Illuminations Lighting Design

Has your Panasonic hybrid phone system got you trapped in your own home? Wish you could add new system speed dial numbers or change ringing assignments? Add a voice mail system or manage your voice mail accounts? Perhaps you bought a home with a Panasonic phone system that needs updating or reprogramming to your preferences.

Illuminations Lighting Design is a Panasonic hybrid phone dealer covering digital hybrid systems and home automation systems. Three of the most popular Panasonic phone systems that were widely used in older residential homes and small offices were the Panasonic KX-TD308, Panasonic KX-TD616 and the Panasonic KX-TD1232 hybrid systems. These phone systems have numerous special features to make your home or office phone system more enjoyable:

Uniform Call Distribution.
Systematically distributes calls among a group of operators or sales agents. When all lines are busy, outside callers receive a single message for the entire group. During extremely busy periods, the system will route overflow calls to another group of extensions based on a pre-programmed timetable.

Automatic Route Selection.
Can help reduce long distance charges by automatically routing calls to the most cost-effective long distance carrier in your network. Selection can be pre-programmed to switch carriers based on time of day, day of week and call destination tables.

Caller ID.
Compatibility allows you to see the caller's name and phone number displayed on your Panasonic system display phone.

Digital Voice Processor Integration.
With the Panasonic Digital Super Hybrid System gives you capabilities no other system can. Exclusive like "Live Call Screening" give you the ability to listen to callers leave a voice mail. Just hit a button on your telephone if you want to take the call, if not, simply let the Panasonic Voice Processor handle it. This is just one of many advantages with the Panasonic KX-TVS50, KX-TVS95, KX-TVS125, KX-TVS225, and KX-TVS325 voice mail systems.

Call Forwarding Versatility.
Automatically transfers calls to your mailbox, another extension or anywhere in the world. It can be programmed to call a pager or cell phone, so you can be contacted anywhere, anytime 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

These popular models have now been replaced by the new Panasonic KX-TAW848. The KX-TAW848's modular design allows you to tailor the system to meet your specific requirements. The KX-TAW848 combines versatile wired telephone system features with the expanded functionality of advanced multi-cell wireless technology to meet the needs of today's upscale residential, SOHO and small business environments. The system can be configured with a maximum of 8 CO's and 48 extensions. The 48 extensions can be comprised of up to 24 KX-T7700 series proprietary telephones and 24 wireless handset extensions. The system also supports single line telephones (SLT) and 4 doorphones/openers.

This Panasonic phone system offers a modular design combined with PC programming making installation fast and simple. Additional system maintenance chores are a breeze and can be performed off premises by the installer with the optional remote card. Whether your telephone needs call for a wireless system, a wired system or both, the KX-TAW848 offers the latest technology and extraordinary flexibility at a surprising cost.

Whether you are working on a new construction project or updating an existing system, we want every homeowners phone system in new construction to run effortlessly. We know that, with thoughtful design, it can. For more information on Panasonic phone systems, please contact Faisal Manzoor at 713-863-1133 X131 or visit us online at www.illuminationslighting.com. Our factory trained technicians are ready to reprogram your Panasonic phone system and educate you on operating the system.

Each light source has a unique color temperature that sets the appearance for the environment in which it is used. The actual color of the light that is given off from the source is represented in Kelvin and referred to as Correlated Color Temperature or CCT. A lamp can have a warm, midrange or cool appearance depending on its color temperature. These different color temperatures can set the mood, create an environment, improve a person's disposition, influence a person's buying habits and has even been know to affect a person's appetite.

"Warm" light sources have a lower color temperature, usually in the 2500K-3000K range. These lamps produce more light in the red/orange/yellow spectrum. As color temperature of a lamp increases the lamps appearance becomes "cooler." As the lamp's color temperature increases so does the amount of light produced in the blue end of the spectrum.

Here are some of the various Kelvin color temperatures and common applications for fluorescent lamps:

2700K - 3400K
Warm; Warm White
Specialty Retailers, Restaurants, Hotel Lobbies, Residential Applications

3500K
Neutral; Neutral White
Grocery Stores & Produce Markets, Retail Stores, Bank Lobbies

4100K
Cool; Cool White
Offices, Manufacturing, Schools, Hospitals

5000K - 6500K
Daylight; Daylight Plus; Full Spectrum
Printers, Paint Studios, Art Galleries, Car Dealerships

If you would like to learn more about how light and color can affect your environment, give the professional lighting designers at Illuminations Lighting Design a call toll free at 800-863-1184. They are a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting installation, service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters and lighting control systems. Visit them online as www.illuminationslighting.com.

Image and portions of this content courtesy of USHIO America, Inc.

We have received many questions from our lighting design clients regarding California Title 24 issues for both new construction and remoldeling projects. So, we thought it might be helpful to discuss these issues and the regulations.

In order to reduce energy consumption, California has inacted a new energy code policy (Title 24) that significantly impacts lighting in new and remodeled homes. Beginning October 2005, all new and remodeled homes must incorporate energy efficient lighting and controls. Depending on the room in the house, these lighting controls might include the following devices:

Dimmers

Occupancy Sensors
Must be certified Title 24 compliant
Must be manual-on/automatic-off (can also be turned off manually)
Must turn off automatically in 30 minutes Cannot be locked in a permanent "on" state

High efficacy lights - fluorescent, compact fluorescent (CFL) or high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps Fluorescent, CFL, and HID lights must not have a medium screw base socket Lamps rated 13 watts or greater must have an electronic ballast Of these, Lutron dimmers are the most cost effective, consumer friendly solution.

So which room needs what lighting controls you might be asking yourself? Well, this is what the rules state and here are some suggestions:

Living room, bedrooms, family room, and hallways
Dimmers or Occupancy sensor or Fluorescent lighting

Kitchen
Fluorescent lighting - at least 50% of installed wattage must be from fluorescent, CFL or HID lights (13 watts or greater require an electronic ballast)

Incandescent lighting - up to 50% of installed wattage may be incandescent lighting if switched separately

Dimmers - pair with incandescent lighting as an upgrade from a standard switch

Bathrooms, utility rooms, garages, laundry rooms
Fluorescent lighting or occupancy sensors

Exterior security lights (attached to building)
Fluorescent lighting or Incandescent lighting combined with photocell control and/or a motion sensor

If you have any questions regarding California Title 24 regulations, feel free to contact the professional lighting constants at Illuminations Lighting Design toll free at 800-863-1184 X 131 for lighting issues. Of course, Title 24 is a complex subject and you can learn more by contacting the California Energy Commission online at http://www.energy.ca.gov/