Top Reasons to Convert to LED Lighting

LED Lighting has been in the news quite frequently recently, mostly because it offers a more cost-effective alternative to traditional lighting. If you’ve heard the talk, but are wondering why LED lighting is trending or you’re considering a plan to convert to LED lighting, you may wonder if it’s worth all the hype. Here are the top reasons why converting to LED lighting just makes sense.

Reasons to Convert to LED Lighting

1. Save Money

The most obvious reason why people are converting to LED lighting is that doing so saves them money. Not only do they use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, but they also last up to 25 times longer as well. This means that you’re paying less for the energy required to light your home or office and you’re buying fewer bulbs over time. If you don’t like any other reason on this list for converting to LED lighting, saving money is reason enough to do it.

2. Better Technology

LED lights have better technology than incandescent bulbs, which means they’re significantly more efficient. LED lights emit light in one direction, so you can light up a specific area much more easily than with an incandescent bulb that emits light in many directions. You also will limit your need for reflectors and diffusers, particularly if you’re using light to illuminate a specific space. LED lights are perfect for hobbyists who need to direct light immediately in front of them.

3. Safety

Safety is another major reason why people convert to LED lighting, especially parents. LED lights do not emit nearly as much heat as incandescent bulbs, so the risk of burns is almost nonexistent. Additionally, they aren’t going to light anything around them on fire because of their heat, so you can have LED lights near curtains or other fabrics and not worry about them being a fire hazard.

4. Eco-Friendly

Since LED lights use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, they’re better for the environment. Much of the electricity produced in the world today originates from fossil fuels, which are limited in supply. We need to protect our fossil fuel reserves as much as possible, so using less energy is a critical step toward healing the planet.

5. Better Lighting

When compared with fluorescent lighting, LED lights are much less harsh on the eyes, but they provide the same amount of light or even more. You can actually use fewer LED lights than fluorescent lights to produce the same or better lighting effects. Plus, you’ll get no annoying hum either.

energy efficient home

6. Possible Rebates

In addition to saving money in energy and bulb replacement costs, you may also get a rebate from your utility company or local government for converting to LED lighting. These entities have a stake in reducing the amount of energy you use, so they sometimes offer money back for taking steps to reduce your energy consumption.

Conclusion

There are few downsides to converting to LED lighting. In fact, you will see the benefits of converting almost immediately with better lighting and increased safety. The money savings will come a little later, but once it does, you’ll wonder why you didn’t convert earlier.

5 Reasons Why You Should Switch to LED Lights

Saving the Earth is on top of the list of most product designers these days. On a daily basis, we contribute to global pollution. From our homes to our jobs, lighting is a big factor in our everyday life. Our goal is to find life-changing ways to save Mother Earth from destruction.

Let’s start in places we usually go to like the house, office, restaurants, and malls. One of the factors contributing to environmental pollution is lighting materials. Most lighting materials increase the consuming of carbon footprint and chlorofluorocarbon. With the advancement of technology comes the birth of LED (Low Emitting Diode). It is the next big thing when it comes to interior and exterior architecture without compromising the Earth’s current state.

Commercial LED lights are brilliant to ensure the safety of earth because they don’t add to the heat. These are energy efficient and a perfect option for saving the planet from global warming.

With these in mind, we have four convincing reasons why LED lights are saving the Earth.

1. LED Lights are Made from Non-toxic Materials

Unlike incandescent and other traditional lights, a LED bulb is made of non-toxic materials. This does not just affect the environment but as well as its users. LED lights are carefully manufactured with the idea that it frees the Earth from contamination and pollution. Efficient disposal is also what makes it environment-friendly. It alleviates the toxic waste produced by the material composition of traditional lighting.

LED lights are established to lower the environmental impact of lighting. The absence of mercury makes it easier to use and to dispose of. Traditional lights can produce a toxic gas which can harm both the environment and the people.

Moreover, LED lights sold in the market is a big step to the people they cater to. They do not contribute to the increase in temperature because they don’t produce ultraviolet rays. Their excessive heat and vibrancy can cause a hazard to our environment.

