Within the great state of Minnesota, professionals are required to have electrical licensed in order to install electrical wiring. Professionals are given these licenses after they have demonstrated that they understand the National Electrical Code (NEC). The Minnesota standard protects both you and the electrical professional. With knowledge of wiring, you get an electrical system that works and does not threaten your family’s safety. On the other hand, the electrician can safely install electrical wiring without jeopardizing his or her life.

Another important aspect you should consider is whether your licensed electrician has a positive attitude. Although having a positive attitude may seem irrelevant, it is not. A positive attitude will help your licensed electrician come to you whenever there is a problem. It will also make him or her feel comfortable addressing questions or concerns you have about your electrical system. When you hire a licensed electrician with a good positive attitude, you can rest assured knowing that his or her wiring is sound.

One of the complaints many homeowners make about searching for an electrician is the process of comparing quotes. In many cases, professional electricians offer quotes that are exactly clear, which may prevent homeowners from making a great comparison. To avoid this problem, homeowners must get quotes that detail the specifics of the work. Without doing so, you could get a quote that is higher, yet offers more, that you reject. Once you have all the quotes you need, make sure the electrician you choose is competitively priced.

Most of us will not be leaders with the ability to speak and the bravery to act as Martin Luther King, Jr., but we can change the world for the better in small ways.  Even one bulb at a time…

The world of illumination is changing quickly and advancing into a new frontier with light sources that are more durable, more energy-efficient and better for the natural environment.  While we still have a choice, future lighting installations with LED (light emitting diode) lamps will provide the best light for your home or office space.

To make the best choice, there are a few lighting facts you should know.  All LEDs are not created equal, so read on to educate yourself and make a change to LED with confidence.

Learn what light sources are available and the limitations and benefits of each light source, so that you may choose the best one for each application.

•The right lighting will always help you look better, feel better and perform to the best of your ability.

•The right lighting will always be energy-efficient.

•The right lighting will always work well with the natural environment, making the most of sunlight streaming in during the day and delivering illumination in the most eco-friendly manner.

•The right lighting will last.  Choose good quality bulbs and light fixtures that are guaranteed to provide excellent illumination, equipped with fine finishes and components that are durable.

1.  KNOW YOUR BRIGHTNESS LEVELS IN LUMENS

New bulb cartons are required to prominently display the brightness level (measured in lumens (lm)).  In the past we have determined bulb brightness in terms of energy consumption in watts (W), but now we must learn to think in lumens (lm).  Here is a quick conversion chart to help get you started:

Lumens            Old Incandescent                                             LED

2600 lm————→150W——————————–→25-28 W

1600 lm———— →100W——————————–→16-20 W

1100 lm————→75W———————————-→9-13 W

800 lm————-→60W———————————-→8-12 W

450 lm————-→40W———————————-→6-9 W

2.  CHECK OUT COLOR QUALITY:   Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) and Color Rendering Index (CRI))

•CCT is measured in Kelvin’s (K) and is an important factor determining the quality of light for your specific application: Warm White or Soft White is about  2700-3500 Kelvin’s (K) and Bright White light is about 4000 K+

•CRI is measured on a scale of 0-100 and is an important measure of the degree to which your light source will show the true colors of all that is being illuminated.  Color rendering for decorative indoor lighting applications should be between 85-100.

3.  FACTOR IN DIMMING CAPABILITY

Most dimmers work by reducing the amount of electricity sent to the bulb.  But with LED the correlation between brightness and energy consumption is much different than with incandescent illumination.

Because of this difference, LEDs are not always compatible with traditional dimmer switches.  You either have to replace your switch with one that is compatible with LED or look for replacement LED bulbs that are compatible with standard incandescent dimmers.

4.  FIND SUITABLE BULB-TO-LIGHT FIXTURE MATCH-UPS

The reflector and fixture type will play a significant role in determining the light output from the light source (bulb).  Look at colored lenses and fitters, as well as shades and shielding to determine how they will help steer and direct your desired level of illumination.

