Light My Fire: Energy Efficient Mood Lighting Sparks Valentine’s Day Passion

Chocolates? Check. Flowers? Check.  Energy efficient light bulbs… Check? 

As lovers make their Valentine’s Day preparations they must be sure not to overlook the lighting in their home. Nothing ruins the mood like a bare 80watt incandescent hanging from a string. Lighting technologies have come a long way, and Superior Lighting is here to help ensure a memorable night. Create the perfect ambience for that special time with your loved one. Some great products to help set the mood:

The first step is using inexpensive dimmer switches to control the brightness of your lights. Set the perfect tone by installing them in the dining and bed rooms. Reduce glare and dim your lights to that perfectly level of brightness that just screams romance. Newer energy efficient CFLs even have dimmer varieties.

For a bigger purchase, easy to install chandeliers are a great buy. Blend energy efficient bulbs with old-world ambiance for a new feel to an old room.

LEDs are most known for their long life and energy savings. Did you know they also offer far more options than old incandescent bulbs? Superior Lighting offers a wide range of cool, energy efficient LEDs including colored Christmas lights, creative shapes, and festive patterns. Regular white/clear LEDs can be given new life as inexpensive lenses are offered to give basic lights a new glow.

The big ticket item on our list:  iColor tiles. These colored LED light tiles replace your current wall or ceiling tiles. They provide a blank canvas for anything from solid colors which can be changed at the flip of a switch to swirling patterns or even medium resolution video. Call Superior Lighting for more about this innovative product. Just imagine the look on your partner's face when the bland bedroom walls are replaced by romantic colors or even scenes from your favorite love story.

We hope the above list helps make this Valentine's Day one to remember. For any questions about them, or lighting in general, it is recommended that you call the experts at Superior Lighting, Florida's light bulb experts. They can be reached on the web at http://www.superiorlighting.com/ or by calling (800) 432-7995.

South Florida Energy Consumption and You

We in (ordinarily) sunny South Florida have been experiencing a rash of brown- and black-outs as of late. The current cold snap has brought record temperatures touching the high 30s in Miami; snow further north, and even dive-bombing iguanas.

The brown-outs are primarily being caused by the electric grid being overwhelmed by the use of electric heaters, which is typically unheard of in the Sunshine State. According to Reuters, electric consumption levels in Florida have reached all-time record levels. FPL set their all-time hourly record Monday with a stunning 24,354 megawatts, which is about 2,000 MW higher than the previous record demand. For reference, 1 megawatt can power ten thousand 100 watt bulbs. This is truly a startling surge in electrical consumption for the state.

While this raises larger Al Gore-esque questions of what resources should be used to create energy, ordinary people can do their part on a day-to-day basis by reducing their power consumption. It isn't hard, and usually saves you money. Some great methods to do so include:

1. Switching to energy efficient light bulbs
The two main types of energy efficient light bulbs and lamps are LEDs and CFLs. Both have slightly higher purchase prices than traditional incandescent bulbs, which is handedly off-set by their increases life and reduced power consumption. The case of every American home switching just one light bulb to an ENERGY STAR rated CFL shows how all stakeholders would gain. Homeowners save $600 million in annual energy costs. Greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions produced by 800,000 cars are not be sent into the atmosphere, and we have enough "extra" energy to light 3 million homes for a year. Seems like a win all the way around. New LED lights show similar gains, with tremendously longer usable lives compared to incandescent bulbs.

2. Going the solar route.
Reducing energy consumption is easy and shows immediate results, but equally vital is where this energy comes from. Solar and wind generated power are energy sources that are both plentiful and renewable. Switching to them not only makes fiscal and environmental sense, but gives home and business owners a (legitimate) feeling of independence. In speaking with Solaxiom International, Miami's solar and wind energy experts, it came to this author's attention just how important these technologies are. Further, they are much easier to install and operate then I originally thought. From partial applications, such as heating the pool, to full-fledged energy independence for business from warehouses to resorts look to see solar and wind energy generation become commonplace in the (very) near future.

3. Transportation
In 2007 transportation accounted for 28.5% of U.S. energy consumption. Granted, much of this is used by industrial vehicles (e.g. trucking or construction), but ordinary people can make a major dent into this figure. Switching to energy-efficient vehicles, using public transportation, and not minding putting the good 'ol fashioned shoe leather to use are all ways to reduce your personal energy consumption.

While this cold snap is sure to pass (I hope!), we must remember the lessons learned. Our energy usage has a tremendous impact on ourselves, those around us, and our children. Easy methods of reducing energy consumption, such as switching to energy efficient CFLs for your Florida business should become second nature to us. Everyone doing their small part will make the overall picture much prettier.

