Five Things You Can Do with Lighting to Save Energy in Your Home

In honor of Earth Day in April, we've compiled a list of five things you can do to save energy in your home. 

1. Turn off lights. This may be the most obvious option, but turning off lights when you walk out of a room is estimated to save $15/year. (Source: BC Hydro Power Smart).
2. Use task lighting. Using task lighting rather than overhead lighting can save energy and money. Lamps or undercabinet lighting options are great ways to do this. Shop our many lamps and undercabinet lighting options. 
3. Switch to LEDs. LED bulbs use less energy and last about 25x longer than incandescent bulbs (Source: Energy.gov). According to Energy.gov, the average household saves $225 per year when they switch to LED bulbs. And don't fear! Gone are the days of washed-out colors with LED bulbs. Shop 2700K-3000K LED bulbs for optimal color retention. 
4. Utilize ceiling fans year-round. This may seem like the opposite of what you want to do, but hear us out! When you leave a room, please do turn off your ceiling fan. However, when you're in the room, your ceiling fan can help cool the room or evenly distribute heat. In the winter, run the fan clockwise to distribute warm air. During summer, run your ceiling fan counter-clockwise to cool the area. Doing this can cool your room by about 4°. (Source: Energy Saver Guide Energy.gov).
5. Natural light. Natural light is a great source of light during the day. It saves you the cost of running your lights, boosts your body's vitamin D, and helps you sleep (Source: North Carolina State University). It's a win for you, your home, and the earth!

Let us know what you think of these tips! And if you have any questions email us at cs@lightingdesign.com.