General Lighting Questions

The History of Crystal Glass

Efficient Kitchen Lighting

Lamp Comparison

LED SYSTEMS

LIGHT AND COLOR

Light frozen in place

Lighting Design

Lost

Principles of Light

UL

Useful Formulas

Why High Performance Lighting?

Lighting History and current lighting trends are provided in this Online Lighting handbook.

 Exterior Lighting Design for Lighting Designers. How to Lighting for outdoors, commercial or Residential Lighting.

Lighting tips and real lighting design principles. Commercial or Residential lights.

Buy lighting fixtures online and save. Lawn and garden lighting ideas.

Lighting Layout classroom online.

Light plays an essential role in our ability to perceive the world around us; the lighting system plays a critical role in how we perceive a space and can even influence how we act in that space. Lighting can affect performance, mood, morale, safety, security and decisions.

The first step in producing the right lighting design is to ask what the space is used for. The lighting designer can then determine quantity of light, color quality, brightness and direction.

It is beyond the scope of this article to go step by step through the process of producing a lighting design. Instead, we will review the several ways that lighting professionals look at lighting design, from the simple to the sophisticated.

When many people think about energy efficient lighting for their homes, it evokes visions of harsh, unflattering fluorescent tubes and the hassle of replacing every existing light fixture in the home. Luckily, energy efficient lighting is more convenient and attainable than ever. And the best part: there's no need to sacrifice style!

Here are some pointers on making your home's lighting more energy efficient – no major overhauls required.

• Take advantage of your home's natural lighting. Leave the windows open! Chances are, you'll save energy while boosting your mood at the same time. If your home doesn't get much natural light, consider trimming back some tree branches or even installing skylights.

• Put your incandescent fixtures on dimmers. Incandescent light bulbs dim smoothly with inexpensive, easy-to-install dimmers; dimming your lights just 25% quadruples the light bulb's life! As a huge bonus, dimmers allow you to customize the mood of each room.

•  Use Motion Sensors or Timers Outdoors. Not only are these a great energy efficient lighting option (as they automatically turn off outdoor lights when not needed); they're also great for home security.

• Use a Compact Fluorescent. Compact fluorescent bulbs screw in to the fixture just like incandescent light bulbs, but they last a lot longer. They're also much more flattering than they once were; just choose one with a CRI (color rendering index) – the closer to 100, the better. Replacing just one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent is a great step in the right direction toward energy efficient lighting!