Modern living is highly dependent on electricity and we use energy to cool our homes in the summer and heat our homes in winter. Either way, we end up using a significant amount of money of utility bills right through the year.

When the temperatures dip it is but normal for us to turn up the air conditioning by a few degrees when we are at home. We may also use space heaters in certain areas of our homes and end up using more hot water as well. This makes it almost impossible to keep a handle on our utility bills during the winter months.

So, is there nothing we can do to make sure that we are able to cut costs in some way or the other? Well, there sure are a number of ways in which you can increase the energy-efficiency of your home; here are some tips that will help you stay warm in your home, and use the appliances you need, without breaking the bank:

This is one of the simplest things you can do to reduce your electricity bills in the winter. You should make use of natural light and keep the blinds open for a large part of the day. This will bring in more warmth into your home and you will find that you don’t have to run the HVAC system at higher temperatures, at least during the daytime.

For large projects, a simple notepad and pen are not sufficient to provide accurate and timely cost estimates to clients. The good news is that there are some pretty good estimating software programs now available that do the job. Both residential and commercial contractors can save time, money, and win more bids by providing professional job estimates. These programs also offer the ability to manage projects, bill clients, and keep track of change orders. They feature a wide range of options for any size of contractor.

TurboBid is one of the most well received and fully featured estimating programs on the market. It contains a user-friendly graphical interface and offers training courses through their website. The software can connect to national and local material supplier databases to keep pricing updated throughout the bidding process.

Change orders and revisions are simple. The software will generate automatic reports and professional presentations for clients. It also allows fine adjustment of man-hour estimations in different locations of the building. This includes ceilings. The program can account for different worker skill levels and upcoming wage increases for longer projects.

The built-in database includes tens of thousands of parts and full assemblies to allow for quick and easy estimation. The program incorporates national and local electrical code requirements to ensure bids are code compliant. In addition, it has a value engineering feature that suggests code-compliant changes to the customer’s blueprints. This can ultimately save money by adding, removing, or relocating devices.

Before hiring an electrician, check your home’s lighting stats. If you’re reading a high utility bill, burning through money and have high energy needs—fear not. You can save expenses with these lighting tips.

Don’t trade in one incandescent light for multiple, low-wattage bulbs. While the idea might seem like a good one, it’ll certainly result in a net gain in energy usage. A lot of electrical contractors will tell you the same thing: It’s a game of wattage, not bulb numbers.

A couple skylights go a long way. If you’re moving into a new home or apartment, consider installing a couple skylights to reduce overall energy needs. If possible, position your high-traffic areas to the northeast or north. By doing so, you can ensure an even light coating.

If you swap out regular bulbs for completely clear bulbs, you’ll reduce the overall number of bulbs. We know: It’s not about bulb number. That said, having a single clear bulb can reduce your need for any bulbs in the surrounding area. If you can maximize your room’s lighting with a single bulb, why invest in multiple lamps?

Dimmers, too, can reduce overall electricity needs. They can also boost the life of low-voltage lighting options, like halogen downlights. When buying your bulbs, make sure they’ll work with a dimmer. You’ll be surprised by the amount of energy you can save.

Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are a solid-state lighting option capable of converting electricity directly into light. They’ll save you money, all around, and are fantastic replacement options for 40W, 60W and even 75W traditional incandescent bulbs.

Question:  How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer:  Only one…but the light bulb has to really WANT to change.

Maybe you’ve heard this joke before.  And, maybe you are tired of hearing light bulb jokes in general.  But, like it or not—Change is inevitable and the LED light bulb is leading the way.

Nearly a day goes by that we do not hear about light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the changes taking place in the lighting industry.

And, for good reason.  LED is changing the way we see the light.  The latest ceiling pendants, mini chandeliers, task lamps and outdoor light fixtures are accepting these new bulbs with tremendous gusto.  The lighting effects are becoming more versatile and redefining our vision of elegance.  The price of LED lamps is even coming down.

As LED light fixtures become more affordable and user-friendly, the choice of which bulb to use in your next lighting design will be clear…or frosted or soft white or blue…but it will be LED!

1.  LEDs lasts up to 50 times longer and use 80% less energy than old standard incandescent light bulbs.

2.  LEDs burn out slowly over time, so the dreaded pop and bulb blow out will be a blast from the past–something to tell your grandchildren about!

3.  LEDs radiate little to no heat and they hold up extremely well in harsh winter weather conditions.

4.  LEDs are eco-friendly; they do not contain toxic gas or emit harmful IR/UV radiation.

5.  LEDs are also referred to as “solid-state” lighting  (SSL) because they use semiconductors and are solid light sources; they are shatter-resistant and durable.

Embrace change. Learn the facts and put LED to work in your home or office environment.

√ Buy from a reputable dealer.  All LED bulbs are not created equal.  Through a process of “binning,” LED chips are sorted according to the quality and degree of luminescence.  Cheaper LED bulbs may be equipped with a lower quality chip that will not provide the brightest light and may burn out prematurely.

√ Look for Energy Star®-ratings to find LEDs of the highest quality.

Some of the latest LED innovations include designer mini pendants and ceiling fixtures from ELK Lighting.

By Maddie Ogletree

What goes on behind the scenes of March Madness often goes unmentioned. The action is up front, while the lights and cameras are working hard in the background. Some major aspects of the March Madness experience happen without a hitch, and sometimes they’re the hardest to manage. No wonder there was a lighting mishap during the Super Bowl in 2013.

Amidst all the madness this March, take a moment to notice the electrical components powering the stadiums, such as:

The music and sound effects heard during the event can all be attributed to the thousands of cables running throughout stadiums across the country, linking the AV control rooms to the speakers above the court. When stadiums are built, every single cable is intricately installed to enable you to experience the sights and sounds of March Madness the way you’re able. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, host of the Final Four and championship games, reports about 764,000 cables in their audio and video setup alone!

To ensure that the arena doesn’t go dark mid-play, backup generators are a must to make sure everything runs smoothly during the games. It might not be the first concern to pop into your mind, but in an emergency or accidental power failure backup generators are the heroes of the game. Most arenas are prepared for these events and have multiple generators ready to go in the event of a power failure.

How the stadium stays perfectly lit is not often considered, but it’s a necessity for these games that can be tough to power. Recently, NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas updated their lighting to a more sustainable system. The new system draws 337 kilowatts of energy at full power – 60 percent less than their previous system. That’s huge, especially when their stadium now houses more than 65,000 LEDs. Imagine keeping all of those lights functioning properly during the entire South Regional game.

Keeping up with the scores at games is easy with the giant screens present at every modern sports arena. But most people don’t realize the energy that is needed to show those replays on the big screen. While it does take quite a bit of energy, arenas are starting to focus on using sustainable sources of energy. The Moda Center, which will be hosting second and third round games for this year’s March Madness, purchases 100 percent renewable energy programs.