Christmas
Tree Lights - LED Energy Efficient Savings In The Holiday
Season
Trimming the Tree, Trimming the
Costs
This year, crews won’t just be trimming the
National Christmas Tree, they’ll be trimming the nation’s
energy bill, too, with the  most energy-efficient holiday display in our
national history.
Lit almost entirely by light-emitting diodes called LEDs, the
2008 National Christmas Tree display will be 50 percent more
energy efficient than last year’s display. While LEDs were used
on the National Tree for the first time in 2007, this year’s
display saves even more energy by eliminating the lighted
garland and making use of smaller, lighter-weight ornaments.
2008 marks the first year that all 56 U.S. state and territory
trees will be powered by LED lights donated by GE, for a
substantial savings in energy.
"LEDs have become the cool, new technology in lighting, and
with good reason," said Kathy Presciano, designer of the
National Christmas Tree and lighting designer for GE.
"They use a fraction of the energy, and they last 10
times as long as a traditional incandescent light. They worked
so well for last year’s National Tree, this year we decided to
expand them to the state trees, too," Presciano said.
Building a tradition of savings
Having entered the market in force last Christmas season,
pre-lit LED trees, LED light sets, and even
LED outdoor decorations are now a
mainstream choice for consumers looking to decorate their homes
for the holidays. "Expect to see them become brighter, more
efficient, and more versatile with each passing year,"
Presciano said.
This year’s National Tree will carry more than 37,000
individual LED lights, including the topper and the background
lights. The 42-inch tall, star-shaped tree topper is an
"heirloom" topper used for the last two years. It is outfitted
with industrial grade, white GE Tetra LEDs -- a product
offering of GE’s LED business, Lumination, LLC. As many as 680,
50-light strings of clear, C5 LEDs will provide a dazzling
backdrop to the tree. Each string costs only 14 cents to light
for a full four-week holiday season.
Presciano noted that for reasons of brightness and weight
restrictions, more than 140 star-shaped ornaments were created
using clear, C7 incandescent lights. Each ornament weighs less
than two pounds. This year’s 12-inch, 3D ornaments are made
from interlocking Lexan panels with applied, bright gold,
holographic mosaic vinyl. Designed to catch the sun, the
ornaments will make the tree look lit, even when it’s turned
off during the day.
While groups from each state are responsible for the ornaments
decorating their own state tree, GE donated more than 360
strings of clear, C5 LED lights to serve as their background
lights. The clear lights will match the National Tree and help
create a unified look when the trees are lit, Presciano
said.
Waste Not, Want Not
Planning for the 2008 tree started last January as Presciano
began creating architectural drawings of the ornaments and
choosing lights from the GE inventory. But one of the biggest
issues is how to take down the lights at the end of the
season.
"With LEDs lasting so much longer, we’re carefully taking them
off and storing them so we can create an inventory of light
resources for the country that will last for years," Presciano
said. Last year’s garland, topper, ornaments and multi-colored
strings were saved, she noted, and should be rotated back into
use in years to come.
GE has been designing the National Christmas Tree since 1962,
producing and donating the lighting and decorations. Presciano
has personally designed every tree since 1995. This year’s tree
lighting ceremony will take place December 4. "It may take
months of planning and work to design the tree, but there’s
nothing quite like the reward you get when the President flips
the switch and the tree just comes to life. It’s the symbol of
the holidays, and the blessing of being able to celebrate
together, in freedom. It’s an honor for GE to be a part of
that," she said.
The lighting of the National Christmas Tree is an unbroken
tradition that began in 1923 when Calvin Coolidge lit the first
tree on the Ellipse. The event is sponsored by the National
Park Foundation, official charitable partner of America’s
National Parks, and the National Park Service.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Christmas Tree LED Lights - Energy
Efficient Savings In The Holiday
Season
Christmas
Tree Lights - Christmas Tree Lighting - Christmas Tree
LED Lights - Christmas Lights - Christmas Lights - LED
Lights - Energy
Efficient Savings - LED Lighting - LED Outdoor
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