A recent TedTalk about LED lights has garnered about a million and a half views. That high number isn’t surprising, given that LEDs have been making headlines a lot, lately. Tons of informational articles about the efficiency of LED light bulbs and how to choose them have been circulating online. But this TedTalk is about something quite different – data transmission.

Is it just a coincidence, or was the script written? She was pretty enough to be a Beverly Hills model, but that was not ever in her plans. I met Daisy when she was barely six months old, precocious little thing with a jolly smile and big blue eyes. I remember seeing her face light up one day as I turned on a table lamp. Deciding to have some fun, I turned it off and back on a few times as she giggled with each event as though it was major. She was fascinated by this activity; she never got bored with this phenomenon that we all took for granted. It really was not that surprising to hear her first words at nine months of age when she pointed to a light that had been flicked on and said with certainty, “Ders de light!”

Most of us live our lives using up electricity without a thought, but then there are those like Daisy, who want to know everything about it. Light bulbs, surge protectors and electrical tools grabbed her attention faster than any toy. One day a local electrician in Beverly Hills spent the day adding some outdoor lighting and new electrical circuits, and even though she was only 3, she followed him around, mesmerized by his work. At age 5, all she wanted for Christmas was a kit that would allow her to build an electrical generator of her very own. When she was 8 years old, she had a sign on her bedroom door that read: DAISY: Electrician Beverly Hills CA.

When she needed to write an essay in Junior High, she jumped at the chance to tell everyone why you should not put metal objects in your microwave. She thoroughly covered how it could prevent the food from heating properly and it might also cause electrical sparks. Her next piece was an overview detailing the benefits of whole house surge protectors. She knew something that every Beverly Hills electrician knew, which was that when an electrical surge hits your home, those little surge protectors are nowhere near as effective. A whole house surge protector even protects cable and telephone lines. When it came to anything electrical, Daisy knew her stuff, including all about Thomas Edison’s influence over the world of electricity and another little known “electrical wizard,” Nikola Tesla, who is considered the “father of modern radio.” Those two were her idols.

Career day in high school gave her the opportunity to visit a company in Beverly Hills called The Electric Connection. A dream come true, she was able to accompany a real live Beverly Hills electrician as he did electrical bids for new recessed lighting, a smoke detector installation, an electrical spa hook up, a ceiling fan installation, an electrical panel upgrade, a house rewire and a lot of electrical troubleshooting. He was so impressed with her knowledge that at the end of the day, he gave her a commendation diploma, reminiscent of that sign on her door and confirming her position: Honorary Electrician, Beverly Hills.

Daisy went on to pursue her science interests in college, get her PHD in nuclear physics and work for a large corporation until just recently. Now she stays home teaching her two kids how to follow their passion, whatever it is. She still uses electricians in Beverly Hills, and looks forward to having a spark ignited between like minds as she carries on stimulating conversations concerning custom lighting or panel upgrades. She hires Beverly Hills electricians mostly for the conversation because one thing is for sure – she can do almost anything when it comes to electricity.

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Eric Lebersfeld and his dedicated Capitol Lighting team have expanded their reach and literally broadened the horizon toward “Making Lives Brighter.”  Together, they have enriched the lives of many and remain gratefully committed to their work with Habitat for Humanity.

Most recently, Habitat for Humanity Palm Beach County honored Lebersfeld at their gala celebration for his outstanding service and commitment.  Lebersfeld and the Capitol Lighting team remain faithful supporters of Habitat for Humanity and look forward to continuing the relationship and investing their resources in this noble organization.

Capitol contributions to Habitat for Humanity include:

•Donating over $100,000 in cash and products just this year.

•Investing their time and supporting the cause for almost 10 years.

•Developing the Making Lives Brighter Campaign with partner and spokesperson Rob-Van-Winkle, aka Vanilla Ice, to better serve the community and expand gift-giving capabilities.

• Bringing comfort to inhabitants, Capitol Lighting collects old lighting fixtures to be donated to Habitat and then offers donors a 10% discount towards new lighting purchases.

