Long gone are the old-fashioned chandeliers outfitted with incandescent light bulbs and enough ornament to put a Christmas tree to shame. Group-Two Design recently brought their ultra-modern LED chandelier to this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and the futuristic fixture turned heads with its cutting edge design. Still paying homage to the shape of a conventional chandelier, the new form is a minimalist and energy-efficient interpretation of an old classic.

Read the rest of Group-Two Design’s LED Chandelier is a Futuristic Interpretation of a Classic Light Fixture

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Post tags: 2013, caviar20, dwell, erica pecoskie, george siminopolous, green lighting, green lights, group tow lights, group-two design, icff light, ids toronto, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, LED Chandelier, LED lights, LEDs, new york design week, ny design week, radostar

There are utilitarian lamps that emit light and do nothing more, and then there are lamps that make you want to sit back in your favorite armchair and relax with a book and a hot cup of tea. Secto lamps fall into the latter category. Designed by architect Seppo Koho for the Finnish company Secto Design, these wooden lamps, which have been handcrafted from birch by local cabinet makers, have a modern form, but they also have a classic, timeless quality.

Read the rest of Secto Lamps Are Handcrafted by Finnish Cabinet-Makers From Locally Sourced Birch

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Post tags: birch lamps, Finnish design, green design, green lighting, lamp design, low-energy lights, new york design week, New York Design Week 2013, NY Design Week 2013, Secto Design, Secto lamps, Seppo Koho, Wanted Design 2013, Wanted Design lamps, wood lamps Wanted Design

New research suggests that people with right wing views are less likely to buy light bulbs that are labeled as “pro-environment” due to the politicized nature of the carbon debate in the United States. In a study published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dena Gromet of Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania found that consumers’ purchasing decisions are divided along party lines.

Read the rest of Study Finds Conservatives Less Likely to Buy Light Bulbs Labeled as Good for the Environment

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Post tags: carbon emissions, cfl bulb, Climate Change, conservative, consumer, dena gromet, Environmentally Friendly, green, incandescent, jacquelyn ottman, liberal, light bulb, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, protect the planet, the new rules of green marketing, wharton school of the university of pennsylvania

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Post tags: eco technology, energy-efficient homes, green home, green technology, green your home, healthy homes, home solar panels, LED bulbs, solar panels, ways to cut your energy bill, ways to green you home, ways to reduce energy use

Incandescent bulbs are inefficient, fluorescent bulbs have raised some health concerns and LED bulbs are expensive and cast an unflattering glow. So what’s the environmentally-conscious design lover to do? That’s where lighting company Cree comes in, with its new LED bulbs that not only look like an incandescent bulb and cast a pleasing light, but are also affordable.

Read the rest of Cree Introduces a New LED Light Bulb that is Both Affordable and Good-Looking

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Post tags: Cree LED bulb, Cree Lighting, Cree North Carolina, energy efficient light bulb, energy efficient lighting, green lighting, Home Depot lighting, incandescent replacements, LED bulbs, LED light bulb, LED lighting

BRC Designs has a knack for creating furniture from recycled materials – and the studio’s latest project is a lamp made almost entirely from repurposed piano keys! The Wingin’ It Floor Lamp is made from an assortment of wood pieces salvaged from a dusty piano keyboard. The lamp is held together using nuts and bolts, and it lights up with 15 LED bulbs that consume less energy than a single 70 watt incandescent.

Read the rest of BRC Designs’ Wingin’ It LED Floor Lamp is Made From Recycled Piano Keys

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Post tags: "sustainable furniture", Benjamin Rollins Caldwell, BRC Designs, Discarded Objects, discarded pianos, green design, reused objects, sustainable design

Read the rest of 5 Tips to Green Your Home From Organic Architect Eric Corey Freed

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Post tags: "leed", 5 Tips, Coachella Valley, corey freed, eco home, Eric Corey Freed, eric freed, green architect, green architecture, Green Building, green design, green home, green your home, Green$ense for your Home, greenbuilding, Greenbuilding for dummies, HomeExpertSeries, insulation, Marvin Windows, MarvinWindows, organic architect, Organic Architect Eric Corey Freed, organic architecture, organicARCHITECT, sustainable design, Sustainable School Architecture

