July 21, 2008

May 1, 2008

Installing landscape lighting is like almost anything else--a few good tips from a seasoned professional can go a long way. I was recently doing some reading on the subject and found a few tips that seemed useful.

April 27, 2008

As we mentioned in our previous article, installation of in-ground landscape lights requires special consideration. When installing a fixture underground one must take into consideration such items as grade and drainage.

April 26, 2008

Proper installation of inground landscape fixtures is more important than in above-ground applications. This is because the underground environment exposes the fixture to many risks and hazards that are not isues for above-ground fixtures. Before we get into the step-by-step instructions for installing an inground LED landscape light it is important to know some general rules for these types of installations.

March 2, 2008
From Forbes.com

After 100 years of Edison's incandescent light bulb, a revolution is brewing in the lighting industry. In a recent article on Forbes.com, Mark P. Mills explains why the LED will surpass the CFL and become the light source of the 21st century. This article has a great discussion about the obstacles the CFL has faced and argues that the LED won't face the same issues.

February 26, 2008

Seoul Semi-Conductor, one of the industry leaders in LED production and development, announced today the availability of its new Z-Power LED package which at only 10 watts produces about 900 lumens. A standard 60 watt incandescent lamp produces about 660 lumens of light about. At 90 lumens per watt the new Seoul Z-Power LED is about 9 times more efficient than a standard 60 watt incandescent lamp. The new high-power LED is also substantially more efficient than compact fluorescent lamps. A CFL typically needs about 15 watts of power to produce just over 900 lumens, while the LED only needs 10.

February 22, 2008

Our initial relationship with lighting was monogomous--all we had was the sun. As man evolved and technologies were developed it became possible to have light 24 hours a day. But just because we now can have light 24 hours a day and in all places, do we really need it? To answer this question it is important to understand the history, progression, and current use of outdoor lighting in our society. This is especially true as we are facing an increasingly real threat from global warming.

Halogen and LED landscape lighting products are available in varying levels of quality, so its difficult to make generalized comparisons about performance. However, assuming we are comparing a higher-end halogen and LED fixture, an LED will typically last up to 25 times longer. An high-output LED spot light may use up to 13W of power while a comparable halogen model would use about 20Ws. This means that the LED model is about 40% more efficient.

February 19, 2007

LEDs are the most durable and long-lasting lighting technology available. But all LEDs are not created equal and the difference between high quality and long lasting LEDs and average LEDs is all about thermal management.

Although landscape lighting systems require some planning and design there are some simple tips that all installers should remember before moving forward with their landscape lighting project.

The lighting industry is in a pre-revolutionary stage. The incandescent light bulb has been the standard for lighting since it was invented over 100 years ago. In the last 5 years new and revolutionary technologies such as the compact fluorescent and LED have been introduced. Despite the superior performance of these new light sources, many landscape professionals and others are skeptical and reluctant to make a change. This article discusses some of the core advantages of LED over halogen.

February 14, 2008

The real estate market in the U.S. made a decent run over the last 10 years. Many markets saw prices double in less than 5 years and buyers were lining up at the curb to buy homes the first day they were listed. Unfortunately, those days seem to have come to an end. In many markets homes are sitting on the market for months with no interested buyers. Depending on the market you live in it may be a good time to just settle in for a while rather than considering a sale of your home. After evaluating the real estate marketing in your area and your individual situation, it may make sense to improve your current residence during this market correction.

January 18, 2008
From The Daily Beacon
Knoxville is in the process of switching to more environmentally friendly traffic lights that officials say will reduce energy costs.

January 14, 2008
From MLive.com

The lighting sector has an up-and-coming new field, thanks in part to aggressive global government mandates.

The global market for light-emitting diodes -- known as LEDs -- is projected to grow from $205 million in 2006 to $985 million in 2011, according to Mountain View-based market research group Strategies Unlimited.

