RIVERSIDE, NJ — (Marketwire) — 10/03/11 — October is Energy Awareness Month. As a supporter of energy efficiency in the home, Sea Gull Lighting, the leading manufacturer of more than 3,000 decorative and functional lighting and ceiling fan products, today reminds builders that energy efficient lighting can result in saving money on monthly bills for customers. Lighting accounts for 15 percent of the average consumer–s energy bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). By using energy efficient lighting in the most-used areas of the home — kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors for example — homeowners can use up to 75 percent less energy, adding up to some big savings.
To help in the effort, Sea Gull Lighting offers quality energy efficient products that easily integrate into today–s interior design. In addition to complete fixtures, the company also offers accessories that can be used to update existing lighting products, such as LED bulbs.
There are several types of energy efficient fixtures and affordable lighting technology. Here are a few tips Sea Gull Lighting suggests to easily bring energy efficient lighting into the home without sacrificing beauty and design.
. New labels were introduced for light bulbs starting June 2011 by the DOE to help consumers better identify light bulbs that meet their needs. Labels will now emphasize a bulb–s brightness, measured in lumens, while the familiar energy measurement of watts will play second fiddle and be relocated to the rear label. For reference, a traditional 60W bulb produces 800 lumens. Energy efficient alternatives like CFLs and LEDs can produce the same amount of light while using only 13 – 14 watts of electricity. For more on the DOE–s labeling program, visit .
ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures feature CFLs and use about 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent fixtures and come in a range of styles and sizes for use throughout the home. Homeowners can realize their greatest energy savings by targeting the five most used lights/areas of the home to change to ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures, including the bath, kitchen and outdoor coach lanterns. Consumer acceptance of CFLs and the changes in technology have reached a maturation point but continue to be a top choice for energy efficiency; easy to access and offering consistent performance levels.
LED bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting. Like CFLs, LED bulbs can be used in almost any light fixture and are 4x more efficient than conventional incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs also last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents, saving consumers a lot in replacement costs over time. LED technology has rapidly evolved to become a reliable light source, and while current options are priced higher than CFLs, the energy savings, a useful life of around 50,000 hours and dimmability are making up for the initial start up costs.
. Many people leave the light on in high traffic areas like the bathroom or kitchen while they sleep to help them see if they wake up in the middle of the night. Sea Gull Lighting–s Ambiance LX system is a prime example of a low profile, dimmable light source that enables easy sight without using the energy needed to power a full lightbulb. In addition, the company–s new LED festoon lamps can be added to existing systems or used in new installations; perfect for night-lighting, LED lighting doesn–t interfere with circadian sleep patterns, making it a great “night light” option for toe-kick lighting.
Dimmer switches save electricity. If the light is dimmed, it–s like switching to a lower wattage bulb. Depending on what setting you use the dimmer, the switches turn on and off many times a second. It–s so fast that the human eye doesn–t register this on-off process; what we see is a steady light output. Dimming a light by half can trim electric use by 40 percent over time.
For more information on Sea Gull Lighting, or to receive the company–s catalog, call 1-800-347-5483 or visit .
Headquartered in Riverside, New Jersey, Sea Gull Lighting Products, LLC, a Generation Brands company, () is a leading manufacturer and supplier of decorative and functional lighting for residential, commercial and architectural applications. The company provides more than 3,000 product designs spanning 15 categories to a multi-national network of electrical distributors, lighting showrooms, furniture and specialty stores as well as various niche markets. A two-time recipient of ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year honors and a three-time winner of the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the company offers the industry–s most expansive line of energy efficient products, which includes nearly 500 ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures and ceiling fans.
Jody De Vine
Sea Gull Lighting
856-764-0500 ext. 7442