Cutting back on your energy usage is one of the best ways to bring down your electricity bill. But did you know that making simple changes to not just your wattage consumption but the way your home retains and expels air can dramatically transform the way you experience your spaces and use electricity? Joining us this week to share 5 Tips on how we can better green our homes is green visionary and sustainable pioneer David Johnston who focuses on easy changes you can make with your appliances, air exchange, insulation and even windows that will pave the way to dramatic savings. Undoubtedly an expert on all things energy, David shares his over 30 years of experience and gives us a snapshot of some of the best ways we can reduce our energy consumption by up to 50%!

Read the rest of 5 Tips to Cut Your Electricity Bill With Energy Efficiency Expert David Johnston

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Post tags: 5 Tips, cut you energy bill, David Johnston, eco home, energy saving home upgrades, green architecture, Green Building, green design, green energy for the home, Green for your Home, green home, green homes, green remodeling, green your home, greenbuilding, Greenbuilding for dummies, HomeExpertSeries, Marvin Windows, saving energy, what's working

At a West Coast Green conference in San Francisco, we were lucky enough to not only get a sneak peek of the Michelle Kaufmann mkLotus prefab house, but also to speak with the designer herself to get the low-down on the sleekly-designed zero energy home. Check out the video to learn all the details about the energy, water, and materials packed into this compact sustainable home.

Read the rest of Video Interview with Green Home Designer Michelle Kaufmann

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Post tags: City Hall, eco prefab, jill fehrenbacher, Michelle Kaufman's MKLotus Green Prefab House, Michelle Kaufmann Designs, MKDesigns, MkLotus Bedroom, MkLotus Kitchen, MKLotus Resin Sliding Door, sustainable prefab, west coast green, Zero Energy Prefab

When trying to squeeze every last penny out of your utilities, picking the right light bulb could go a long way towards reducing your bills. LED bulbs have exploded in popularity due to their efficiency and longevity – and the new NanoLight claims to be the world’s most energy-efficient light bulb, emitting over 1600 lumens while using only 12 watts of power. While there are many 20-60 watt LED equivalent bulbs on the market, the omnidirectional NanoLight is the first 100 watt comparable device. Completely eliminating the need for a heat sink, the NanoLight claims to be 87% more efficient than a standard incandescent and it uses 50% less energy than a compact fluorescent.

Read the rest of The NanoLight Touts Itself as the World’s Most Efficient LED Light Bulb

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Post tags: Bulb, christian yan, circuit board, compact fluorescent, efficient, gimmy chu, incandescent, kickstarter, LED, Light, nanolight, tom rodinger, University of Toronto

The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show kicked off in Las Vegas this week, and once again, gadgets that make use of renewable energy are making headlines around the world. MPowered’s Luci solar lantern is a lightweight, collapsible appliance that acts as a task light, flash light and a diffused lantern. Designed to be a clean energy solution where light is inaccessible or not affordable, Luci’s waterproof form is also perfect for emergency disaster kits or camping adventures.

Read the rest of MPowered’s Elegant Luci Solar Lantern Maintains a Single Charge for Three Months!

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Post tags: ces, CES 2013, consumer electronics show, developing nations, energy efficient lighting, LEDs, MPowered, off-grid, renewable energy, solar lantern, Solar Power

Smart Home Labs recently released a revolutionary LED bulb called RoboSmart. The innovative, new bulb has an integrated Bluetooth that enables you to control your lights using nothing but your phone or tablet. RoboSmart’s features include: dimming, an automatic timer for security, energy reports and much more. The bulb easily pays for itself many times over in energy savings, it looks just like a traditional incandescent bulb, provides high power LED illumination, and it provides the flexibility of wireless home automation from your smart phone. See a video of the bulb in action here.