When looking to replace an incandescent bulb with an LED bulb in a lighting fixture where the bulb will be totally enclosed, be sure to check that your LED is specifically made for an enclosed or recessed light fixture.  LED bulbs run cooler than others, but they do produce heat. To protect the quality of the LED chip and the performance of your LED light source, LED fixtures are specifically engineered to provide adequate heat-sinking.

5.  BEWARE OF THE LOWEST “BINNER” and COMPARE PRICE VS. QUALITY

“Binning” is the process by which LED chips are sorted.

Prior to being marketed in fixtures or light bulbs, LED chips are sorted into bins according to their light output (lumen output) and color temperature.  There are clear standards set to measure the lumen output of each LED chip.  LEDs chosen from bins with higher lumen output are of better quality.

Color temperature is determined by matching up each LED according to a chromatic line grid for a specific color temperature.   LEDs chosen from larger bins contain more color variation and are not as bright.

Due to the process of “binning,” LED chips vary in their quality—especially in relation to their lumen output and color, so it is important to purchase LED light bulbs and LED light fixtures from a reputable dealer.

Philips medium base LED

Philips LED reflector, perfect for landscape and outdoor lighting applications

Dimmable LED from Philips

Kolour One LED bulb offers full 180 degree illumination

Look for all new LED bulbs from Philips, Kolour One, Satco and Bulbrite, now available at 1800lighting.com

just 15 years ago. I wonder if any of the attendees at COMDEX thought to themselves “One day, I can cook my steak with the help of a tiny glowing tool that changes colors when my meat is cooked to perfection.” Probably not. Thankfully Sharper Image did, so now you can cook your steak and monitor it from your smart phone.

This episode of Operation Build aired nationally on the History Channel Saturday morning, April 18th at 8 am and on H2 April 25th at 7:30 am.  In case you missed it, here is the link…

See a home transformed as good lighting turns into great lighting with the latest innovation and exquisite lighting design. 

Architect/Lighting Designer Joseph A.  Rey-Barreau and Capitol Lighting President Eric Lebersfeld meet Operation Build.

Lebersfeld of Capitol Lighting and Rey-Barreau of the American Lighting Association (ALA) invite us in for an exclusive tour of one of South Florida’s luxurious estates as secrets of turning good lighting into great lighting are revealed.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get the latest lighting information and see for yourself how great lighting makes a world of difference in the look and feel of your environment.

With so many options in LED (light emitting diode) and CFL (compact fluorescent) lamps, the creative design capabilities are vast and lighting designers are implementing decorative schemes that are truly amazing.  Rey-Barreau offers the latest lighting techniques and an insider’s view of the incredible changes taking place in the lighting industry.

See more with Rey-Barreau at 1800lighting.com:

The majority of contractors and building owners are creating networks that interconnect all the components. These provide a single point of monitoring and control the different types of devices, sensors, and equipment.

While wiring the building during the construction phase is the ideal situation, modifying or upgrading existing systems can be challenging.

As the building gets bigger and more complex, so does its automation, making it a real task to interconnect all components. It may require hybrid systems consisting of the UTP, RS-232/RS-485, wired and wireless networks, and a variety of protocols. However, there is still a need to unify all these. It’s best to have a single point of managing and controlling the devices regardless of the style, location, function, and type of network.

As building automation evolves, there are now industry standard network protocols that allow people to interconnect components from different manufacturers. The three most commonly used interoperable protocols in use today include:

Building automation enables efficient control of the various systems and conditions in the building. This allows the occupants and owners to save costs, while improving comfort and living conditions. It adds the ability to automatically monitor and adjust the lighting, air conditioning, heating, ventilation, security and other parameters. Specific benefits include:

Building automation offers several benefits to the owners and occupants of the facilities. It allows the savings of resources such as energy and water while improving the conditions and comfort of the space.

As building automation networking evolves, equipment and applications from different manufacturers are able to work together via standard interfaces and protocols. This allows consumers to benefit from the latest technology and decreases our ecological footprint.