2. Durable Lighting Design

What we loved the most about LED lights is their durable design. On average, an LED bulb can last from 10 to 15 years. Their lifespan is six times more than a traditional bulb. Even after a decade, the vibrancy of the light is maintained regardless of the daily usage. Since it’s energy efficient, it reduces the number of times required for replacing your lights. The longer lifespan offered by LED lights results in lower carbon emissions.

The durable lighting design of LED lights ensures the safety of the Earth. Lowered number of replacements mean lowered costs in purchasing, delivery, and installation of lights. In line with this, you get to minimize the waste product produced by your home or establishment. The composition of LED lights promotes the efficiency of utilization and disposal. Even at the last second, you get the best value for your money without compromising the safety of the Earth

3. LED Lights Comes in Different Variants

Apart from the amazing specifications of LED lights, they come in different shapes and sizes too. The birth of LED lights introduced the art of lighting. Some light variants feature different colors and vibrancy you can play in just a click away. Smartphones and remotes are used to take control. Moreover, LEDs are more than just bulbs. They come in different types too. Bulbs, floodlights, decorative, strip, and downlights are what the LED light family is comprised of.

LED-lighting-workplace

With these features, you can choose the best LED lights depending on utilization. Some can work indoors, outdoors, and some can be used in both. They are considered as a piece of unique lighting equipment because it gives you the ability to be creative with lighting design. You can use it for home and establishments’ to promote its atmosphere. These lights are commonly found in factories, restaurants, offices, streets, hotels, and walkways.

4. LED Lights are Energy-efficient

On average, you can save up to 90% of electricity costs with LED lights. Unlike traditional lighting, they are an economical choice. Their lighting capability will not require you to fill the room with a number of lights. LED lights are the best example of direct lighting. Lesser number of lights are required to give you the same amount of lighting as traditional lights. There is no energy wasted because it is capable of emitting lights in all directions.

Using LED lights are ideal especially for office buildings and factories. Since they light a bigger space, they save a bigger percentage designated for electricity. LED lights convert 95% of their consumed energy into light and 5% into heat. They will give you the same amount of light as traditional lights with 36 watts consumed. This is a big help to the environment considering that they will demand less energy from power plants and fewer greenhouse gases emitted.

Also Read: Benefits of LED Street Lighting

5. LED Lights Promotes Productivity

LED lights have different benefits for their users. They the ability to promote productivity since the lights give you a cool relieving feeling compared to incandescent. These lights enhance your sense of concentration and energy.

Incandescent lights, on the contrary, give you a warm and lazy atmosphere. The heat they produce tends to make you feel cozy. That is why most occupational buildings switch to LED lights to give the employees a sense of focus.

Conclusion

Switching to LED lights alleviate the demand and pressure on the resources of the Earth. We save money and energy from using these and at the same time, we are saving our environment. Knowing that the quality and brightness are not compromised, it’s an economical choice to make. Use these 4 reasons as an eye-opener on why you should switch to LED lights!

Make Your Pool More Sustainable Now!

The word sustainable has no single definition since its meaning changes to different people over time. But simply put, sustainability is the use of practices that creates the least blueprint to the environment. When you choose materials or implement policies that promote environmental awareness, you are practicing sustainability.

A pool is not a pool without water, electricity, and chemicals for its maintenance and operation. With this in mind, is it possible to own a pool without damaging the environment?

The answer is yes. There are many ways to have a highly sustainable pool. Here are some of them:

swimming pool maintenance

1. Use water-neutral method

Water-neutral pools have water-saving and water-harvesting devices like water reservoirs to collect rainwater that can replenish the pool. Another way to save water is by installing backwash-minimization systems to reduce the amount of water needed to maintain the swimming pool. The upfront cost for buying water-neutral devices can be expensive, but considering the benefits they offer, they are practical tools in the long run.

2. Use eco-friendly technologies

Another way to make your pool greener is to use eco-friendly accessories such as LED lights instead of the usual halogen bulbs. LED lights use less power than other types of lamps. This means that they consume less electricity too, which means it lets you save on money. They are also easier to automate, so you can set a timer for them through your mobile phone. If you have older pools that come with halogen lamps, you may consider changing them for LED bulbs.

