Residential Lighting | Outdoor Lighting of Colorado's Blog

See the Latest Landscape, Architectural and Holiday Lighting at the 2012 Colorado Fall Home Show

Posted on August 18, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

The 2012 Colorado Fall Home Show is less than 3 weeks away – so plan on visiting Outdoor Lighting Perspectives (OLP) of Colorado (Booth #514) at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver.

Show Dates and Hours

Friday, Sept. 7 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 9 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Multi-Color Glowing Christmas Orbs

At the show, OLP of Colorado will be exhibiting its latest energy-efficient products for architectural, landscape, and holiday lighting including new LED landscape lighting fixtures and LED retrofits, internet-based Lighting Control Automation™, LED retrofits for architectural lighting, and the latest LED holiday lighting products such as the glowing orbs shown at left, as well as wreaths and lighted sculptures.

Discounted tickets are available at King Soopers, at the ticket counter at the convention center by donating canned food, or by clicking on and printing the discount coupon below:

2012 CO FAll $2.00 off Online Coupon

Stay tuned to our blog to see a listing of our show specials. We hope to see you at the show!

Filed under: Architectural Lighting, Christmas Lighting, Community Events, Green Energy, Holiday Lighting, Landscape Lighting, LEDs, Lighting Control Automation, Lighting Retrofits, Residential Lighting | Tagged: 2012 Colorado Fall Home Show, architectural lighting, Colorado Christmas lighting, Denver landscape lighting, holiday lighting Denver, landscape lighting, LED bulbs, lighting retrofits for energy savings, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Colorado | Leave a comment »

National Night Out 2012 in Colorado

Posted on August 6, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

Please join your neighbors and other community members in Colorado on Tuesday, August 7th to help celebrate National Night Out 2012. Please click on Local Registered Sites to see if your local Colorado community is listed.

Started in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) (a non-profit anti-crime and anti-drug organization), National Night Out is also known as America’s Night Out Against Crime. Over the years, people have participated by turning on their porch light and other outdoor lights and standing watch by conducting front porch vigils. Sometimes it’s as easy as strolling down your street on a warm summer evening and introducing yourself to a new neighbor – or to someone who’s lived there for ten years that you never got around to meeting.

In recent years, these events have become more all-encompassing with neighborhoods and communities offering block parties, BBQs, parades, neighborhood walks, and anti-crime and safety talks by law enforcement officials. We at Outdoor Lighting Perspectives certainly appreciate the role that proper lighting can play in deterring crime, but we also know that knowing your neighbors and being aware of any suspicious activity can go a long way in making our Colorado communities safer.

Filed under: Community Events, Landscape Lighting, Residential Lighting, Security/Safety | Tagged: crime prevention with outdoor lighting, National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out 2012, National Night Out Colorado Events, outdoor lighting for safety and security, Security | Leave a comment »

LED Makeover – the Outdoor Lighting Perspectives Way

Posted on June 29, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

LED Replacement for Path Lights

In a recent blog posting, I mentioned that we were retrofitting one of our customer’s low voltage quartz halogen landscape lighting systems to LED. We originally installed the system in June 2001. Our Outdoor Lighting Perspectives’ (OLP) copper BB-07 path lights manufactured by our factory (B&B Manufacturing in Nashville) had used the 20W quartz halogen G6 bi pin bulbs with corresponding sockets. The retrofit is as simple as sliding out the old socket and wiring harness and replacing it with the new LED (4W Cree), electronics, driver, and wiring harness assembly.

With the introduction of OLP/B&B’s PAR36 LED (6W Cree) bulb retrofit earlier this year, our company can now offer customers a truly sustainable way to upgrade to this new, energy-saving technology – without having to discard the old quartz halogen fixtures. The customer’s system that we recently converted to LED was initially installed in 2001. That system included a total of 17 fixtures – eleven 35W quartz halogen well lights and six 20W quartz halogen path lights, for a total power usage of 505W. For the new installation/retrofit, we added 11 new LED fixtures to the 17 existing fixtures that we retroffited, for a total power usage of 176W. Interestingly, we increased the size of the system (total number of lights) by 65-percent while at the same time we reduced the energy usage by 65-percent.

