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Warm Light vs. Cool Light vs. Daylight

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One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to choose an LED light installation for your home through the Victorian Energy Upgrades Program . Getting the right LEDs is an important part of this process – so what do the terms “cool white”, “warm light”, and “daylight” mean?  Colour Temperatures for Lightbulbs  Light colour temperature – the colour of the light that the bulb emits – is measured in units called Kelvin (K). The higher the number in Kelvin, the whiter and crisper the light, while lower numbers give a warmer, yellow glow.  To make it simpler, LED lightbulb manufacturers give their range of bulbs different names to help describe the light they emit. Their high Kelvin bulbs will be called “cool white” because this very white light has an almost blue tone to it. The low Kelvin bulbs will generally be called “warm white” because they tend to have yellow tones. And right in the middle of the two ranges will be a “daylight”, which should be fairly ...
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5 Questions About Eco-Friendly Lights Answered!

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As LED light installation specialists in Melbourne, we get plenty of questions about LED lightbulbs and eco-friendly lights for homes and businesses. Here are some of the most common questions about these lights.  1 – What Lights are Eco-Friendly?  LED lightbulbs are the most eco-friendly lights on the market. A good-quality LED not only lasts considerably longer than regular lightbulbs, but they also use far less energy to generate light and are fully recyclable, so they’re perfect for the planet and your wallet!  2 – Which is Better – LED or CFL?  Compact fluorescents, called CFLs, are more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lights, using about 25-35% less energy. However, they are nowhere near as energy efficient as LEDs, which use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. They also have a far longer lifespan (around 50,000 hours or more), which means you don’t have to replace them as often ad CFLs either.  3 – Do You Need an Electrician to Inst...
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Understanding LED Lifetime Hours

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 LED lightbulbs are widely recognised for their very long lifespan – up to 10 times that of a regular lightbulb. During that lifetime, they use very little energy to produce a lot of light, which is why they’re the first choice for your home or office if you want to reduce your carbon footprint . But what do the average rated LED lifetime hours mentioned on the box really mean? Here is some insights from accredited LED installers under the Victorian Energy Upgrades Program .  What are Average Rated Lifetime Hours and Why Do They Matter?  When LED lightbulbs are manufactured, batches undergo tests to determine how long they last. Essentially, they are switched on and monitored until they start to dim and fail. The results of this test determine the Average Rated Lifetime Hours for those lights. For example, if 100,000 lightbulbs from that batch were tested and 70% failed after running for 1,000 hours, these lightbulbs would have Average Rated Lifetime Hours of 1,000 hours...
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Lighting Insights - What Does CRI Mean?

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When you’re picking out new eco-friendly lights for your home, you’ll see the letters “CRI” on the packaging followed by a number. So, what does this mean and is it important? Here are some insights from our team who are providing eligible homeowners with an LED upgrade through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program .  Firstly, CRI stands for Colour Rendering Index. This is a scale that measures how colours look under artificial lighting in contrast to natural sunlight. The scale ranges from 0 to 100, with 0 indicating that the light changes colour significantly from what it looks like in natural sunlight, and 100 indicating that colours will be the most similar in appearance to how they look in natural sunlight.   As a result, it’s very important to consider the CRI of your eco-friendly lights before you buy them, as they can have a big impact on the atmosphere and aesthetics of your home.  What is the Best CRI for Lighting a Home?  Almost no lighting offers a...
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COB vs. SMD – What are the Best LED Lightbulbs?

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We all know by now that LED lightbulbs are the most energy-efficient lights – but did you know which type of LEDs is the best? Our lighting specialists who are accredited through the Victorian Energy Efficiency Scheme take a look at Chip On Board (COB) and Surface Mount Diode (SMD) LEDs.  Chip On Board (COB) LEDs  These LED lightbulbs have a single mounted LED chip, which concentrates all the light’s LEDs into a single area. They can have 9 or more diodes per chip, along with a circuit and two contacts. This extra tech means it needs larger cooling capacity, usually in the form of a larger aluminium heat sink. This addition often means that the bulbs are more expensive to buy. It also means that these bulbs aren’t usually able to change colour, so they are generally used in single colour applications.  However, you generally get better quality light from a COB LED – it’s usually cleaner and crisper, making it ideal for rooms with high ceilings, art galleries, and arch...
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How to Have an Eco-Friendly Festive Season

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For the majority of homeowners in Australia, living an eco-friendly life where you actively reduce your carbon footprint is a priority. Here are some tips for having a sustainable festive season, from installers of eco-friendly lights accredited under the Victorian Energy Efficiency Scheme .  Shop Local  Small local businesses have been the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that’s not the only reason you should support them! By buying locally made products rather than items that have to be shipped across the country, you’re reducing your carbon footprint too.  Get a Sustainable Christmas Tree  If you celebrate Christmas, think outside the box for your Christmas tree! Get a live native shrub that you can plant in the garden, search the beaches for a beautiful piece of driftwood, or create your own Christmas tree with brush, boughs and sticks from your garden.  Choose Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper  Most people aren’t aware that wrapping paper isn’...
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5 New Year’s Resolutions That Will Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

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 Thinking about what New Year’s Resolutions you should set this year? Along with your goals to get fitter, eat healthier and have more fun, you can also help the planet! Here are some New Year’s Resolutions that will help you reduce your carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption , from LED light installation specialists.  1 – Try a Plant-Based Diet  Going vegan being the single biggest measure you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, reducing it by a massive 73%. This translates to a reduction of 1,560kg CO2e – the same amount of carbon that’s produces by driving a car halfway around the Earth! Of course, it also takes willpower, financial resources and access to vegan foods in order to make it happen. Start by reducing your meat protein intake or going vegetarian – even eating less meat will make a big difference.  2 – Go Car-Less  Rather than using a car, use a bicycle or even your feet to get you to work or run your errands each day. You’ll not o...
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