CONTACT:   Kim McGarvey

                       GreystonePartners/919.368.2892

                       kim@greystonepatners.net

                        
                       Katie Pontius

                 OSRAM SYLVANIA/750-2895

                 Katie.pontius@sylvania.com

Home Lighting 101: A Guide to Basic Lighting Terms

The world of lighting has grown tremendously since the invention of the first incandescent light bulb over a century ago. The lighting industry now provides literally hundreds of options for today’s consumers to decorate their homes with light. 

Lighting leader OSRAM SYLVANIA takes pride in educating today’s savvy consumers on the world of lighting.  From online information to lifestyle focused packaging, SYLVANIA is taking strides to make sure this diverse and dramatic resource is used to maximum effectiveness. 

Here are some basic terms that can help consumers understand the wide array of lighting products, techniques and options available today.

• Incandescent Lamps – The most common bulb for traditional home lighting, incandescent lamps produce light by running an electric current through a tungsten filament causing it to glow.  These bulbs are inexpensive, simple to install, and perform well in all temperatures.  However, they also are extremely inefficient, losing most of the energy consumed to heat, and they burn out quickly requiring frequent replacements.

• Halogen Lamps – Halogen lamps are similar to incandescent in that they also produce light from a glowing tungsten filament, but burn longer and more efficiently
  due to the use of halogen gas to reduce lost energy inside the bulb. 
  
  The most common misconception about halogen lighting in the home is that it is relegated to use in torchieres.  While halogen lamps “burn” hot, their long life, energy efficient properties and accurate color rendering make them ideal for recessed lighting, spotlighting, or concealed highlighting for bookcases or stereo cabinets. 

• Fluorescent Lamps – Fluorescent light is often wrongly stigmatized as the harsh, unflattering glare commonly found in the office or warehouse.  Fluorescent lamps are discharge lamps – a phosphor coating on the inside of the lamp actually transforms ultraviolet energy into visible light.  Fluorescent lamps come in a wide range of sizes and shapes and can be incorporated into all aspects of home lighting. 
  Fluorescent tube lighting is ideally suited for cabinet lighting in the kitchen, valance lighting in bedrooms or the office, and strip lighting on either side of the bathroom mirror.  Compact fluorescent lamps can be used to replace incandescent bulbs in nearly every fixture in the home, providing a low cost, energy efficient alternative to traditional bulbs.

Choosing the Right Bulb 

All light bulbs are not created equal.  So, learning to decipher the jargon printed on light bulb packaging and choosing the right lamp for different lighting applications becomes a much simpler task when you understand these terms:

• Lumens – The term refers to a bulb’s light output.  The higher the number of lumens a bulb has the more light it will produce.

• Watts – The amount of energy used by a bulb is measured in watts.  A lamp’s energy efficiency is determined by comparing the wattage consumed by the light produced (lumens).  For example, a SYLVANIA compact fluorescent DULUX^® EL mini twist uses only 13-watts to produce 800 lumens of light output, while an incandescent bulb requires 60-watts of energy to produce that level of light intensity – using more than four times the watts.

• Average Rated Life – The average rated life, in hours, indicates when 50 percent of a large test group of lamps failed when operated at a nominal lamp voltage and current. This number is only an estimate of how long the individual bulb will last with standard use.

The Importance of Color 

Whether you’re looking to make bright colors pop or bring out the rich hues of dark woods and earth tones, the right bulb choice can make all the difference.

• Color Rendering Index (CRI) – CRI is the measure of a light source’s ability to render the color of objects accurately.  The highest number on this index is 100.

• Color Temperature – The color temperature of a lamp is measured in degrees Kelvin.  The color of daylight is measured at 6000K.  Typical incandescent lamps measure roughly 2700K, producing a warm, yellow light ideal for bringing out yellows, browns and dark reds.  Cool light, typically around 3500K to 4100K, comes closer to the color temperature of natural light and can enhance blue, light grey, and white decorating schemes.

Types of Indoor Lighting

Lighting has many purposes in the home and different activities require different levels of illumination.  To create a versatile environment, consider installing dimming switches in areas where required light levels will change such as the kitchen, dining room, living room and bedroom.

• Task Lighting – creates a visual environment for a specific activity, such as reading, sewing, or cooking, by focusing the light in a particular direction.

• Accent Lighting – creates mood, sets tone and adds interest to a room by highlighting or spotlighting certain areas and objects, such as paintings, walls and collectables. 

• Ambient Lighting – provides overall illumination and a comfortable level of brightness by using indirect lighting to allow you to see and move around safely.

Home Lighting Techniques 

The way a room is lit can add dimension and texture to a space, make a small room appear larger, and make large rooms cozy and intimate.  With all the different options available for home lighting design, understanding a few of the basic terms can help get you started on your home lighting makeover.

• Downlighting – is a technique where objects are illuminated from above simulating the natural downlighting properties of daylight. 

• Uplighting – this technique can be used to highlight objects in the home or outdoors.  Uplighting a favorite plant creates an artistic ceiling design for the living room or foyer.

• Wall washing – reflects light off a room’s surfaces, the ceiling, floor and walls, to reduce glare and create soft ambient lighting.

• Valance Lighting – is a system that includes both up and down lighting and typically uses fluorescent strip lights to create the look.

• Recessed Lighting – fixtures are installed such that light is level with the ceiling.  High temperature halogen lamps make excellent choices for recessed fixtures.

• Spotlighting – is a contained beam of light used primarily to highlight particular objects or areas of a room.   

About OSRAM SYLVANIA

Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American lighting operation of OSRAM GmbH.  Together we are the second-largest lighting and materials enterprise in the world, serving customers in more than 140 countries.  We manufacture and market a wide range of lighting products, including automotive, electronic and magnetic ballasts, and precision materials and components for industrial and commercial users, original equipment manufacturers and consumers, sold primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, but also under the OSRAM brand. OSRAM SYLVANIA also offers lighting systems installation and maintenance services.  For further information, please refer to our Web site at www.sylvania.com.