For a number of years, I have inquired with our electricians about the possibility of using LED lights throughout the home. This was mostly due to my love of the environment; an LED bulb takes a fraction of the power to run than other types of lights.

Until recently, the answer to my queries has been, “the technology is not ready yet”. The difficulty with LED lights was their unpleasant bluish colour, their inability to dim, and the overall quality not yet being acceptable for our standards.

This past year, when I asked our electrician, the answer was “actually, I used them in my own house and love them!” And so, we have widened our selections to include LED lighting options.

The new option we are offering is what I call an ‘all-in-one’ LED pot light. Rather than a bulb, this unit contains all of the mechanics required to run the light. It lasts 35,000 hours, runs on 8 watts, and is energy-star qualified. The colour is comparable to that of the halogen, and although it is said they are equivalent in brightness, I find them to be a little brighter, and thus reduce the quantity needed. These lights can also be dimmed.

Also, as a new offering, we can supply LED under valance lights. The units are what I consider to be ‘all-in-one’ as well; no separate transformer is required making them easy to install. Again, they draw a fraction of the energy required to run alternate types of light. The light they produce is brighter than its xenon counterpart and has a similar colour.

Technology in lighting is a very diverse subject. There are many types of lighting, many manufacturers, and each electrician has their own preferences. This is a good example of relying on our trades for their recommendations, for quality, usability, life span, and ease of working with the product.

In the last 6 months, when our clients see the samples of LED side by side with other types of lights, most often they make the choice to go with LED. The advantages are truly becoming hard to ignore, and everyone loves to contribute to their part of saving energy.

Emily Larochelle Design Consultant, Slotegraaf Construction