News & Guides

The much cited advantage of LED light bulbs is that they provide more lumens per watt than traditional bulbs - meaning that they provide more fractional units of illumination for each watt used to power them, and so use less energy to light the same space. That, paired with the more easily recyclable materials used in their construction, is what Read more...

Anyone who hasn't spilled paint on their carpet at one time or another is either gifted with the catlike reflexes of a ninja or they are plain old, straight-up lying through their teeth. And while DIY mishaps - from prying a lid of paint off too overenthusiastically to hitting a livewire while fitting switches and sockets and subsequently Read more...

Businesses are exposing themselves to serious consequences, both legal and potentially personnel-related, if they do not adhere to government enforced safety measures, according to one industry expert. Phil Bates, senior policy and technical adviser at charity and non-governmental organisation the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (Iosh Read more...

LED lighting giant Cree has announced a new bulb that delivers enhanced performance on just 7.3W of electricity. The firm's claims that its latest lab prototype could deliver 170lm/W were confirmed by independent testing service OnSpeX. LED light bulbs' efficiency is measured in units of lumens per watt (lm/W), which indicates how Read more...

We take free-flowing electricity supplies for granted in the UK, but in many parts of the world, such ready access to power is not a day-to-day reality. However, one industry expert has said that the various benefits of LED lighting - such as the low heat output, comparatively small voltage needed to run a bulb and the long lifespan of each Read more...

Widespread adoption of LED lighting in commercial buildings could well be on the horizon, as more tools become available to building management teams and technical improvements gather apace that make such installations more cost-effective long-term and more affordable short-term. That's according to IDC Energy Insight's Casey Talon, who Read more...

If you're planning on making large-scale improvements or extensions to your home it is vital that you inform your insurer, according to one expert. It's a surprisingly common mistake home improvers can make. A MoneySupermarket.com report published this week found that, while many householders were planning to upgrade or improve their home Read more...

Athletes biting medals, the reanimated remains of the Spice Girls, Eric Idle… last night's Olympic Games closing ceremony had millions of viewers gripped. But the show wouldn't have really been up to much without the help of LED lighting. And not just so everybody could see what was going on: lighting was integral to the show. Read more...

International LED lighting supplier Cree has posted strong global revenues for the 2011/12 fiscal year, but admits there's still some way to go before LED lighting becomes the norm in homes. Cree, which operates out of North Carolina but supplies LEDs the world over, posted total sales of $1.16 billion (£741 million) over the last year, Read more...

It's always a hot topic among homeowners, and it could be set to become even more of a burning issue come the turn of the year: industry analysts are predicting gas and electricity bills could rise by as much as 2.5 per cent in the next five months. The warning comes after Bank of England researchers investigated supplier and distribution Read more...