3. Harness the power of the sun

There is nothing more satisfying than taking a dip in a warm pool. However, running your pool heater consumes a lot of electricity which causes a surge in your electric bill. Installing additional 2-3KW solar panels on top of the pool heater can cover the cost of running pool accessories. You can connect the pool pump to the solar panel and let it run between 10 am to 3 pm while the sun is up. This solar pool setup will save you a lot of money later on.

If there is a downside to installing a solar panel, it’s the fact that it needs ample space and the right location where it can get a lot of sun rays.

4. Use a thermal pool cover or solar “bubble blanket”

One of the simplest ways to prevent pool heat loss is to cover the pool when not used. Pool covers help in heat retention, reduces evaporation, lessens the need to top up the pool, and maintains chemical balance.  Thermal covers are specially designed to withstand strong UV, which helps retain the heat more. Thermal blankets with the highest R-value work best in heat retention.

5. Keep your pool clean

Cleaning the pool is a lifetime responsibility. Skimming the pool to remove visible objects, vacuuming the walls and floor to loosen up dirt and algae, and using chemicals to remove bacteria and other microscopic organisms are all part of the cleaning process.

Typically, pool cleaning needs your pool pump and water filtration to run to replenish the pool and backwash the filter to remove the debris. However, there is a better way to clean your pool without wasting a lot of water and electricity.

swimming pool maintenance

Using an automatic pool cleaner (also known as pool vacuum) to maintain the water’s good condition is efficient and eco-friendly. A pool robot saves a lot on electricity since it has its own pump and filtration system, meaning you don’t need to run the pool system while cleaning. A pool vacuum has four different types: suction-side, pressure-side, pressure with booster pump, and robotic.

Some of the best pool cleaners only use the same amount of energy as a standard light bulb or about 5 cents per hour. If it takes three hours for them to clean, it translates to an additional 15 cents on your electric bill. This amount is definitely lower compared to running the pool’s pump and filter at the same time.

A pool robot also comes with filters for collecting debris. The dirt is trapped inside the device, not in the pool’s filter system. This process reduces the need to apply chemicals and performs backwashing to clean the pool’s ducts and filter system.

Growing Cannabis In An Energy Efficient Way

The medical and recreational cannabis industries are continuously growing and with more and more countries deciding to legalise, many are turning to growing their own cannabis. If you want to grow your cannabis into a controlled environment then you should choose the Best Strains to Grow In a Greenhouse.

However, one downside can be the energy it takes to power the lighting, heating, pumps and ventilation needed to successfully grow a cannabis plant. In fact, did you know that on average, producing one pound of cannabis requires about 2,000 kWh; the same amount of which the average household will use in two and a half months!

Luckily, in the article below, we have put together a range of methods you can use to save energy, money while growing cannabis. This has been written in collaboration with 2 Fast 4 Buds, leading providers of autoflowering cannabis seeds.

cannabis

Use LED Lights

LED lights are a much more energy efficient option, compared to other types of lighting. Therefore, if you are looking to cut down on your energy usage and therefore costs, they’re a great choice to make!

They won’t produce as much heat as other lights and will also cool down much quicker, which goes even further in reducing your energy costs. What’s more, more often than not LEDs will have a light spectrum which is perfect for your plants needs.

Overall, choosing LED grow lights means higher efficiency because less power is converted into heat and into a light spectrum of which your plant doesn’t fully appreciate.

Adjust the Size of your Grow to Your Needs

By adjusting how many cannabis plants you are growing to how much you actually need, you can make a big impact on your energy costs. In fact, this is by far one of the most effective ways to reduce your energy consumption.

For example, if you are using around 30g of cannabis a month, one single autoflower plant can produce this amount in its life cycle of 8 weeks. Therefore, by having four plants, you can ensure that you’re well stocked.

Try to perfectly match how much energy you use on your plants with the amount you need. You can also adjust lighting without having to move plants by looking for light movers. This allows you to setup lighting that can be adjusted without having to adjust the plants making lighting more portable.

