IntelEfficient

Phillip's new LED bulb may be the new standard in light bulbs

 The traditional incandescent light bulb has long been a symbol for an idea, as in “when the light goes on.”  Since Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb in 1879, this technology has become the dominant standard for electric lighting.  The filaments in the bulbs are heated to incandescence by an electric current, which is why the bulbs are very hot to touch.  This lighting technology is actually very inefficient, as only 10 percent of the electricity is converted to light, and 90 percent of the energy is waste heat. 

Fluorescent lighting uses electricity to excite mercury vapor, which produces ultraviolet light that causes a phosphor to fluoresce.  The long, tube-shaped fluorescent lights have long been the dominant lighting standard in the workplace because they use much less energy than incandescent lights.  Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have become a popular alternative to incandescent lights in traditional fixtures.  Like their tubular cousins, CFLs use only a quarter of the energy that an incandescent light uses while producing the same amount of light (which is measured in lumens.)  The curly CFL has become an iconic representation of the “green” movement, but must be disposed of carefully because of the mercury that is contained inside the bulb. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a common misconception that having a “green” home means small, basic and visually unappealing.  Dale and Sharon Becker had long dreamed of the home they built in O’Fallon, Missouri, but wanted to apply green building principles in a comfortable, beautiful home.  They had been fans of Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House and designed their home around one of her designs that was reminiscent of a prairie-style Frank Lloyd Wright home, with wide roof overhangs to comfortably shade the home in the long Missouri summers. 

They worked with Tim Montgomery of TMA Architects to customize the design to incorporate the many features they’d always longed for.  Together they created a remarkable space that seems so much bigger than its actual footprint, including a large shaded screened-in porch on the east side of the home that is usable most of the year.  The floor plan of the home has a very open feel to it, with a study off the spacious foyer, and a great room that opens out onto the porch.  You can actually see from one end of the home to the other from the front door.  “We worked closely together to design a number of special nooks and spaces to create a perfect home for their belongings,” said Montgomery. Read the rest of this entry »