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Superior Lighting, Fort Lauderdale’s leader in energy efficient lighting is always happy to talk. They can be reached online at http://www.superiorlighting.com or via telephone at (800) 432-7995.

Avatar 3D: New lighting technologies reach the silver screen

“Avatar,” James Cameron’s latest epic grossed $232 million in global ticket sales this past weekend, with part of this number coming from the over 3,000 screens that are displaying it in 3D. All told the film is expected to break the $400 million mark in theaters. Much of the hype surrounding “Avatar” comes from its heavy use of CGI and screening in 3-D. Those looking for a captivating fantasy-land with eye-catching effects will surely not be disappointed.

3-D technology is rather old, dating back to at least 1890. The technology and results have progressed greatly since then, but many of the principles remain the same. 3-D films use creative lighting to provide the illusion of depth perception on a flat picture. A special motion picture camera, projection hardware, and usually stylish 3-D glasses are used to accomplish this. Anaglyph images were the earliest theatrical 3-D technique. Two images are superimposed in an additive or subtractive setting. While lower quality than stereogram, anaglyphs are very easy to view.

The eclipse method uses a mechanical shutter to block light to each eye when the image is projected on the screen. This was the backbone of the Teleview system, which was used briefly in 1922. A new application to this technique involves LCD shutter glasses. These “smart” glasses are synchronized with the image, using alternative-frame sequencing, to give both depth and motion effects. Yet another new application for energy efficient LEDs. Other systems include lenticular screens, which do not require glasses, use of the Pulfrich effect, and polarization systems.

Interference filter technology is a current method for blockbusters. Dolby 3D uses specific wavelengths of red, green, and blue for each eye, and then the glasses are responsible for filtering, allowing the user to see the image in 3-D without the use of the expensive polarized silver screen. RealD, the most common current method, does require a silver screen, a projector filter, and expensive glasses, but is widely used, and the technology behind “Avatar.”

3-D films are a great example of what a dose of creativity can bring to lighting. Energy efficient CFLs are the most widely used replacement for old incandescent bulbs, but look to creative LED lights such as iCOLOR tubes and LED color tiles to make headway in entertainment applications.
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Superior Lighting’s, Ft. Lauderdale’s (South Florida) energy efficient lighting expert, mission is to help our customers choose the most energy efficient lighting. We lead the lighting industry by providing the best value in products and services to all of our customers, and we differentiate ourselves on the basis of our honesty and expertise. Superior Lighting can be contacted via web at http://www.superiorlighting.com/ or by calling 800-432-7995.

Energy Efficient Light Bulb Deals

Vendor are enabling business and government agencies to flip the switch

Business decision makers should all now be well aware of the energy savings that switching to energy efficient light bulbs provides. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This saves about $30 over the lifetime of each bulb. Light emitting diode (LED) bulbs last 35 to 50 times longer than incandescent lighting, use 75% less energy, and are much more durable. Clearly, energy efficient light bulbs make fiscal sense.

There is more. Lighting vendors offer large savings for businesses and government agencies to help them make the switch. Zev Herman of Superior Lighting, a Ft. Lauderdale energy efficient bulb supplier, notes, “We are thrilled to see more and more business owners interested in energy efficient lighting solutions. I love working with new customers, showing them that their financial interests and the health of the environment are one and the same. We pride ourselves on understanding their industry, allowing us to offer a cost-effective solution that benefits their business with regards to their office atmosphere, the environment, and their bottom line.”
Incentives that Superior Lighting offers businesses include: a satisfaction guarantee “gets it right or we make it right”, a low price guarantee for volume purchases, fast and free shipping, and no sales tax outside of Florida. Businesses should make the switch to energy efficient light bulbs today and Superior Lighting will help show them the way.

A knowledgeable staff is important, and Superior Lighting is a testament to what a qualified supplier can provide. From simple replacement bulbs to retrofits or full-scale lighting plans for new businesses such as restaurants or nightclubs, they have the qualified team in place with the know-how to offer an effective solution. Expertise, low-prices, and an Earth-friendly product, the only thing missing is your phone call.

Superior Lighting’s, Ft. Lauderdale’s (South Florida) energy efficient lighting expert, mission is to help our customers choose the most energy efficient lighting. We lead the lighting industry by providing the best value in products and services to all of our customers, and we differentiate ourselves on the basis of our honesty and expertise. Superior Lighting can be contacted via web at http://www.superiorlighting.com/ or by calling 800-432-7995.