Today's lighting options offer more energy-efficient choices | Interior Design

By MattLieberman
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Let's face it: Everyone today is concerned about the environment and cutting our energy consumption. One simple way to cut energy consumption - and costs - is with energy-efficient lighting options.

Looking to update your home? Consider options that upgrade your energy efficiency as well as add beauty and ambience to your home. And with today's stylish, energy-saving fixtures, you don't have to choose practicality over beauty. You can get both!

But where do you look for energy-saving technologies that will improve your home's look and function without putting you in the poorhouse in the process?

You can start your search for energy-efficient technologies at your local home-renovation outlet, by browsing their aisles for ENERGY STAR-rated products. You'll find them everywhere - from major appliances right down to light bulbs! Just look for the easily recognizable blue rectangle with the white lowercase script lettering and white-outlined star.

With ENERGY STAR-rated products in your home, you can significantly lower your energy bills while helping to save our planet. A federally supported joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR promotes the development and use of energy-efficient products. In 2007 alone, Americans saved $16 billion in energy costs and an overwhelming 27 million cars' worth of greenhouse-gas emissions - simply by using ENERGY STAR-rated products in their businesses and homes.

Started in 1992 as a voluntary EPA labeling program, ENERGY STAR has become one of the most widely recognized designations consumers look for in shopping for energy-efficient products. Computer monitors and CPUs were the first products to be labeled with the logo.

In the ensuing years, EPA added other office equipment to the ENERGY STAR-rated list, along with residential heating and cooling equipment. In 1996, the Department of Energy got on board and added additional product categories to the ENERGY STAR-approved list: home electronics, major appliances, lighting and office equipment, among other items. Now encompassing in excess of 50 distinct categories, the ENERGY STAR label has even been applied to new residential, and business/industrial construction.

Products bearing the ENERGY STAR logo deliver performance that is equivalent - or superior - to comparable models, while saving money and expending less energy. Like the Underwriters' Laboratories (U-L) logo from your parents' or grandparents' day, the ENERGY STAR logo is among the most familiar and trusted logos in the marketplace today.

ENERGY STAR products can help you cut your home energy bills by about a third over non-rated products. Plus, you won't have to put aside comfort or desirable features. Products that carry the ENERGY STAR label are designed for form and function. They're designed to be attractive - and they meet stringent federal energy-efficiency standards. So you can be stylish while you're going green with your renovations - and use ENERGY STAR-rated tools, merchandise and resources along the way.

One simple, low-cost money saver is a ceiling fan. A small investment will cut your energy bills when you understand how to use it in both hot and cold weather to maximize your energy efficiency. In cold weather, run the fan clockwise on a low speed to direct the warm air near the ceiling back down into the room (be sure to adjust your thermostat downward to account for the reclaimed heat); and in the warmer months, reverse the motor and run the fan counterclockwise, to draw the warm air upward and circulate the cooler air throughout the room.

For more energy-saving tips (and an excellent source of ENERGY STAR lighting options for your home or business) visit Illumenate - www.illumenate.com. They've got long-lasting LED and compact fluorescent bulbs for every room in your home plus a broad range of energy-efficient ceiling fans and energy-saving lighting fixtures. With more than 30 years in the business, this family-owned company has built a solid reputation on delivering great value, personal service and dependable advice. When it comes to lighting, trust Illumenate for your energy-efficient home or office installation or upgrade needs.

About the Author

Enjoy your online Lighting experience visit www.illumenate.com. Energy Saving Lighting is a popular upgrade today. Learn how to save a bundle!

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