+ RoboSmart on Indiegogo

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

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Post tags: bulb timers, dimmable led, dimming led, LED bulb, led lamp, LED lights, light timers, remote-controlled lights, robosmart, smart led bulb

Installing green lighting may seem like a small and simple change, but it’s surprising how hefty the bottom line savings can be. Many companies across the globe have been switching to LEDs quietly and saving money, especially now that they offer such pleasing color options that really rival the look of incandescents. This international “switch out” has created green jobs and also helps companies revamp their stores and hire more workers with the cash they save – all great things for the economy. Read on for two success stories featuring companies that have swapped out their bulbs with the help of MSi lighting to achieve significant money and energy savings.

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Read the rest of How Green Lighting Can Save American Businesses Millions of Dollars

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Post tags: AmbientLED bulbs, best bulb, carnival cruise ships, cfl, cfl light bulb, compact fluorescent light, eco design, eco lighting, eco-friendly lighting, energy efficient light bulb, energy efficient lightbulbs, Energy Independence and Security Act, energy saving bulbs, energy saving lights, Federal energy mandate, green design, green light bulb, green lighting, how to green lighting, how to switch to green lighting, incandescent bulb phase out, incandescent bulbs, LED, LED bulb, LED light bulb, LED lights, LEDs, light bulb ban, light bulb makeover, light emitting diode, lightbulb makeover, lighting makeover, lighting renovation, phasing out incandescent bulbs, Philips, Philips 12.5W Ambient LED bulb, rc wiley furniture stores, sustainable design, sustainable lighting

If you read our enlightening “how to switch to LED bulbs” tutorial, you’ve hopefully already seen how much money and energy you can save by replacing your incandescent bulbs, but we wanted to make it even clearer how easy and effective a home light bulb makeover can be. We headed over to Brooklyn to give a light bulb overhaul to the managing editor of Inhabitots, our very own Julie Seguss! Julie is going to be a new mom in just a few months, so saving money is of the utmost importance right now, but she still wanted to keep her Park Slope home illuminated with a warm, bright glow. In just a few hours, the Inhabitat lighting makeover crew (aka Inhabitat editors Jill & Yuka) were able to swap out all of Julie’s electricity-guzzling incandescents and halogens with energy-efficient Philips LEDs, and we think you’ll be impressed with the monthly savings we tallied up for Julie at the end of the day. Check out our video above to see the whole makeover, and find out how much extra cash Julie and her husband will have after the makeover to spend on diapers and baby clothes!

Read the rest of VIDEO: Inhabitat Lighting Makeover – Inhabitots Editor Julie Seguss Gets a Money-Saving Light Bulb Overhaul

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Post tags: AmbientLED bulbs, best bulb, cfl, cfl light bulb, compact fluorescent light, eco design, eco lighting, eco-friendly lighting, energy efficient light bulb, energy efficient lightbulbs, Energy Independence and Security Act, energy saving bulbs, energy saving lights, Federal energy mandate, green design, green light bulb, green lighting, how to green lighting, how to switch to green lighting, incandescent bulb phase out, incandescent bulbs, LED, LED bulb, LED light bulb, LED lights, LEDs, light bulb ban, light bulb makeover, light emitting diode, lightbulb makeover, lighting makeover, lighting renovation, phasing out incandescent bulbs, Philips, Philips 12.5W Ambient LED bulb, sustainable design, sustainable lighting

Read the rest of Top 6 Gadgets for the Home to Help You Go Green in 2013

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Post tags: automatic shades, conserve water, dimmer switch, eco bathroom, eco shower, efergy, efergy shower timer, electronic shades, energy saving thermostat, green bathroom, green lighting, home solar power systems, Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostat, insulating blinds, insulating shades, large solar chargers, light dimmer, light sensor switch, light sensors, lutron, Maestro C.L. Dimmer, Maestro Occupancy Sensing Switch, motion sensor lights, programmable thermostat, quality blinds, quality shades, reduce water use, Serena Shades, shower water monitor, solar charger, solar charger kit, Solar Power, solar power at home, sustainable products, Voltaic, water monitor, water saving, waterpebble, wifi thermostat