PAR36 LED Bulb

Heat is the number one factor that can adversely affect the life of an LED. As you can see in the design for the PAR36 LED bulb as well as the path light LED replacement, the thermal heat sinks are a prominent part of the final manufactured product. As a former aerospace engineer who performed thermal analyses of jet and rocket engine, high-energy laser, and orbital spacecraft, I wholeheartedly give these products a two-thumbs up sign of approval.

The other important thing about these LED retrofits is that our customers are in no way sacrificing the actual lighting effect. In fact, our factory (B&B) conducted an experiment by taking nighttime photos of the same house. On one evening, the lighting fixtures had quartz halogen bulbs installed and on another evening, the fixtures had been retrofitted to LED. Interestingly, most people viewing the sets of photos side by side guessed wrong. The LEDs actually looked better.

Filed under: Green Energy, Landscape Lighting, LEDs, Lighting Retrofits, Residential Lighting | Tagged: B&B Manufacturing, Cree LEDs, Denver landscape lighting, don't throw away your old landscape lighting fixtures, lighting retrofits for energy savings, low voltage LED lighting, outdoor lighting perspectives colorado, Retrofitting landscape lighting systems to LED, save energy by retrofitting landscape lights to LEDs, sustainability | Leave a comment »

Saving Energy Increasingly Becoming More Important for U.S. Families

Posted on June 12, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

In a recently published study by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research entitled ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND INDEPENDENCE: HOW THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS, LEARNS AND ACTS, has indicated that American families rank energy issues very highly after the economy, education, and health care.

As reported by Dina Cappiello of The Associated Press, she writes that

as summer beckons, it seems Americans are thinking more about the stifling cost of energy than about making tracks to the beach.

In the bar graph above, you can see that saving money on energy costs is the second-highest ranked priority by the respondents to this survey. At Outdoor Lighting Perspectives (OLP) of Colorado, we have seen a very strong demand by both new and existing customers for the latest LED lighting fixtures. In almost every case, the homeowners expressed a strong desire to decrease their energy usage.

In the U.S., previous studies have determined that residential lighting accounts for as much as 15-percent of a household’s total energy budget. Until recently, almost half of this energy usage dedicated to lighting had been wasted due to the use of inefficient bulbs (incandescent), the use of higher wattage bulbs than needed for effective illumination, and the fact that lighting systems were not automatically controlled.

The low voltage LED lighting systems (new and retrofit) that OLP of Colorado has been installing will provide a homeowner an energy savings of as much as 82-percent over the previous quartz halogen system. Later this week our crews will be retrofitting an existing customer’s lighting system to LED, and I will report our progress in a future blog post.

Filed under: Architectural Lighting, Bulb Technology, Green Energy, Landscape Lighting, LEDs, Lighting Control Automation, Lighting Retrofits, Residential Lighting | Tagged: AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, automatic lighting controls, Dina Cappiello - The Associated Press, Energy Efficiency and Independence, lighting retrofits for energy savings, low voltage LED lighting, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Colorado, saving money on energy costs | Leave a comment »

Outdoor Lighting Again Ranked in Top 5 by 2012 Landscape Architecture Trends Survey

Posted on May 29, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

Landscape Lighting Makes Outdoor Spaces More Inviting after Sunset

While it’s certainly no surprise to those of us here at Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Colorado, a recent survey of residential landscape architects has again ranked landscape and outdoor lighting as one of the top 5 trends for outdoor living features. In the 2012 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), lighting (outdoor and landscape) was ranked #5 (93.1-percent) as being somewhat or very much in demand. The list of the most popular features across all categories follows below:

Grills 97.4%
Low Maintenance Landscape 96.6
Fireplaces/Firepits 95.8
Dining Areas 95.7
Lighting 93.1
Water Features 89.9
All-Weather Outdoor Furniture 81.2
Pools 79.2

We’re very pleased of course to see that residential landscape architects are beginning to stress the importance of professional landscape lighting to their clients. Surprisingly, most college bachelors degree programs in landscape architecture only require one course in lighting, and most of the students we’ve spoken with tell us that they wished their programs included more. Typically, landscape architects receive more exposure to lighting after they’ve begun their career and taken advantage of the outreach and educational programs offered by ASLA and lighting companies such as Outdoor Lighting Perspectives. The good news is that whatever we’re doing, both landscape architects and homeowners are becoming more aware of the importance and necessity of good landscape lighting.

Filed under: Design, Garden Lighting, Landscape Lighting, Residential Lighting | Tagged: 2012 Residential Landscape Architectural Trends Survey, American Society of Landscape Architects, ASLA lighting trends, landscape architects rank lighting in top 5 popular features, landscape lighting remains popular in 2012, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Colorado, trends in outdoor living features | Leave a comment »

What Is the Proper Way to Illuminate a U.S. Flag?

Posted on May 26, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

As Memorial Day 2012 approaches, it is once again a time to remember and honor those men and women who gave their lives while serving their country. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the fallen who helped preserve the liberty and freedom we still enjoy today.

Many homeowners like to honor all military veterans and current enlistees by displaying a flag on their property from dusk to dawn, and many choose to display it during the evening by installing lighting.

The U.S. Flag Code states that –

It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during hours of darkness.

The Congressional Research Service in interpreting the U.S. Flag Code said that –

It would seem that the display of the flag in a respectful manner with appropriate lighting does not violate the spirit of the Flag Code since the dignity accorded to the flag is preserved by lighting that prevents its being enveloped in darkness.

Unfortunately, far too many homeowners will hang a U.S. flag on a bracket by the front porch, and when the front porch light is turned off – the flag will remain in darkness until sunrise. Fortunately, most homeowners who have actual flagstaffs on their property, realize that the flag must be lit properly.

Lighting Scheme for Residential Flag Poles

Most residential flag poles are up to 20 feet tall, and for this application low voltage quartz halogen or LED lighting will work just fine. As you can see in the drawing to the right, for flag poles in the 14- to 20-foot range and for a typical flag size (3- by 5-feet), we recommend the use of two well lights installed 180 degrees apart to uplight the flag pole and flag. Regardless of which way the wind is blowing, the flag will always be properly illuminated. For shorter flag poles with the well light mounted less than a foot from the flag pole, sometimes only one well light will be sufficient. This is especially the case for installations in or near the foothills where the prevailing wind is typically from one direction most of the time.

At Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, we’ve also learned through experience that the wide flood bulbs do a much better job of ensuring that the flag is illuminated properly. While the narrow spot bulbs will make the flag really stand out when it’s exactly in the right spot, the wide floods seem to work better the other 95-percent of the time.

So display your flag proudly, have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend, and last but not least – save some time to remember what the holiday is truly about.

Filed under: Community Events, Design, Installation Techniques, Residential Lighting | Tagged: how to properly light flagpole, lighting U.S. flag with low voltage lighting, Memorial Day, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, proper illumination U.S. flag, U.S. Flag Code | Leave a comment »

Do People Actually Light Up Their Chimneys?

Posted on May 19, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

Chimney Lighting in Cherry Hills Village

Well, believe it or not – they do and for good reason. Most landscape and architectural lighting professionals tend to develop their list of favorite things to light up, and for us it has been residential chimneys. Many custom home builders in the Denver market (Suderman Homes, Bond General Contractors, etc.) have also taken chimney design and construction to a whole new level. And since the chimney is the highest and most visible architectural feature of the house, it definitely creates a focal point of the house and property – during the daytime and after dark with lighting.