Improve Your Insulation

If the space in which you are growing your cannabis isn’t properly insulated, then you will be wasting a huge amount of energy. This especially applies if you are using a heater or an air conditioner to help keep the space at the right temperature.

To ensure that your space is properly insulated, you want to use styrofoam wall panelling to insulate doors and windows and ensure that any piping in the room is properly insulated. This will help to ensure that you aren’t unnecessarily running your air conditioner or heater.

Optimise Your Climate Control

It’s also important to remember that you don’t need to constantly run your heaters, coolers and (de)humidifiers on full blast. In fact, many professional greenhouse growers will choose to measure a value known vapour pressure deficit or VPD. VPD will indicate the difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold when it is saturated. This will then allow you to achieve the optimal climate for your plants, benefiting their health and also your energy usage.

You could also consider an integrated climate control system. Whilst this involves much more than just having a heater or air conditioner, an ICCS will intelligently control all of your growing equipment. For example, the system could temporarily switch off your exhausts to ensure that you aren’t wasting CO2 unnecessarily.

Sometimes, however simple methods prevail when optimising the climate for your plants. You could just run an ordinary standing fan or open a window or door to let fresh air in, and this could be enough for you to save on additional cooling methods.

Monitor Your Energy Consumption

If you are looking to cut down on the amount of energy you are using to grow cannabis, it is important to keep track of exactly how much energy you are using. From this you will be able to formulate a plan to control consumption and actually make adequate changes.

Establishing energy-spending targets of which you plan to achieve are a great starting point. However before you do this, make sure you know how much your energy costs per KW/h and how much energy each individual piece of equipment uses. Not knowing this will mean that the whole process will essentially be a guessing game, making saving energy much more difficult.

Take a look at your energy consumption in previous months and see whether you can improve on this. Even if you are making small changes, these can go a long way.

Once you understand how much energy you are using and how much is essentially going to waste, then you can make appropriate changes. This can include switching your grow lights for LEDs, reducing your light hours, installing climate control and so on.

indoor-gardening-grow-lights

After making these changes, make sure to check as to whether you’re actually hitting your previously set goals and therefore whether your energy-saving tactics are actually working. IF you find that improvements are small, think of it as an opportunity to make more changes, whether that’s making more tweaks or consulting an expert.

Saving More Water

Being energy efficient isn’t just about cutting down how much electricity you use, it’s also about lowering your overall environmental footprint. Another great way to do this is by saving water.

Make sure to water your plants only when they need it. Lifting up your pots can help you to determine how much water is in there. Make sure to only water the plants when the pots are light. Even better, set up specialised sensors to do this for you!

Whilst hand watering may not seem hard, overwatering is an incredibly easy mistake to make. Using an irrigation system can ensure that water waste is greatly reduced and benefit the overall health of your cannabis plants.

Another great way to save water is by stopping ‘drain-to-water’ watering and choosing to grow your plants hydroponically. Hydroponic systems use tanks to recirculate water and therefore nutrients, resulting in significant water savings. These systems are also much more environmentally friendly as they don’t waste large quantities of water and nutrients.

Regular Maintenance

When growing cannabis, you want to ensure that all of your equipment is working at its best and the only way to ensure this is by performing regular maintenance.

If you own either an irrigation or hydroponic system, you want to ensure that you are cleaning it and replacing filters and valves regularly. Your system will also require a cleaning ‘flush’ once in a while.

Likewise, you will want to keep a grow room as clean as possible, to reduce the likelihood of equipment failures.

Grow Outside

If it is available to you, moving your plants outdoors could effectively remove the costs of operating an indoor growing system.

If you want to go a step further, investing in a greenhouse could be well worth it. A greenhouse will provide both you and your plants with all of the benefits of growing indoors, along with those of growing outdoors!

No matter how you do it, it is actually fairly easy to make your cannabis growing system more energy efficient. By no means will you have to sacrifice on the quality of your plant and you’ll benefit from a lower energy bill at the end of the day!

