Eco lighting solutions for your homes and commercial places

Eco-friendly is the buzzword now and it is all for the best. Seeing how global warming and climate change are serious issues that need our urgent attention. 

Along with everything else, eco-friendly homes are also in trend now. And the easiest as well as smartest way to start making your home eco-friendly is to install eco-friendly lighting. 

There was a time when being eco-friendly was considered to be pretty expensive. However, lighting technology has evolved in the past few years creating affordable eco-lighting solutions for efficient and long-lasting performance of such lighting systems. Nowadays various kinds of sustainable energy and lighting solutions are available in the market, which not only help in keeping an environment-friendly ambience but also help in saving on energy bills. You will just need to purchase some switches, lights, fixtures and other electrical items to make your home energy-efficient along with reducing the carbon footprint. 

Along with making the changes in the lighting systems, you will also need to make some changes in your lifestyle and habits to reduce your carbon footprint and save more on your electricity bills. However, you can start your journey of helping the environment with green lighting solutions, which not only help in saving money but plays an active role in safeguarding our earth. 

Hence, if you are keen on green lighting, this article will provide insights into eco-friendly lighting and everything related to it. 

What do you mean by eco-friendly lighting?

Before we go on to discuss the various aspects and benefits of eco-friendly lighting solutions, we must first learn what does eco light mean. 

Eco-friendly lighting refers to lighting solutions, which are not only cost-effective but help in reducing emissions, have a reduced carbon footprint, and play an active role in combating climate change issues. A small step in your home or commercial space with the installation and implementation of eco-lighting solutions will impact the world at large positively. 

Along with the choice of proper lighting solutions, you must also focus on the various kinds of lighting fixtures and renewable power sources for overall eco-friendly and sustainable energy and lighting solutions. 

Choosing the right light fittings and fixtures for sustainable lighting

Before you think of a complete overhaul of the lights in your home or commercial space, make sure that you check the fittings and the lighting fixtures. It might happen that the new lights don’t fit in the fixtures and are not compatible with the fittings. There are hundreds of lighting fixtures and fittings available in the market but not all of them can be used for your new green lighting system. 

For instance, fixtures for ceiling lights will be different from table lamps or other lights. Check every fixture in your house and then make purchase decisions before replacing your lights with energy-efficient upgrades. This will save up from hassles later. If you cannot understand which fixtures will be the best for your space, consult a reliable electrician who can guide you on the lights and lighting fixtures and fittings. 

Eco lighting solutions

Incandescent bulbs had been the most common source of lighting in the majority of the home for a long. However, if you are planning eco-friendly lighting solutions, these lights should be your last choice. These lights are inefficient and not a great way for conserving energy as well. A major part of the energy is wasted as heat and only a small portion of the energy gets transferred to light in these lighting solutions. These lights also have a short life and need to be replaced often. Therefore, incandescent bulbs are to be avoided at all costs if sustainable and eco-friendly lights are your target. 

Instead of such lights, you can choose from the following green lighting solutions:

• LED lights

LED stands for ‘light emitting diode’ and one of the best options for sustainable energy and lighting solutions is LED lights. There was a time when these lights were overly expensive, but now they have become considerably affordable. Switching to LED lights is best as a green lighting option in residences as well as in commercial places. These lights consume almost 90% less energy when compared to other kinds of light sources. 

Along with being low on energy consumption, these lights also offer more brightness and luminosity. They light up a space brightly covering the minutest corners. It is, thus, no wonder that not only are environmentally conscious people, but more and more budget-conscious people are also using LED lights in different places.

Along with higher luminosity and lesser energy consumption, there is another interesting feature of LED lights. The efficiency of these lights is way higher than other light systems like conventional bulbs and tube lights, as energy is not lost as heat in LED lights, but most of the energy goes into generating light. 

Special mention needs to be made of the durability and longevity of LED lights. Even if you use LED lights 10 hours daily on average, the lights will last for almost 10 years. Also, they are maintenance-free. Once you have installed the light, you will get bright light for years without any hassles. If you take the efficiency factor, lifespan and performance of LED lights, the investment is worth it. 

On the whole, LED lights are one of the best cost-effective and environment-friendly lighting options presently available. 

• Solar-powered lights

The invention of LED lights is a step ahead towards sustainable lighting for sure. But if you want to try something more eco-friendly lighting solutions, you can always plan for installing solar-powered lights. Along with being a popular light source for homes, solar-powered lights are increasingly being used in many multi-storeyed buildings, offices, commercial spaces, and other places. 

If you think that solar power stops working post-sunset, you are highly mistaken. As the solar panels harness the solar heat and store it as energy to be used later, solar power has the capacity of pulling off reserves and powering various things in the space throughout the night. 

Purchasing and installing solar panels upfront is quite expensive, but it is the most sustainable form of energy and can prove to be highly cost-effective in the long run. Previously, solar panels were only installed in commercial places and corporate setups. Today homeowners are also opting for solar lights for sustainability and eco-friendliness. With the increasing demand for solar panels, their prices have also come down a bit. 

Nowadays, various kinds of outdoor lamps and lightbulbs are being manufactured, which are powered by solar energy. Replace your outdoor lights on the deck or patio or driveway area with solar lights for an energy-efficient and sustainable lighting solution. 

Using recyclable lights is also an environment-friendly lighting solution

Recyclable lights are a great option when it comes to eco-friendly lighting solutions. If you cannot install LED lights or cannot afford to have solar panels for lighting, you can always try using recyclable lights. The best thing about these lights is that they do not end up in the garbage and contribute to landfills unnecessarily. Lights, which are not environment-friendly, are toxic to the environment. Such lights usually have mercury and tend to contaminate the local ecosystem and the landfills. Keeping the landfills and environment in mind, many manufacturers now make recyclable lighting solutions. These lights help in conserving energy and resources and are highly efficient at the same time. 

Integration of smart technology in eco-lighting solutions

We might be using eco-friendly lighting with LED lights or solar panels or recyclable lights, but at the same time, we have to understand the proper usage of lights. Valuable energy is wasted when lights, fans, and other electrical items are kept on when there is no need for them or when there is no one in the space where such equipment operates. 

This is where the integration of smart technology in lighting solutions proves to be effective. This can be with the help of smart switches or sensor lighting. With sensor lighting, lights are turned on when you enter the space and they automatically turn off when you leave. Even if you forget to switch off the lights in a hurry, things will be taken care of, thus saving energy and giving the environment some respite at the same time. With smart switches, you can also control lights remotely even if you are not present at the location.

Purchase eco-friendly lighting and smart lighting solutions from a trusted place

The day is not far when green lights will rule the world. So, understand your lighting requirements and replace your outdated light systems with sustainable energy and lighting solutions. If you are planning to invest in eco-friendly lighting solutions for your home or any commercial place, make sure to purchase from a trusted place. Schneider Electric eShop is your one-stop destination for choosing from a wide variety of eco-lighting solutions as well as smart lighting systems. For quality green lighting systems visit Schneider Electric eShop. 

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