Where were you on New Year’s Eve 2012?

Like many New Yorkers… We were not in Times Square, and instead watched the famous Times Square ball drop in living color on flat panel monitors, safe and warm with loved ones and friends in our favorite New York City nightspot. Sounds good, right?

Whether you were there in person to become a part of history or enjoyed the experience from a distance, you were seeing the bright lights of the Times Square ball provided by lighting manufacturer Phillips. The ball is made up of 32,356 LUXEON LEDs in a variety of bright colors. The bulbs use about 80 percent less energy than conventional incandescent bulbs.

The “Ball Drops” on Conventional Lighting, Too

As the ball drops to signal 2012, the Energy Independence and Security Act will also be going into effect. This legislation has a lot of people concerned, but really, it just means that the government is slowly phasing out traditional incandescent bulbs, which are energy hogs that can raise your electric bills. In 2012, only 100-watt bulbs will be banned, but the ban will extend to 75-watt bulbs next year, to be followed by other versions in 2014.

In their place, you’ll be able to buy new, more energy efficient incandescent bulbs that use halogen technology, compact flourescents (CFLs), and LEDs. Of these, LEDs are the more expensive, but also the longest-lasting choice; and they use about one-quarter or less of the electricity of traditional incandescents.

What does all this have to do with residential and commercial audio video systems? In today’s world of technology, it’s all connected…

LEDs: The Choice in High-End Homes
In 2011, we saw a lot of our high-end home theatre customers and corporate clients making the switch to LED bulbs. Recessed LED lighting with dimmer control is the way to go in your home theatre for a clean, unobtrusive look that blends in perfectly with your new flat screen HDTV.

In 2012, Phillips will introduce their AmbientLED line of screw-in bulbs for home use, too, so we expect to see even more applications for LEDs in home theaters and around the house.

For corporations concerned about their carbon footprint and energy efficiency, upgrading to LEDs when you upgrade your corporate boardroom audio video systems is a logical step.

To make a really energy-efficient change in 2012, pair your energy efficient bulbs with a Crestron control system to take better control of your home or business energy use. (That’s where we come in…)

If one of your goals in 2012 is to save money by lowering your electric bills, JD Pro can help.