New Triflow Concepts Faucet Design

Triflow Concepts commissioned pre-eminent architect, Zaha Hadid, to explore the capabilities of brassware technology in designing the tap of the future.

Hadid employs the latest in 3-D software to create a touch-sensitive faucet with a unique body that bends and twists like liquid mercury.

The triflow faucet has two spouts, one for filtered water and the other for unfiltered hot and cold water. A green halo light comes on when the touch filtration button is activated. The light turns red when the filter cartridge needs replacing.

The cost of the filter cartridges is unknown but the Designer Triflow Faucet is $7,000. Finish choices for the faucet are gold, nickel, chrome and pewter.

February 18, 2009

Flea Market Ideas

If you love finding new ways to use old things, you’ll enjoys these two creative ideas from the Better Homes and Gardens Do It Yourself Website for repurposing items you may have lying around or can easily find at a salvage sale.

Inserting heavy-gauge wire mesh in a painted door and suspending it from the ceiling with metal chains creates additional storage for pots and pans.

Turning an old light fixture on its head and filling it with fresh flowers creates an electrifying display. If the collar on your light does not have this attractive patina paint it with metallic paint to achieve a bronze or copper patina.

February 13, 2009

New Incandescent-Shaped CFL Under Glass

For homeowners who want to go green but can’t fit the swirly-shaped compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) into their existing lamps, a new compact CFL from GE will provide the solution you’ve been looking for.

GE’s new Covered Energy Smart CFL bulb features its Spiral CFL inside a glass bulb.

GE created specialized miniature electronics that fit inside the neck of the bulb making the bulb’s profile virtually identical to a standard incandescent light bulb.

The bulbs will be carried by Target and select Ace Hardware Stores. Around Earth Day (April 22, 2009) more retailers such as Sam’s Club and Walmart will have the new bulbs for sale.

“These fit in more lamps and fixtures than standard GE Spiral® CFLs with the plastic base,” says Kathy Sterio, general manager of consumer marketing, GE Consumer & Industrial. “Some people just want an incandescent bulb profile so they can easily use it with clip-on lampshades or smaller table lamps. Other people may see it as more aesthetically pleasing than GE Spiral® CFLs in lamps or fixtures where the bulb is visible. It provides a more finished or tailored look that appeals to a lot of consumers.”

The equivalent of a 60W incandescent bulb, the new 8,000-hour rated life CFL is guaranteed for five years based on four hours of daily use. By June 2009, GE plans to introduce 9W and 20W incandescent-shaped covered GE Energy Smart CFLs. The 20W CFL will have a slightly taller profile that mirrors a standard incandescent three-way bulb.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xYoSTDBifE]

January 21, 2009

Can Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Make You Sick?

Concerns over health risks from Electromagnetic Field (EMF) sources is not new. Scientists have been studying EMFs since 1985.

We are surrounded by sources of EMF daily. They include power lines, computers, fax machines, video monitors and cell phones.

For years, some people have reported health problems they attribute to exposure to EMF. Their condition is referred to as “electromagnetic hypersensitivity” or EHS.

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) study EHS symptoms commonly include dermatological symptoms (redness, tingling) ad well as neurasthanic and vegetative (fatigue, concentration difficulties, dizziness, heart palpitations and digestive disturbances).

While the WHO states EHS is characterized by a variety of non-specific symptoms that vary from individual to individual, many believe it is related to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

Recently, the Globe investigated CFLs and “Dirty Electricity” stating that there is a link between CFLs and migraines.

Watch Globe TV Video

Here’s an excerpt from an Austrailian government report that refutes health claims tied to CFLs.

“While light sources with a detectable flicker can trigger migraines in susceptible individuals, CFLs ‘flicker’ at a rate well above that detectable by the human brain and so should not affect migraine sufferers,”

From what I’ve read, these reports remind me of the granite Radon scare recently in the news and on this blog. Is this really the LED industry trying to get consumers over the high price objection with fear? I’ll keep watching this and let you know if there are any updates.