Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. We all know that switching to fluorescent lighting saves energy and money. But if it s such a good deal, why aren t we all doing it? One reason is the bad rap that fluorescent lighting has gotten from those old-style fixtures we all remember from schools and commercial buildings of decades past. T-12 type standard fixtures are infamous for humming, buzzing, flickering and giving an unflattering cast to everything they illuminate. Those older fixtures can be upgraded with an electronic ballast. They can also be replaced with the new t-8 type fluorescent fixtures that eliminate humming and flickering. T-8 type fixtures last just as long or longer because they weigh less and run cooler, and they save 40 percent on electricity. Installing them on timers or occupancy sensors saves even more energy, and that s very good for business. At home, a lighting upgrade is much simpler. Now you can find a compact fluorescent bulb to fit almost any fixture in your home. While they may take a few seconds to warm up, they produce more accurate color and less glare than standard bulbs, which reduces eye strain and headaches. A new generation compact fluorescent bulb will cost more than a regular incandescent bulb anywhere from $5 to $25. But each one can save you $100 in electricity and last up to 13 times longer. As if that weren t motivation enough, some utilities offer free light bulbs or rebates for homeowners who are willing to make the switch. Best of all, upgrading your lighting saves greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing just one 75-watt light bulb with an 18-watt compact fluorescent can keep one ton of carbon dioxide emissions and 20 pounds of sulfur oxide out of the atmosphere. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Lighting design is an important part of any kitchen. A single overhead fixture can make a room seem flat. You want to try and highlight those areas you use the most. One way is to install task lighting under the cabinets or use it to uplight objects. For ambient light, use track lighting to open up the room. You can adjust the levels by using a dimmer switch. This allows you to accent certain areas to complement any occasion.

If you're looking for ways to add some character to your house, try designing some mood lighting. A single overhead fixture can make a room seem flat. To really brighten up a room, try using wall washers and uplighting for ambient light. Hiding lights inside casework or with sconces is great for accenting certain areas. For a more romantic scheme. bring down the ambient levels and try uplighting plants or other objects.

Track lighting is a great option if you want versatility in a lighting scheme. Tracks can be hung at different levels and are held in place with set screws to support the weight of several fixtures. The track heads themselves can be redirected at different angles to achieve the desired effect, and because the track itself is electrified, you can swap fixtures in and out with just a twist.

When you design the lighting for your bathroom, keep these points in mind. Downlighting from the ceiling will give you unwanted shadow if you're trying to use the mirror. Installing lights just above the mirror will reduce that somewhat, but it's not the best option. Placing lights around the mirror works best, giving you plenty of light, but with few shadows.

Markus Early from Earlylight Consulting explains to Bob the lighting design in the apartment. Starting with the kitchen overhead light, which has new T-5 ultra low profile florescent tube lighting that aims up to create a reflected light for food preparation. In the living and dining areas Early washes the room in track lighting from LSI, Lighting Services Incorporated. Early has selected AR 70 Sylvania bulbs, which eliminate glare.

Although the project in the Melrose home began as a basement expansion and remodel, it soon expanded to include portions of the home that either needed repair or offered opportunities for improvement. The front of the house had some serious landscape and hardscape improvements made, including putting in a retaining wall and new shrubs and bushes. A white cedar fence was put along the side of the house. An area of peastone was put in the backyard along with a section of NewGrass artificial grass. Tom Pena of Atlantic View Lighting reviews how the outdoor lighting fixtures were installed. In this case, a 20 watt Astrobrite bulb was used which should last a long time and is user-friendly as it is resistant to oils on human hands. The Uniques stem and fixture are solid brass and feature a lifetime warranty. A 25-foot wire was used to power the lights, 22 of them in all. Every fixture in this case has a 20 watt bulb. Different sections of the yard could be designed to handle lighting differently. Photocell lighting is available to turn lights on automatically when it turns dark. No matter what size the lighting job, installers should work in order from the last light installed back to the hub to make sure things work consistently.

House four of the Elmwood project. New lighting arrangements, granite countertop and finish the reclaimed pine floor.

Bob shows a complete proper lighting plan of the loft project and meets Shawn and Bill from Driscol Electric who are hanging a suspended track light in the bedroom of the loft. Bob also visits the Lightolier Tech Center in Fall River, Massachusetts that has been in business since 1904 when Lightolier made gas and electric lighting components. Markus Earley the manager of the Tech Center gives Bob a tour of the facility which demonstrates light quality, function and design.

This 1920s-era house had almost no exterior lighting and not even a place to plug in the Christmas lights. Electrician John Schiavone installed new lighting outlets for the exterior and interior of the home. The lighting fixtures and table lamps in the living room are all operated by wireless control. Ben Wilson Jr. of Lutron/Keyes North Atlantic reviews the features of this system. The control unit has five settings for the homeowner to set, which will control various lights in the house. The system seeks out and uses wireless frequencies that are not currently in use and will not impede the use of other wireless devices in the area. Each room of the house is equipped with a dimmer switch that for manual operation.