Top Ways to Save Energy at School

The issue of saving energy amid the exponential advancement of the technology-dependent studying process is one of the critical challenges school systems face today. Modern students are avidly embracing energy-powered tools in class, from learning the techniques of successful coursework writing service on popular websites like EssayShark, to sharing their studying notes with peers via file storage services like Google Drive.

On that account, the matter of energy efficiency at schools has taken on unprecedented urgency, weighing heavily on school boards to be absorbed in how to minimize electricity consumption. This has led school authorities to employ a great variety of solutions aimed at mitigating the destructive impact of environmental pollution. Following the universal eco-inspired trend of reducing the use of electricity, we handpicked the most productive ways of saving energy for you to employ at your school!

Utilize LED Lighting

Replacing incandescent light bulbs with more innovative and energy-efficient alternatives like LED or CBL lamps is the perfect solution to start saving energy at your school. Powered by light emitting diodes, which is what this acronym stands for, LED lighting consume a lot less energy than traditional fluorescent lighting and have a much longer lifespan. This makes this type of lighting highly efficient for school. While incandescent light produces too much heat, LED light bulbs preserve it, preventing you from splurging money on cooling.

Another way to promote energy savings in schools is to use LED screens as they consume less energy and help in power consumption.

Give Preference to Natural Light

Not only will sunlight cut the electricity costs your school pays, but it will also create a favorable learning environment for students as opposed to light bulbs. Following several comprehensive studies, sunlight allows people to stay focused on their tasks longer and is thus one of the key factors in promoting a healthy studying process. In order to make the best of natural light, you can equip your classrooms appropriately, such as using suitable blinds or curtains.

Consider Advantageous Cooling Options

Air conditioning provides total salvation for people when it’s boiling hot outside. And its role gets especially critical when it comes to a score of students sharing a stuffy home room during scorching weather. But, no matter how beneficial the effect produced by an air conditioner might be, this system consumes way too much electricity. Adopting effective cooling solutions is the key to saving energy and keeping it cool in your educational institution.

college-green

Use Sensors to Regulate Lighting

For safety reasons, many schools keep the lights on in the premises for the entire day. This is by far the least reasonable option to adhere to if you want to minimize electricity consumption. As an efficient alternative of providing your students with constant lighting, you can contemplate using motion sensors.

These devices can make the lights go on only if there’s someone in the room and off once the room is empty. Motion sensors are designed to detect motion and can thus automatically trigger lighting if there’s a need, instead of keeping the lighting unrestrained for the whole day.

Keep the Doors Closed

As another effective trick for reducing thermal loss in your classroom, keeping the doors closed will also maintain the coolness of the room. Thus, this practice can save you some good cash you would be forced to spend on a high-end air conditioning system.

Modernize the Kitchen

The school kitchen is veritably the hub of its electric appliances. Here you have ovens, a microwave, fridges, freezers, and the works. All these devices use a great deal of electricity and, based on the funding schools get from the government, most of them are probably old, which doubles their energy inefficiency. For this reason, replacing your kitchen appliances with newer and more cost-effective models will resolve some of the school’s energy consumption issues.

Drawing the Line

By following today’s all-embracing path toward saving energy, school authorities demonstrate their regard for environmental problems as well as their money management acumen. The modern technology-driven world offers us a variety of options to create a more energy-effective environment, improving the quality of our lives. The essentials we have provided in this article will help make your school routine less costly and more up-to-date.

Simple Ways to Transform Your Condo Into an Eco-Friendly Space

Global warming and climate change have been at the forefront of news headlines nowadays. This brings to attention the need to protect the environment. When it comes to going green, every step matters and you can do your share with through your condominium unit.

Whether you own a condo unit for personal use or as an investment, you should think about how to transform your space and make it green.  Get started with basic maintenance care when you read this post. Then, incorporate 8 lifestyle changes and remodeling tips listed below to reduce your carbon footprint and make your condo eco-friendly.

Parquet wood floors are back in vogue

1. Switch to LED Lights

This is one of the simplest changes that you can adopt into condo living. LED lights are the new standard for modern and eco-friendly lighting at home. If you are still using incandescent and fluorescent lights or lamps, you need to consider getting new LED lights.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) are more energy-efficient and can last up to 20 years. They are, therefore, a good option to use for condo lighting if you want to minimize your carbon footprint. They are also practical since LED lights are affordable and last a long time, giving more value to your money.

