LEED) is a program that offers certifications for green buildings. The third-party verification program was created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a means for healthier, sustainable, environmentally friendly, more efficient, buildings, homes, and neighborhoods. In a nutshell, LEED supplies the guidelines for creating a green building. Using individual points-based rating systems that differ by project type, building projects can achieve Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum statuses. Project types can include new building design and construction, building operations and maintenance, interior design and construction, homes, and neighborhood development. For each project type, LEED has a list of credits with specific requirements regarding anything from building materials to bicycle storage. Points are awarded based on the degree to which the requirements are met. There are several credits that include LED lighting is the first choice of any builder trying to achieve an LEED status.

The following LEED credits relate to lighting for new construction:

full-cutoff LED wall packs that are designed to reduce glare by emitting illumination downward instead of outward. Many indoor and outdoor LED lights come with or can be used with dusk-to-dawn or PIR motion sensors to prevent wasted light.

A19 bulbs to powerful EAp2 – Minimum Energy Performance

Buildings must meet a minimum level of energy efficiency to receive points for this credit. The goal is to minimize environmental and economic problems that can be caused by high energy use. As mentioned above, LED lights are extremely efficient and can dramatically reduce a building’s carbon footprint.

dimmable under-hutch LED strip lights with handheld remotes and bulbs, or other dimmers.

SFGATE, “The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warns that, given the current trends, energy-related emissions will increase by 70 percent by 2050. This can accelerate the negative consequences of climate change, including higher temperatures and a rise in the frequency of extreme weather events.” Lessening energy consumption with LED lights and renewable energy sources will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help prevent that prediction.

website, the USGBC states that 92.2 percent of 7,100 LEED-certified new construction projects are improving energy performance by at least 10.5 percent. In addition to other methods of energy improvements, lighting plays a key role. One building can have hundreds of lights. Using LED lights will not only help achieve an LEED status, but they will also contribute to a greener future.

Technology moves faster than the blink of an eye these days, with each recent product purchase becoming obsolete mere months after it hits the shelves. The result? An electronic waste crisis, created by millions of used computers and mobile devices improperly disposed of into landfills. Electronic waste, or e-waste, dumped by the nation’s consumers adds up to a staggering 300 - 400 million electronic items per year, according to EPA estimates. Less than 20 percent of all electronics are recycled, the rest ending up in landfills to the detriment of our environment and our bodies.

The vast majority of materials used in computers, cell phones, and smart devices can be recovered to make new products, particularly since most devices are retired due to psychological, not technological, obsolescence.

Electrical systems need to be maintained over the years to retain their functionality and safety. Because of that, it’s a good idea to have a Pasadena electrician take a peek at it every now and then. A poorly maintained electrical system is much more than a hassle to use. It can be a real hazard. Time takes its toll on everything, including electrical systems. As wires and connections age, there can be cracking, breaking, and assorted other little damages that interfere with function and safety. Extreme temperature changes or household pests moving around inside of the walls can contribute to damage as well.

Because so much of the action of an electrical system happens behind the scenes, in those out of sight and out of mind places — behind the walls, in the attic, in the basement — potentially hazardous damage often isn’t seen. The first clue that there is a problem is typically when something doesn’t work right. Sometime a person will make a repair, such as install new electrical outlets, but that may not really be the main issue. Why the outlets went bad is the real issue, something that an electrician Pasadena CA professional would probably recommend tracking down and repairing.

There’s a reason for that. Shorts in your electrical system can cause a lot of problems. Sensitive, expensive electronics can be damaged. Broken, sparking wires can cause house fires, as can overloaded circuits that allow wires to get too hot. Sometimes a broken outlet is just a broken outlet. Other times, however, it isn’t. A professional electrician in Pasadena, such as those at the Electric Connection, has the experience to know, and a deeper understanding of the overall system. The Electric Connection has been handling electrical maintenance and repair projects of all types throughout the region for 30 years.

If you’ve let your electrical system get a bit run down, and it’s time to consider electrical upgrades or perhaps even a whole house rewiring, the Electrical Connection can help. They offer a lifetime guarantee on all of their work, and they also offer a free home safety assessment with every job they do. During that assessment, they check your main electric panel, grounding, GFI protection, as well as surge protection, and smoke detectors, if they are wired into the main electrical system. Having smoke detectors installed like that is a good thing, as there are no batteries to worry about.

If having a large project, such as whole house rewiring, is more than your budget can bear, then it may be a good idea to have your electrical rewiring done a section at a time, as you can afford it. Be sure to keep an eye on the Electrical Connection web site, as they offer specials and discount coupons periodically. They also offer free over the phone estimates, based on what you tell them about the symptoms you are experiencing or the project you are considering. This Pasadena electrician company also offers free over the phone help and varieties of tips on their web site to help you better care for and understand your electrical system.

Excellent customer service is as important to The Electric Connection as is the fine quality of work they’ve become known for through the decades. If you schedule an electrical service call with a Pasadena electrician from the Electrical Connection and the technician that is handling that service call arrives late, your service call is free. That, however, is rare. What usually happens when you make an appointment with an electrician in Pasadena CA from the Electric Connection, is that your technician arrives at the appointed time, in a well supplied service vehicle, ready to meet the work goals of the day.

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There was a time during childhood when, at a friend’s house, the best thing to do was to play with the dimmer switch. At the time, this was the coolest thing in the world. When you had nothing like it at home, you got to enjoy the little things. It was so great; you could dim the lights for a movie or turn them up when you wanted to socialize. Whatever the occasion was, these would set the mood. It was great! It was time to convert more home switches from flicks to dimmers.

If you have never tried to do anything electrical yourself, it can be a wild ride. First you need to find the right hardware. Take a quick trip to the hardware store and find someone who can help. That’s always easier than doing these things alone. The experts can explain how dimmer switches work and how they can save money. None of that matters for this project; you just need the switches changed to relive a personal childhood pleasantry. Finally you find a model with a cover that will look fabulous in your home.

The Moment at Hand

Soon, you are ready to head back and take things apart. It’s easy to get the faces off, but then comes time for the technical parts. It takes a steady hand to work with electronics, but none of that matters if you forget something important. What may happen next is unexpected: a jolt of electricity sends a reminder that the breaker panel has not yet been turned off downstairs. It hurts, but it is nothing serious. It’s time to call in an expert.

When it comes to electricity, no matter how small the job, it’s best to let the trained professional do it. Otherwise you may just wind up hurting yourself.