Christmas trees are one of the most enjoyable traditions of the holiday season, and there are lots of easy ways to go green with your Christmas tree: from using living potted Christmas trees, to recycled cardboard trees, to buying LED Xmas lights. After weighing the choices every December for years, and going on my own personal quest to have the greenest Christmas tree ever, here are the most eco-friendly tips I can offer on greening your holiday tree:

Read the rest of HOW TO: Green Your Christmas Tree

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Post tags: Cardboard Christmas Tree, Cardboard Xmas Tree, eco friendly christmas tree, eco-friendly xmas tree, Green Christmas Tree, green holiday tree, Green Xmas Tree, green your xmas tree, how to green your christmas tree, jill fehrenbacher, living christmas tree, living tree, Living Xmas Tree, potted Christmas tree, Potted Xmas Tree, Rosemary Christmas Tree, Rosemary Tree, Rosemary Xmas Tree

LED bulbs may be fabulous for the environment, but they aren’t always the prettiest of fittings to look at. Philips is trying to fix that with an update to one of their more popular LED bulbs, the A19. Sleeker and even more efficient, the new A19 replaces inefficient 60-watt incandescent bulbs without sacrificing style.

Read the rest of Philips Releases an Updated A19 LED Bulb That is Better Looking and More Efficient

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Post tags: 11 watt bulb, energy efficient bulbs, green lighting, LED bulbs, LED lighting, New bulb style, philips 11 watt bulb, philips a19, Philips LED bulb

Originally built in the 1960s, Castle Square was recently retrofitted into an 192-unit affordable apartment building, making it the US’ largest LEED Platinum building to receive a Deep Energy Retrofit. The building was transformed with a new R-40 super insulated shell that increased the insulation value of the building by a factor of ten. High efficiency cooling and heating equipment, LED and CFL lighting, Energy Star appliances, and solar hot water were also installed to reduce the carbon footprint of the structure. The result is a healthy new building with an an anticipated 72% reduction in energy usage.

+ Castle Square

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

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Post tags: "leed", castle deep energy, castle square, deep energy retrofit, LEED Buildings, leed platinum buildings, usgbc

By now, we hope that most of you know that swapping incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs saves money and energy, but there’s still a lingering misconception that LED bulbs emit a cold, bluish light that is just not as warm or attractive as the old filament-filled bulbs we grew up with. To dispel this fallacy, we sought out a group of people with a critical eye for light bulb color and ambiance – lighting designers on the show floor of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at New York Design Week. These meticulous designers take light warmth and quality very seriously (that is their job after all), so we couldn’t think of anyone better suited to give an honest opinion about the latest generation of high-tech LED light bulbs. Watch our video above to see how we retrofitted five gorgeous designer lamps with new Philips LED light bulbs – and in the process saved $1,732.86 in energy costs and won over some designer converts to the future of LED lighting.

Read the rest of VIDEO: THE LED BULB CHALLENGE – We Upgrade 5 Designer Lamps at ICFF With Low-Energy LED Bulbs

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Post tags: 12.5 W LED Bulb, cardboard lamp, Christopher Poehlmann, CP Lighting, designer lamps, eco lamps, eco light bulbs, eco lighting design, eco-friendly lighting, energy saving bulbs, energy saving lamps, energy saving light bulbs, Energy Savings, gabriel kakon, gabriel scott, Graypants, green bulbs, green light bulbs, green light fixtures, green lighting, ICFF, icff 2012, inhabitat video, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, jill fehrenbacher, jonathan junker, LED bulbs, led light bulbs, LED lights, LEDs, misewell, Philips, philips bulbs, Philips led bulbs, philips leds, switch to leds, vincent georgeson

Read the rest of DIY: 10 Amazing Homemade Terrariums That Also Make Great Gifts!

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Post tags: Christmas, DIY, Gardening, gift guide, green materials, Holiday, how to make your own gifts, how-to, plants, repurposed materials, terrarium, top 10, upcycled