2. Install Eco-Friendly Air Conditioners

The traditional air conditioners are notorious for consuming large amounts of energy that also hike up utility bills. If you want to save on power and optimize cooling within your home, it is best to find eco-friendly air conditioners. It can help you save up to 90% off your current energy bill.

But it is not just your air conditioner that you should consider replacing with eco-friendly ones. Make sure you choose other energy-efficient appliances, too.

3. Use Natural Cleaning Products

Going organic when it comes to your diet is one of the best ways to develop an eco-friendly practice at home. But when you cannot fully commit to altering your diet, it is best to start with the products you use. For example, you can switch to green cleaning products. This will not only benefit the environment but anyone living in your condo as well.

When you use natural cleaning products, you are exposed to fewer amounts of harsh chemicals. The fewer chemicals you use, the less harmful it is to your health. Also, if you have small kids, the use of chemical cleaning products should be a no-no!

The best part is that natural cleaning products are often less expensive than chemical-based ones. If you are not sure which to choose, research on brands that manufacture or specialize in natural cleaning products.

4. Furnish Your Condo with Reclaimed Materials

Have you inherited antiques from your grandparents? Do you have any unused furniture lying around? Instead of opting for new furniture items and accessories to decorate your home with, it is best to opt for those made of reclaimed materials instead. This will help reduce the waste dumped in landfills and maximize the shelf life of these materials. The use of antiques and old furnishings can also add an interesting decorative flair to your home.

Reclaimed wood materials are one of the most common recyclable materials that are used for home and interior decorating. You can repaint them to make them look brand new and fit into your interior décor theme.

5. Spruce Up Space with Plants

The addition of plants to your condo is a great way to enhance its aesthetic appeal. At the same time, add color and vibrancy to interior space. But there is also an eco-friendly benefit to incorporating plants as decoration–it improves indoor air quality.

Some of the plants that act as an air purifier are:

  • Aloe Vera
  • Areca Palm
  • Elephant Ear Philodendron
  • Lady Palm
  • Bamboo or Reed Palm
  • Rubber Plant
  • English Ivy

Before you move into your condo, get one or more of these plants for a healthy home for you and your family.

6. Be Eco-Conscious in Your Choice of Kitchen Sink

If you need to renovate your kitchen, make sure to choose eco-friendly sinks.  As the most important part of your kitchen, choose stainless steel or kitchen sinks that are made from copper recycled materials. This will add a modern look while making it eco-friendly. Sinks made of renewable materials are also great options.

Pair it with low-flow faucets to conserve water easily. Another alternative is to install a low-flow aerator with existing taps. This will significantly reduce the flow rate of 4 gallons per minute to just 0.5 gallons. That’s a huge volume of water saved.

7. Invest in a Smart Home System

A smart home might seem like an expensive investment. But when you live in a condo, you will find cheaper systems that will make your life more efficient and eco-friendly, too. A smart home system will adjust the control of various appliances and equipment, such as lighting, heating, and cooling.

With its data-driven system in place, control of indoor temperature, lighting, and the like are automated. By adjusting to the optimal level, you won’t waste energy heating or cooling your home. It also helps to ensure that no unused light is turned on (as it automatically turns the light off when you leave a room).

This is a simple step that you can take to transform your condo into an eco-friendly space. While the one-time investment might be big, it can help you save more in the long run (in terms of lower energy bills).

8. Repaint Furniture, Not Replace Them

This is another simple step that you can do if you want to promote sustainability in your condo unit. Does any piece of furniture look old? Is your cabinetry looking a little dated? Don’t throw them away just yet to get new ones!

Make sure you look at the possibility of repainting or re-facing any furniture or cabinets in your home instead of replacing them with a new one. This is true for appliances or furniture that are still in good working condition.

What steps are you taking to make your condo eco-friendly? Why not give these tips and try and let us know what benefits you gained from doing so?