January 8, 2008

JACKSON, MI—LizardLighting.com, an ecommerce company specializing in energy-efficient landscape lighting, has launched a new landscape lighting forum. The forum available to anyone who is interested and contains tips, instructions, and other information provided by users and professional landscape contractors.

January 4, 2008
From ScrippsNews.com

Every technology trend requires early adopters, the trendsetters who embrace new gadgets before they are ready for prime time.

In the race to find a better light bulb, there's Alan Falk.

He recently began installing lighting built from tiny chips, light-emitting diodes or LEDs. They use less power than traditional bulbs, don't have the harmful mercury found in fluorescent lights and can last for 20 years.

January 3, 2008

JACKSON, MI—The transition away from the 100 year-old incandescent light bulb continues to gain steam. LizardLighting.com, a new e-commerce company, will be launching its new website featuring a full line of energy-efficient LED landscape lights March 1, 2008. The new LED landscape lights consume about a 1/4 of the energy of a comparable halogen light and will last six times as long—up to 60,000 hours.

January 2, 2008
From the Wall Street Journal

Regarding "Dim Bulbs," (Review & Outlook, Dec.21), and two letters (Dec. 27), incandescent bulbs are replaceable now, by fluorescent and other lighting.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), already gaining market share, both improve safety and reduce energy consumption for applications mentioned in your editorial.

December 30, 2007
FromThisOldHouse.com

Low voltage landscape lighting is very easy to install. However, some people are intimidated by anything electrical that doesn't simply plug into a standard outlet. This Old House does an excellent job showing the installation process in an easy to follow step-by-step guide.

December 30, 2007
From LandscapeManagement.net

Working on residential projects this season? If a home does not already have outdoor lighting installed past the front door, give your clients the opportunity to enjoy their landscapes after dark with low-voltage outdoor lighting.

Landscape lighting improves the usability and curb appeal of a property and heightens occupant and visitor safety and security. Low-voltage landscape lighting is easy and safe to install, is safe for kids and pets, and it consumes less power than line voltage lighting.

December 30, 2007
From the Columbus Dispatch

Say goodbye to the light bulb, at least as you knew it.

The standard incandescent bulb, used for more than 120 years to light millions of homes, will be redesigned as the nation moves to cut energy costs, increase efficiency and fight global warming.

December 30, 2007

Low voltage lighting has been available for some time but homeowners, business owners, and landscape lighting professionals still often have questions about the differences between the two types of landscape lighting systems and what the advantages and disadvantages of each are. This article will provide a brief overview of the two types of lighting and highlight the differences.

What is line voltage or high voltage landscape lighting?

December 27, 2007

LED lighting is slowly creeping in and replacing low-voltage incandescent bulbs in low-voltage outdoor landscape lighting. The extremely energy efficient LED lights can produce excellent illumination for walkways, railings, steps, gardens, decks and patios. The technology is improving greatly so the newer lamps offer a much higher lumen output per watt. Additionally, the once cost prohibitive LEDs are becoming very affordable.

December 19, 2007

Many home owners want to try adding some outdoor or landscape lighting to their yard, garden, deck or patio area but don't know where to start. Here are some general tips or suggestions for outdoor lighting:

1. Create Points of Interest. Create a point of interest by highlighting a particular tree, shrub, or architectural aspect of you home with a flood light placed at ground level and focused upward.

December 19, 2007
With Content from Canada.com

Outdoor lighting and landscape lighting is a rising trend in North America according to Canada.com. Two new words: lightscaping and nightscaping have even been coined to describe homeowners addition of exterior lighting effects to their gardens and backyards.

December 19, 2007

Low voltage LED landscape lighting has many advantages and offers a high level of flexibility to the landscape professional or home owner. Unlike standard low voltage halogen or incandescent outdoor lighting, LED lighting allows for long wires runs with little or no voltage drop. This also allows the homeowner or professional installer more options in terms of locating transformer boxes.

