Quality and well planned lighting can transform a room and save energy at the same time.

HOUSE owners should pay closer attention to future power consumption when installing lights in their properties say several sources within the industry.

Daw Kyi Kyi Win, an interior designer, says a little forethought can save home owners plenty of money down track.

“A room measuring 15 feet by 15 feet and 10 feet high will need a fluorescent lamp about 4-foot-long.

“However, people want to use a main globe in the centre of the room and four down lights – which provide good energy efficiency – in the corners of the room. With that set-up, power consumption will be unnecessarily high.

“Instead you should just use one lamp. You will feel like living in an oven if you turn on every light in the room and that’s the worst feeling. The best idea is to install a lighting system that gives the right amount of light for all conditions,” she says.

When installing lights into a given space, the room’s dimensions must be considered carefully, she says.

“In addition to these points, customers need to decide what things or features in the room you want to showcase. Alternatively, people should consider what they want to hide. If the lighting system is not good, even a beautiful house can look ugly,” she says.

U Hlwan Moe Naing, manager of Silver Tiger Lighting Shop, said: “Buyers should pay attention to the design of lamps they are purchasing and brands are important. Some brands certainly offer better durability and brightness than others.”

Energy saving lights, Daw Kyi Kyi Win says, use less power consumption and also produce more light than electric bulbs.

“Energy saving lights use 80 percent less power and last four or five times longer than electric bulbs, while producing twice the amount of light,” she says.
U Hlwan Moe Naing says more and more people are converting to energy saving globes.

“People use more energy saving lights and wall lamps now than in the past. These lights started becoming popular around 1999.”

Fluorescent globes are losing ground every day against energy savers, he says, and the most common fluoros – those measuring 2- and 4-foot – are only used in bathrooms and kitchens.

Two feet and four feet fluorescent lamps are less used and are only used from kitchens and bathrooms, he said.

Light colours produced from lamps are from white to yellow. White light is cool while yellow light is warm, said Daw Kyi Kyi Win.

“Preferences are different from one person to another. Some people want to live in a dimmed room in the evening after living or working in a bright room for the whole day. Lighting design needs to be adjusted according to the house owners’ preference,” she said.

“Rooms with white or grey colours are matched with white light. Rooms decorated with wood products or, ceilings and walls with yellow colour match with yellow light,” she said.

Also Daw Kyi Kyi Win said chandeliers should not be installed at too high places like twenty feet above the ground at porticos.

“The best way to install chandeliers or lights is not more than ten feet above the ground or floor. Otherwise, it will be difficult to change the light if the light burns out,” she said.