Close-Up of Lighting Fixture

On some houses, the chimney is not visible on the exterior of the house until it emerges from the roofline. With regard to lighting the chimney, that creates a challenging but not insurmountable problem with mounting the lighting fixture to achieve the proper lighting effect. In the photo, you can see a close-up of our factory’s cast brass spot light (20W MR16) that is mounted in the copper gutter along the eave of the home. After the fixture develops a patina, it will blend in perfectly with the rest of the gutter.

The good news is that most chimneys are visible on a home’s facade all the way to the ground level, and these of course are much more easy to light up. For this configuration, well lights can be installed in the ground to provide up-lighting on the chimney.

Oftentimes, surprises can occur during evening lighting design demonstrations when you are setting up the lights for the chimney. On several occasions we have awoken nesting birds and have irritated bats. But the most memorable occasion was when we set up the lights for the chimney and noticed an impish gargoyle sculpture playfully smiling back at us. We still have homeowners ask us whether we were the ones who lit up the gargoyle down on so and so street. So just remember, with evening lighting design you are painting with light – and there’s absolutely no reason that you cannot make it whimsical and playful.

Filed under: Architectural Lighting, Design, Residential Lighting | Tagged: architectural lighting, architectural lighting design, Bond General Contractors, Cherry Hills Village, lighting for chimneys, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, residential architectural lighting, Suderman Homes | Leave a comment »

To Zone, Or Not to Zone… Important Landscape Lighting Design Question

Posted on April 28, 2012 by outdoorlightingofcolorado

Preliminary Landscape-Outdoor Lighting Design with Zones

One of the first questions a landscape lighting designer or contractor must ask a client is how they intend to use their outdoor space – and what the primary motivation is for them to be adding this new lighting. One of the mistakes that inexperienced lighting designers make is to assume how the client will be using their outdoor living space and lighting. After all, the client is the one who lives there 365 days per year and not the designer.

Landscape and outdoor lighting provides aesthetics, safety, security, and usability for a homeowner’s property. Oftentimes, homeowners will want the lighting for all four of the above categories or as few as one; e.g., security. If security lighting is the primary purpose, then chances are the homeowner will want to have the lights operate from dusk to dawn – and from a control standpoint you would only have to have one zone.

If the primary purpose of the lighting is for aesthetics only and the homeowners go to bed around 11:00 PM every night, then there’s no point in increasing their electricity bill to operate the lights until 3:00 AM if they are not awake to enjoy them. The same thing can be said for usability of the outdoor living space. If the pond has been drained for the winter and there are three-foot deep snow drifts on the back patio, most homeowners will not be outside barbecuing in the dead of winter – and probably will not be using their lights quite as much. As far as safety, most homeowners do typically like to leave a few of their lights on all night long whether they be carriage lights by their front door or a few landscape lights to light the way along the sidewalk.

All of the zones have been programmed to turn on and off automatically, but the homeowner can turn off any of these zones manually using this 8-button switch. So even after the installation of the low-wattage LEDs, no energy will be wasted at this homeowner’s house.

Most homeowners typically want to control their back yard lights separately from the lights in the front yard – and they typically have their front yard lights operate for a few hours longer. We have also installed quite a few systems where the homeowners operate the path lighting all night long but have the uplighting for the house and trees turn off at midnight or earlier. We once did a landscape lighting installation for a former Denver Bronco offensive lineman. We had lit up his kids’ jungle gym but he wanted to be able to turn those lights off when he had get-togethers at his house with his team mates. He didn’t want anything to get broken – neither the play equipment or his fellow team mates. For smaller properties that require fewer landscape lighting fixtures, there is typically not much of a need for separate lighting and control zones – and separate zones can unnecessarily drive up the installation cost for a small system. For larger systems, however, separate control zones can help a homeowner save money on their monthly electric bill while also helping the environment.