December 18, 2007

LED lighting has many advantages over traditional incandescent or halogen lighting for outdoor or landscape applications:

1. LED landscape lights will last up to 20 times longer.
2. LED landscape lights have no moving parts, fragile filaments or glass to break.
3. LEDs are highly efficient and use less energy because they don't produce waste energy in the form of heat. The fixtures and lens also remain cool to the touch and are therefore less hazardous.

December 18, 2007

Traditional landscape lighting used 120v current. A recent trend has moved to low voltage landscape lighting which uses significantly less energy. However, even a low voltage halogen lamp will consume at least 20 watts of power. With LED technology emerging as the leading innovation in energy efficient lighting home owners and businesses can even further reduce their energy consumption by switching to LED landscape lighting.

November 17, 2007

Landscape lighting used to be simple. A few recessed can fixtures lining the front path, a couple downlights tucked in the trees, and you were done. Not anymore. When it comes to the great outdoors, homeowners have seen the light.

The challenge with landscape lighting is that most people don’t immediately see all the possibilities. Outdoor lighting can be both functional and aesthetic. It’s an art to understand how much light to place on a house or determine where the focal points are.

November 9, 2007

Most people do not have to be convinced of the value or importance of indoor lighting as it a virtual necessity. However, many people do not understand the value or importance of outdoor and landscape lighting. A well designed outdoor or landscape lighting system will increase the aesthetic appearance of your home and garden and highlight the features of your home.

Outdoor or landscape lighting will provide three principle benefits:

November 4, 2007

Outdoor lighting has many benefits. It allows you to enjoy your outdoor environment at all times of the day and during all seasons. It also improves the safety of your home or business. In a recent study, it was found that vandalism and property crime increased by more than 30% when homes and businesses did not use outdoor lighting.

October 12, 2007

The current standard in landscape lighting is incandescent halogen lighting. This lighting technology is over 100 years old and is inefficient. Halogen technology creates light as a bi-product of heat. This lighting process causes damage to the components of the lights which causes them to "burn-out" very quickly. Additionally, because halogen lights must create heat to produce light they require a lot of energy. This increases utility bills for homeowners and business owners and also increases maintenance and installation costs.

October 12, 2007

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory at the University of California is studying the potential enormous energy savings that could be achieved by switching common porch lights with LEDs.

October 2, 2007

ENERGY STAR is sponsoring a new program to encourage Americans to replace their old inefficient lighting with new energy-efficient lighting that is approved by Energy Star. People who want to participate can visit the ENERGY STAR site and make a pledge.

LED landscape lighting uses 90% less energy than standard landscape lighting technology such as incandescent or halogen. LED lamps will last for several years and require little maintenance.

September 29, 2007

Ernst & Young Plaza in downtown Los Angeles is decorated with a web-like truss-structure ornamented with 3,400 light bulbs. The owner of the Ernst & Young Plaza recently switched the lights with LED lights.

September 25, 2007

Extending our living space into the outdoors is becoming increasingly popular. Outdoor and landscape lighting is an important part of creating a livable outdoor environment. For years the only choice for outdoor and landscape lighting was incandescent or low-voltage halogen. More recently, LED landscape lighting has become a viable and cost-effective option for outdoor lighting. LED landscape lighting has several advantages over traditional outdoor lighting options:

December 30, 2007

Halogen lamps have been the standard in low voltage landscape lighting, but LED lamps are more efficient, last longer, and are more cost-effective.

December 20, 2007

Increasing outdoor lighting can help increase home security. The lighting helps deter criminals and allows others to see what is happening in the area around your home.

Although outdoor lighting can greatly increase the security of your home, it can also increase your energy costs too so it is important to select an energy efficient outdoor lighting solution.

LED landscape lights use approximately 90% less energy than standard incandescent lights and will last for almost 50,000 hours. Using LED lights for outdoor lighting will add very little cost to your electric bill.