CONTACT:
Kim McGarvey
GreystonePartners/919.363.3667
kim@greystonepartners.net
Katie Pontius
OSRAM SYLVANIA/978.750.2892
katie.pontius@sylvania.com
THE CHANGING LOOK OF HOME LIGHTING
New York, N.Y. - (October 21, 2004) - One of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of a home is to change the lighting. Switching out the antiquated incandescent lamps in a home can make a major difference in both your décor and energy consumption. With the introduction of LED, compact fluorescent (CFL) and halogen technology that is attractive and easy to incorporate in home lighting installations, the way we illuminate our living space has evolved. It is not about the light bulb anymore, it's about the light.
A few major factors have influenced much of the recent lighting innovations for the residential market. They include the need for more energy efficient and "environmentally aware" products, the demand for more aesthetically pleasing light and the desire to introduce light sources in new and varied applications.
With the recent innovations in lighting technology and techniques, customers are faced with more choices than ever before, but there are also more resources available to keep the market informed of the latest in lighting. Internet sites now make it easy for consumers to review product advantages by attributes like energy savings properties, long life, color and environmental impact. Then they can choose the best applications for each specific room in their home by simply reading the product packaging.
Energy efficient products and "environmentally aware" products. Simply switching from incandescent to a more energy-efficient light bulb is one of the most effective and most easily sustainable design strategies available in home lighting today. Reduced energy usage means reduced utility emissions, which results in less of an environmental impact. As halogen and CFL lamps improve in color rendering properties and performance, they are increasingly replacing common incandescent lamps, which have a relatively short life and a low level of energy efficiency.
Today, states from coast to coast have been making environmentally sound products and processes a top priority. They have imposed specific requirements and regulations on lighting manufacturers to take responsibility for products containing mercury, lead and other materials deemed "hazardous". As environmental responsibility continues to become a priority for consumers and industry at large, we will see a greater variety of products that contain fewer hazardous materials and pose less risk and damage to the environment. SYLVANIA's line of screw-based CFLs and their new HaloBRIGHT family of halogen lamps are both energy efficient choices for the home.
LEDs: Changing the way we think about light. Getting homeowners to think unconventionally about lighting applications is pivotal to introducing new light sources to the market. In other words, encouraging them to not only replace existing applications with incandescent, halogen or fluorescent lighting, but also to consider using advanced technologies to bring light to areas that were difficult or impossible to light in the past, given the constraints of existing technology.
For instance, instead of replacing a halogen spotlight with ceiling mounted lamps, LED light sources could be integrated into crown moulding or smaller spaces to illuminate walls directly. An extremely versatile lighting product, LEDs have opened up major opportunities for increased control and dimmability. LED products also offer color changing and control properties unmatched by any current lighting product on the market today, allowing consumers to create more exciting and attractive displays. The truly "mini" size of LEDs compared to traditional light sources empower decorators to find new applications for lighting.
LEDs are far more robust than many traditional light sources. They are solid-state light sources - basically, a chemical chip embedded in a plastic capsule - so there are no electrodes to decay or glass bulbs or filaments to break. When the chip is energized by applying a voltage, it emits visible light. The chemical composition of the chip determines the color light produced. Light produced by LEDs can then be focused, routed, or scattered using lenses, waveguides or diffusers.
Because LEDs run on direct current, or DC, they must be operated with a DC transformer or power supply, sometimes referred to as an LED "driver". This technology is evolving quickly. Life of some LEDs is approaching 50,000 hours, a variety of saturated colors are being introduced to the marketplace and the small module size allows for flexibility of applications in the smallest of spaces. Homeowners will want to stay tuned as technology and applications are uncovered and products become cost competitive.
Leading the way.OSRAM SYLVANIA is the industry leader in lighting innovation. We have made energy efficiency a priority at all levels of lamp production and implementation.
Our commitment to innovation has resulted in a product line that incorporates the latest in lighting technology. For more information on SYLVANIA and SYLVANIA products please visit www.sylvania.com or call 1-800-LIGHTBULB.
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.