Today's lighting options offer more energy-efficient choices
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by: MattLieberman
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Energy-efficient options are popping up everywhere: From compact fluorescents to LEDs, lighting solutions are more energy efficient as people clamor for environment-, money- and energy-saving choices.
When you're planning to update your home's look, you should consider choices that not only add beauty but also upgrade your home's energy efficiency. There's no need to sacrifice style for practicality. Today's modern fixtures can be both lovely and energy saving.
It's nice that you no longer have to choose one or the other but where do you look for energy-efficient technologies that will save money and complement your lifestyle without costing you an arm and a leg?
You can start your search for energy-efficient technologies at your local home-renovation outlet, by browsing their aisles for ENERGY STAR-rated products. You'll find them everywhere - from major appliances right down to light bulbs! Just look for the easily recognizable blue rectangle with the white lowercase script lettering and white-outlined star.
ENERGY STAR-rated lighting, light bulbs and ceiling fans significantly lower your electric bills and help to protect our precious environment. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote the development and use of energy-efficient products. In 2007 alone, the American public (through use of ENERGY STAR-rated products) saved the planet from greenhouse-gas emissions equivalent to those produced by 27 million cars not to mention the $16 billion in utility-bill savings.
Since its inception in 1992 as a voluntary labeling program (computer CPUs and monitors were the first products to be labeled with the logo), ENERGY STAR has become one of the most widely recognized designations consumers look for when seeking out and buying energy-efficient products.
In the ensuing years, EPA added other office equipment to the ENERGY STAR-rated list, along with residential heating and cooling equipment. In 1996, the Department of Energy got on board and added additional product categories to the ENERGY STAR-approved list: home electronics, major appliances, lighting and office equipment, among other items. Now encompassing in excess of 50 distinct categories, the ENERGY STAR label has even been applied to new residential, and business/industrial construction.
ENERGY STAR products perform as well as (or better than) comparable items without the ENERGY STAR logo - plus they cost less to run and incur a lesser impact on the environment. In much the same way your parents or grandparents trusted the Underwriters' Laboratories (U-L) logo in years past, the ENERGY STAR logo is one of the most well-known and trusted symbols in today's consumer marketplace.
When looking for new products for your home, trust the ENERGY STAR and save about a third on your energy bills - without having to sacrifice comfort or desirable features. Those products that wear the ENERGY STAR meet stringent energy-efficiency guidelines established by the Department of Energy and the EPA. And when considering renovations, improvements or upgrades, go green by choosing ENERGY STAR merchandise, tools and resources to complete the project.
One simple, low-cost money saver is a ceiling fan. A small investment will cut your energy bills when you understand how to use it in both hot and cold weather to maximize your energy efficiency. In cold weather, run the fan clockwise on a low speed to direct the warm air near the ceiling back down into the room (be sure to adjust your thermostat downward to account for the reclaimed heat); and in the warmer months, reverse the motor and run the fan counterclockwise, to draw the warm air upward and circulate the cooler air throughout the room.
Want more tips like this, along with an excellent source for energy-efficient lighting for your home or business? Visit Illumenate - www.illumenate.com - for your ENERGY STAR lighting needs. From long-lasting compact fluorescent and LED bulbs suited to every room in your home to energy-saving lighting fixtures and ceiling fans, Illumenate has the solutions to your lighting needs. Over 30+ years, this family-owned business has built a solid reputation for its wide selection of products, great value, personal service and close attention to even the most minor details on their customers' minds. Trust Illumenate for your energy-efficient home or office lighting installations or upgrades.
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Security Lighting to keep you safe. Spotlights to illumenate your yard and driveway provide safety and security.
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