Wendy Grumet is a past president of ASID. She specializes in residential and hospitality interior design with expertise in space planning and interior remodeling using 3D CAD software.
The Little White Light that is Very Green
During this tough economy, most people are trying to conserve on energy bills. There are opportunities to accomplish this with new LED technology. LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting uses 90 percent less energy than incandescent lights. The cost to install LED lighting is higher but the long-term benefits and savings are great. An LED light has a very long life of about 50,000 hours. That means if you have the LED turned on eight hours a day, it will last about 17 years. They also produce very little heat. Because of the high efficiency of Light Emitting Diode lighting, these lights satisfy Title 24 requirements for energy conservation and are a big improvement over fluorescents’ undesirable light output.
Strip or tape LEDs can be used to light under cabinets. The strips are about 3/8-inch wide and 1/8-inch high. The strips can be cut to size and applied under cabinets by removing the paper over the tape and pressing into place. Lighting companies are continuing to produce new LED lighting. There are gimbaled LED light sources that can be used for task situations such as reading and deskwork. The new recessed LED lighting can wash walls without hot spots or glare. A professional interior designer or lighting designer can assist in selecting the appropriate LED for a client’s needs.
