To illustrate the potential savings of switching your traditional incandescent light bulbs to LED light bulbs or other energy efficient light sources, Energy Efficient Lighting Supply has created the Annual Energy Savings Calculator.  All you have to do is type in the watt rating of your current light bulb, the watt rating of a comparable LED light bulb, and how long the light will be on each day.  The calculator does the rest and immediately reports the amount saved per year in energy costs.

On a recent trip to buy light bulbs, you may have noticed a label on light bulb
packaging that looks strikingly similar to the nutrition facts label on items at
the grocery store.  This new label, regulated by the Federal Trade Commission,
is designed to help consumers choose the correct light bulb based on criteria
pertaining to lighting quality and energy consumption.  For years, consumers
have purchased light bulbs based on the wattage or power consumption
and the capacity of the fixtures the bulb would be installed in.  This traditional
rule of thumb is actually backwards, and only applicable to incandescent light
bulbs. 

In an effort to produce more energy efficient and long lasting products, the lighting industry has produced different light sources that install in your traditional fixtures, but, because of varying technical attributes, produce different levels of light output that do not directly correlate to wattage.  After all, the purpose of an energy efficient light bulb is to produce the same quality of light while having a
lower wattage (power consumption).  This how-to guide will introduce the facts
on the lighting label and how to make sense of them.

 1.  Brightness- Perhaps the most important piece of information on
the lighting facts label is the measured amount of light emitted by a light
source.  It is measured in lumens, which can be further understood with
knowledge of the unit of foot-candles.  However, as a rule of thumb for
consumers, a 60 watt incandescent light bulb produces about 890 lumens.  Using this basis, energy efficient lighting decisions can be made according to light production not power consumption.

 2.  Estimated yearly energy cost- This fact is very self-explanatory as stated on the label.  It can be useful when comparing two labels side-by-side because the cost for each will be associated with the same amount of daily usage for the year. This number varies with usage per day and your utility rates.  As utility rates increase your annual savings compared to a less efficient light bulb will increase as well.

 3.  Life- Pertains to the average life of the product based on 3 hour per day usage.  The light bulb can last longer or shorter based on daily use. It is important to consider this number when comparing estimated yearly energy costs among light bulbs.  On an economic basis, the replacement cost associated with the life of the light bulb will impact the cost effectiveness of
your purchase more than the yearly energy costs associated with using the light bulb.  

 4.   Light Appearance- The label portrays light appearance on a kelvin scale of warm to cool.  This refers to the color temperature of all visible light.  The warmer the light the more yellow or orange it appears, a cooler light bulb will appear white and almost have a tint of blue in it.  This aspect of the label has no association with efficiency of the light bulb but can
be very useful to a consumer.  In general, warm lights are desired for interior use in living spaces as ambient lighting.  Cooler light appearance is desired for outdoor use or in kitchens or workspaces where high color temperature comparable to natural daylight is desired. 

  5.  Energy Use- A Watt is the unit for power and refers to the energy consumption of a light source.  The lower the number the more energy efficient the light bulb is.  As said before, this number has no universal indication of how bright a light source will be.

  6.  Contains Mercury- This note represents that improper disposal of the light bulb can be an environmental hazard.  A lot of people don’t understand that even though compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are considered environmentally friendly because they use less energy, they still contain mercury.  For proper disposal procedures visit epa.gov/cfl as indicated on the label.

 It is often difficult to effectively light a kitchen.  Traditional methods of lighting use recessed lights, or hanging fixtures.  These
methods require more power consumption and light output to illuminate countertop workspace.  Many times you can't help but block the light as you are working and upper wall cabinets tend to shade a generous portion of your countertop.  There is a very simple solution to this inconvenience that seems to annoy us as we work in the kitchen.  The solution is this:  Place the light source in front of you and under the cabinets!  Under cabinet lighting can come in a variety sources.  There are three types of low voltage lighting that range in complexity, price, and function.  Each type is a sleek, energy efficient method of lighting the countertop space in your kitchen using LED's.  

Battery Operated LED Spotlights

 The most budget friendly method of lighting under cabinet work space is battery operated LED spot lights.  These individual lights come in packs of pod lights or in track light assemblies and can me mounted directly underneath your cabinet and spaced out as desired.  A benefit to this option is that they can be installed cleanly and simply without wiring.  

Battery operated under cabinet lighting can either be switched on or off at the source or many times are capable of turning on or off automatically.  The Slyvania Golden Dragon kit can be switch to an automatic mode controlled by
motion sensor.  Using the energy efficient occupancy sensor switch function you will never have to remember to turn the lights off!  Other products such as the Lumen LED High Output Spotlights come with a remote control that eliminates the need to reach under the cabinet to find the switch.  

If you are concerned about changing batteries all of the time,  the energy efficiency of LED high output lights is unparalleled compared to traditional incandescent, fluorescent, or halogen light bulbs.  This technological advantage combined with features such as occupancy sensor switches is sure to keep your battery changes to a minimum, and more money in your
pocket.

LED Strip Lights

Thin LED strip lights are possibly the most sleek and efficient under cabinet lighting source available.  More than convenience this option provides a modern and high-end look to any kitchen.  The low voltage transformer plugs into a conventional 12V outlet and provides balanced power to the lighted strips.  LED's burn at a very low temperature and consume very little energy making them a safe lighting application to mount right up against your wood cabinets. 

A main advantage of LED strip lights is that they offer a seamless stream of light underneath a large span of cabinets unlike spotlight or tracklights.  When retrofitting an existing kitchen, a sleek installation may involve a little bit of demolition, but once installed the LED's will provide bright, efficient lighting for years that require no batteries or maintenance.

 LED thin strip lights also come with energy efficient capabilities of dimming and automatic switch settings similar to battery operated options.

LED Rope/Ribbon Lighting

LED rope or ribbon lighting provides a similar look and functionality of LED strip lighting.  One advantage is that the rope can bend and form longer continuous runs of light.  A disadvantage at times is that structural composition underneath cabinets may interrupt a clean installation with rope or ribbon.  When calculated per length of cabinet, rope lighting can be more
expensive but necessary and essential to some custom kitchen designs.  

Overall, these three types of under cabinet lighting deliver the same exeptional LED light source to an otherwise desperate place in your kitchen.  In addition to energy efficiency and convenience, they offer an essential design aspect to any modern kitchen.