# Creating a More Sustainable Home with Smart Technology Lighting - Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2018/08/creating-a-more-sustainable-home-with-smart-technology-lighting/ - Published: 2018-08-18T01:21:35-04:00 - Author: greenlivingguy Gone are the days when gas furnaces were installed with instructions to keep the pilot light on year-round to “reduce moisture” in the unit. Thereby, [sustainable](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/05/5-sustainable-changes-you-can-make-in-your-office/) home initiatives are now widely followed, and just like electronic ignition has replaced old-school pilot lights, LEDs and smart apps are quickly making incandescent bulbs museum pieces. ![Led bulb and simple light bulbs Green background](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy. com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/depositphotos_40060453_s-e1587518853788.jpg?resize =250%2C162&quality=52&ssl=1 "LED bulb and simple light bulbs.Green background - The Green Living Guy") LED Green Lighting is always the way to go ## **Short History Lesson** Incandescent bulbs were the go-to lighting source for many years. Your parents probably used these exclusively, as they could get them in many different wattages from 15 to even 300. Terms like lumens were rarely mentioned, and the warm, yellow light that incandescents cast was welcomed. While fluorescent lighting was invented around 1904 and did cause major light bulb manufacturers to improve their incandescent bulbs, many families felt that the stark fluorescent light was better suited to workshops, garages and basements. Furthermore, fluorescents needed things called starters in order to operate, and the long bulbs were very fragile. A [General Electric (GE) scientist named Nick Holonyak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Holonyak) invented the first Light Emitting Diode or LED in the 1960s. He knew then that he had something very special, as he called his invention “the magic one.”   ## **Today’s LEDs** Today you can buy an LED shaped like an incandescent bulb that will fit in many old fixtures. LEDS can now be connected to dimmers, although you must be sure that you are matching the LED and dimmer electronics. Add smart apps to the [LED world](https://web.archive.org/web/20190522210413/https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/how-energy-efficient-light), and you can save big energy dollars while helping the environment as your carbon footprint shrinks. In addition, LED bulb prices have come down significantly in the past couple of years. ## **Apps – What You Can Buy** Just start basically, and work with an app that can turn your lighting on and off from your phone. If you’re uncomfortable at first in programming the app to turn your lights on and off at certain times, just use your device to do it manually. Then, if you have a few spare minutes at work, you can easily learn to use the app to automatically turn your lights off when you leave for work, and turn them on just before you get home, or when it gets dark. ## **More Sophisticated** A smarter home with a smarter app will be able to interface lights with outside conditions. When it’s sunny outside, your app used with certain lights can make your rooms brighter or darker. For example, when you’re sitting in your [Houston apartment](https://www.abodo.com/houston-tx) and it suddenly gets cloudy and your home gets dark, your app can adjust the lighting to match outside conditions. Super easy, huh!? Some upscale apps that are paired with special LED lights can also change the room lighting color. We know LEDs last two to four times longer than conventional light bulbs. In addition, they throw very little heat. Remember the days when floodlights were used in kitchen areas? By merely walking under them you could feel the heat! Also take into consideration that if you spend $360 annually for incandescent lighting, LEDs shrink that cost to $55. Add a smart app to the mix, and you can save even more and contribute to the planet’s sustainability. And when you’re [saving money for your first home](https://www.c4dcrew.com/2018-tips-for-first-time-home-buyers/), all of these eco-friendly savings can really add up. For more information on Green Living, check out [other articles on our blog](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/10/green-living-news-alert-16-jump-seen-in-alternative-investments-in-sustainability/). ![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641? s=300&d=monsterid&r=g) greenlivingguy The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author, Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke # Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow. [See Full Bio](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/) [ ](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/)