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Making YOUR home a SMART / GREEN home - Part 1

By
Real Estate Agent with Pacific Sotheby's International Realty 01711873

This article is a way in which a client and planet conscious Realtor, gives back to his clients, the community and mankind.

 

Don't avoid purchasing an older home just because it does not have all the bells of whistles of a new 'green' home.

 

There are some easy ways to reduce utility costs without sacrificing luxury.

 

Part 1 – LIGHTING AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION

 

Recessed lighting has been considered a luxury upgrade in residential housing since the 1960’s.  Recessed lighting can fixtures provide a nice general and accent lighting and replace the need for lamps and multiple hanging fixtures. It is estimated that the greenhouse gas from regular light bulbs alone is equal to that of the emissions of 800,000 cars per year. And that if all US households just used only 1 high efficiency light bulbs, that savings would save enough energy to cover the entire energy consumption of 3 million US Homes (energy consumption facts from Energy Star)

 

HIGH COST LIGHTING: The one negative about recessed can lighting is that each fixture generally requires a 60-75 watt bulb, so when you add up what might be 6-12 cans or more in a living room, you can easily reach 1000 per watts per room before you know it.

 

EARLY SOLUTION: The development of the CLF or ECObulb provide consumers and alternative screw in bulb, however they light emitted is a harsh fluorescent industrial style lighting. So your living room, and all of your furniture and artwork, when from looking soothing to losing its richness and creation of a harsh viewing environment. There is a delay from when you turn on the switch until the light bulbs are fully bright. Also your lighting was now no longer dimmable so all lights were either ON or OFF.  They reduced the wattage to that of about half of traditional bulbs, however to many, the cost savings did not outweigh the creature comfort aspect.

 

THE BEST SOLUTION: Enter the world of NEWER AND IMPROVED LED. Where initial LED lights were not dimmable, and would only work on LED specific fixtures, and were only available in a bright industrial white light. NOW LED lights are dimmable, available in a wide range of color spectrums, and have screw in bases to adapt to any lamps.

 

COST AND PRODUCT LIFE: (below are estimates based upon more common bulbs an styles)

 

Traditional Recessed Light bulbs range from approx 45-95 watts, last anywhere from 400- 2000 hours or so and cost about $4-$12 each

 

CLF Bulbs run cool, use 13-35 watts, last twice as long as regular bulbs approx $9-$17 each

 

LED Flood lamps, use 2-4 watts, last 16-30 years, and cost $40-60 each

 

ENJOY THE SAVINGS – YOUR TRUSTED AND RESPECTED REALTOR

 

Jay Becker – http://own-sd.com/introduction.html

http://www.sandiego-coastal-homes.com/

http://www.sandiegolistingsearch.com 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/ownsd

 

Comments (1)

Leslie G. Rojohn
MoonDancer Realty - Sylva, NC
GRI, ABR ~ MoonDancer Realty

Your points are all well taken.  Let me just say that buying an older home and upgrading the energy saving features is the greenest home there is.  You are not cutting down more trees to build a new home.  You are not tearing into the earth for more space to build it.  You are not wasting all the resources of gas powered earth movers and other equipment.  You are still employing people to do the upgrades.  Win Win all around.

Feb 15, 2012 01:34 PM