard 60 watt incandescent light bulb costing 50 cent to buy, will use, on the average, $4.50 in electricity by the time it burns out!

• By the time you have used 13 bulbs, you will have spent an average of $65 in bulb and electricity cost!

• When we generate electricity, our power plants generate pollutants and nuclear waste. Over the 750 hour life of a standard 60 watt incandescent light bulb, it will contribute to our air pollution problems by adding 67 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 112 grams of nitrogen oxides, or 8 milligrams of plutonium waste.

• Since compact fluorescent bulbs use less energy to operate, they place less demand on the power companies, and help reduce plant pollution and waste. A singe 13 watt Good Earth Lighting fixture over it's 10,000 hour life can save the following when compared to an ordinary 60 watt incandescent fixture:

• 400 pounds of coal, 1200 pounds of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and …16 pounds of acid rain production emissions, 25 milligrams of plutonium waste if your energy source is nuclear.

Welcome...

Our mission is to bring our readers practical, reliable information about technologies, techniques and design that reduces our electricity load and provides our families and work teams with higher quality of life. And save some money!

Energy Efficient Lighting for Homes

Lighting makes the difference between eye strain and comfort! We rely on lighting in our homes and offices so much that our entire planet glows in the dark! But there are practical ways to reduce energy use and still enjoy responsible levels of lighting in our kitchens, bathrooms, home offices and workspaces.

If you count the lights, lamps, nightlights, equipment indicator lights, oven lights, and flashlights in your home, you would be amazed at how much you rely on lighting for your work, play and relaxation.

We will help you find good lighting fixtures, quality replacement bulbs, and even how to have your lights installed with design and efficiency.

Energy Efficient Light for Offices

Offices use many of the same kinds of light bulbs and fixtures used by home offices and even outdoor lighting designs. We are pulling together articles about office solutions like solar tubes, fluorescent bulbs, energy audits, and even Energy Star rated fixtures.

Office lighting costs us not only in replacement light bulbs, but high utility bills, time to replace incandescent bulbs that have short lifespans, and added heat that requires additional air conditioning. We have solutions! We help consumers and office managers cost their lighting infrastructure for efficiency and quality task lighting.

Effective outdoor lighting is one of your most powerful tools for fighting crime, enhancing safety and reducing potential liability. Lighting solutions for roadways, commerical building, and residential neighborhoods include vandal resistant, low-glare street lighting options.

Quality lighting design practices provide energy conservation, safety needs, and the preservation of the natural night environment by minimizing artificial sky glow.

Energy Efficient Lighting Product Categories

Practical living requires practical solutions -- products and installation services, as well as good maintenance. We bring our readers technology insights and energy management tips to reduce costs and improve ambient as well as task lighting. Look for articles about the following categories of lighting fixtures, replacement bulbs, lightscaping design and the businesses that make light products and installation available to you.

• Home Lighting
• Office Lighting
• Auto Lighting
• Outdoor Lighting
• Natural Light
• Holiday Lights