Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Southeastern North Carolina’s electronic specialists, Electronics 2 You’s recent e-newsletter highlighted Control4, an energy monitoring system, and it’s use in the Las Vegas CityCenter , Aria Resort & Casino, and Mandarin Oriental. You can use Control4 to monitor the energy usage in your own home with the help of Electronics 2 You. They specialize in installing the Control4 system and TED (The Energy Detective). New Hanover County, NC Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is currently using TED at their Green home in Landfall in Wilmington, NC. “Being able to monitor the energy usage in real-time is very beneficial. It shows us what lifestyle changes we need to make to ensure the Green features of the home are used at their highest potential,” noted Mark Johnson.

Below is an excerpt from Electronics 2 You’s e-newsletter and visit their site for more information on optimizing your monetary saving in your home today! To sign up for their newsletter, click here!

“Guests will use a single remote and Control4 on-screen view to use the TV to set the systems in their rooms to their personal preferences, including lighting levels, room temperature, television/video systems, music, drapes and guest services.

Other features include:

• A ‘good night’ scene button on the touchscreen next to the bed which turns off the lights, TV and/or music, closes the drapes, and turns on the privacy notification for the room.
• A ‘wake-up’ scene where lights and music gradually come on, the temperature comes up, and the drapes open.
• After a guest has checked out, a room can quickly be put in ‘unoccupied’ mode, which shuts off the lights, heating or cooling, entertainment systems, and any other electronic device in the room.
• Integration with property management systems to deliver concierge-type services, as well as automate the guestroom, based on check-in/check-out status.
• Sending an alert to the technical systems staff regarding problems in the room, such as low batteries in remotes.

Scot Campbell, senior vice president and chief information officer at MGM MIRAGE Information Technology, says the Control4 Suite System makes CityCenter ‘the most energy efficient establishment in Las Vegas.’ He says that is important because more consumers are conscious of being green at home and when they travel.”

Brunswick County custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes relies on Wilmington, NC’s Electronics 2 You for all of their clients’ electronic needs. They integrate state-of-the-art audio, video, communications, automation and lighting equipment into both new and existing homes. Below is an article from their November e-newsletter with valuable tips on energy-efficient LED fixtures. For more information on Electronics 2 You, visit their site, sign up for their newsletter, or call them at 910-397-0953.

Thinking of buying energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) fixtures for your home? There are a lot of LED lights on the market today, but buyer beware. Good, long-lasting LED lights are also available—and will generally cost more. Here are some things you should check out as you shop:

Where’s the power supply? Most LEDs require low-voltage, so they must have an AC-to-DC adapter, transformer, or power supply to operate them. These can be internal or external to the fixture.

Color Temperature, or Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) refers to the appearance of the light. “Warmer” yellowish light like that from an incandescent bulb is in the 2700 to 3000 Kelvin (K) range, while bluish or cool light like that of some fluorescents is in the 5000K-plus range.

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure of the ability of a light source to render colors, on a scale of 100—the higher the better. The CRI for many white-light LEDs is between 75 and 85.

How does the manufacturer define lifetime? Lifetime typically refers to the useful time of light output, also referred to as lumen maintenance. For white LEDs, lifetime refers to the time after which 70 percent or more of the useful light remains. 

Does the quoted lifetime include the electronics and other components necessary to drive the LED source?

Does the fixture have any special features for heat sinking or thermal management? Though the light from LEDs itself is not hot, the backs of the fixtures can get very hot.

What warranty is offered? Beware of vague guarantees.

Does installation of LED fixtures include all the necessary components to operate the lights? Many LED fixtures require external components and controls in order to be operated.