Last night, thousands of walkers and hundreds of runners in Edinburgh kicked off the Edinburgh International Festival with a remarkable synthesis of public art and fitness – NVA’s Speed of Light 2012. (The NVA is a Glasgow-based arts organization).

After nightfall in the city, the walkers and runners began to ascend in well timed groups to the 251 meter summit of the city’s iconic mountain: King Arthur’s Seat. The best part of all – these thousands of volunteers were decked out in LEDs. The light display was a layered and ever-changing feat choreographed to a score created by Resonance Radio Orchestra, wowing the entire city with its otherworldly beauty.

Here’s a photo of King Arthur’s Seat during the day:

Courtesy of BestOfEdinburgh.com

And here’s one of it during the festivities:

Courtesy of NVA.org.uk

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Did you know irregular light/dark patterns can disrupt your circadian rhythm? Not only that, a boggled circadian rhythm increases your risk of disease and reduces your quality of life. This is especially a problem for individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias (ADRD), because they spend more time indoors, exposed to lower light levels.

Irregular circadian patterns for individuals with Alzheimer’s or ADRD can become life-threatening if individuals leave their homes in the night and wander alone outside.

Light affects sleep patterns by acting on the retina (the part of the eye that’s sensitive to light) and syncing the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the body’s master clock, to its own light/dark pattern. When we get enough sunlight, we sync up with the 24-hour solar day. When we’re not exposed to regular daily patterns of light, our sleep patterns go bonkers. Continue reading »

In lighting news…

As of July 1 this year, T12 fluorescent bulbs have begun to disappear, no longer being manufactured or imported into the US. This phase-out has been a long time coming, as T12s have been around for over 70 years now. By switching to newer technology like T5s or T8s, building owners will save nearly 50% of the energy they normally use each year! These new lamps are smaller in diameter, but can still provide the same light output as a T12. For those building owners who still have T12 fixtures, it will become increasingly difficult to find replacement parts. Check out this article from LampRecycling.com on strategizing for the phase-out.

Meanwhile, everyone is going nutso for LEDs. But with the impressive energy-saving stats and new innovations, we don’t blame them. According to IMS Research, the widespread implementation of retrofit LED lights will save us $100 billion globally over the next 5 years. To learn more, read this article from ECMWeb.com.

In June, at the Rio+20 U.N. development conference in Brazil, the Clean Revolution campaign began a trial in 12 major cities across the globe, testing the benefits and drawbacks of LED street lights. Each city has reduced energy use up to 85%! Continue reading »

Recently, my wife’s uncle added solar panels to his roof  to reduce his electric bill, and in some cases, actually sell back unused electricity. This was the first time I saw this in action, and I came away impressed. So, when I received this guest blog post from Randy Piccoli, of Jerry’s Roofing and Siding, an expert in the exterior remodeling field, I thought it would be valuable information for you, our blog readers. Thanks so much Randy!

For many people, solar panels are becoming an increasingly popular way to provide the home with much needed energy while reducing energy bills. If it’s something you’ve considered for your own home, it helps to know just how you can get the right solar panel set up for your own home.

Because the practice of adopting solar panels is still gaining popularity all over, you might have a few questions about them and what they can do for you. Don’t worry, because we’ll use this post to look at solar panels, what you need to look for, and how they can help you save money on your electricity in the long run.

1. Think About Your Home’s Roof

There is a wide range of roofing material out there and not everything is right for solar panels. If, for instance, your home has roofing made of clay tile or slate, then installation won’t work.

Solar panels are also harder to install on rooftops made of wood shakes and concrete, so you may face a higher than normal installation cost if your roof material falls under any of those categories.

Roof design is also a factor, as solar panels are easiest to install on rooftops with slopes that aren’t too steep. Continue reading »