Members of the Capitol Lighting family enjoyed an evening of celebration and an awe-inspiring acknowledgement of their efforts on behalf of Habitat for Humanity.

For his work over the past 10 years, Habitat for Humanity Palm Beach County appointed Lebersfeld as an honoree.

Here are some excerpts from Lebersfeld’s speech at Habitat for Humanity’s Gala Celebration:

October 5, 2013

“So, how did it come to be that a little Jewish boy from New Jersey who sells lights for a living ends up being honored by a big international Christian Ministry that builds houses? “

Lebersfeld credits his parents, who taught him by their example to live his life in a certain way, to see what connects us as human beings, rather than what divides us:

“If one elevates their thinking just a little bit, we come to realize that the small differences between us are easily dwarfed by the commonalities we all share. 
The quality of a person is not made up by whom they know, what they have or how they look, but by who they are, what they create and how they can add to the lives of others.”

Lebersfeld went on to impart some of the history behind Capitol Lighting, a family-owned business that began in 1924 with his great-grandparents:

“Together, they started Capitol Lighting and began our mission to make lives brighter. 
They did this literally and figuratively. For almost 90 years, Capitol Lighting has been on a quest of making the lives of our customers, our communities, our vendors and most importantly, our employees – brighter”.

“Habitat’s stated mission is that of “building hope with homes”. Their organization is filled with dedicated and passionate people striving to provide deserving and hard working families with an incredible gift. They also have provided me personally and every member of my team who has worked on a habitat project the gift of allowing us to do a mitzvah – a good deed”.

“Our goals are aligned and Capitol’s and Habitat’s working together makes all the sense in world”.

Lebersfeld acknowledged with gratitude Capitol Lighting’s spokesperson, Rob Van Winkle, also known as Vanilla Ice, for boosting the Making Lives Brighter campaign and helping Capitol to donate well over $100,000 to Habitat.

He concluded his remarks by whole-heartedly thanking Habitat for Humanity for allowing Capitol Lighting the opportunity to support their good work: “It allows us to fulfill our mission while helping you fulfill yours”.

Lebersfeld also vowed his continued support for Habitat for Humanity, as he thanked Mike Campbell, director of Habitat, and Ana Vento of Vento Designs for making the evening such a success.

The changing seasons, like the changing characteristics of matter, present dichotomies and the challenge in life is learning to find a successful balance.  Cultivating the right lighting design is all about a successful balance. Our outdoor lighting how-to guide will help you to establish and maintain a splendid outdoor oasis to be enjoyed year-round.

Capitol Lighting Respects the Night with Champion Illumination

The trend toward outdoor living continues with expanding decks and patios and customizing outdoor kitchens for outdoor entertainment.  Also, fireplaces, fire pits, and space heaters are being added to extend outdoor living well beyond the spring and summer months.  To make these areas as comfortable, safe, and maintenance-free as possible, great lighting is key.

Capitol Lighting’s Expert Advice for Lighting Up Outdoors

The conditions are perfect for outdoor lighting installations. Learn how-to customize the perfect outdoor lighting design and : Follow along with our

1.  Consider the areas to be illuminated:

•General lighting for decks, porches and patios.

•Accent lighting for gardens, fountains, statues and unique architectural elements.

•Security lighting for walkways and driveways.

•Decorative lighting for home entry zones.

2.  Choose your power supply and be sure that all outdoor and landscape lighting fixtures are compatible with the system.

3.  Choose landscape lighting fixtures more for their lighting effects rather than their aesthetic appeal.  The decorative features of landscape lights should be secondary to the objects they illuminate. With a good lighting design, landscape fixtures will provide understated elegance to the outdoor environment during the day, as well as at night.

4.  Decide which system works best for you:  Low voltage lighting provides softer more luxurious illumination, while LED is extremely energy-efficient, low-maintenance and most durable.  Incandescent bulbs typically last 1,000-2,000 hours; fluorescent bulbs may last 10,000-15,000 hours; and, LED bulbs may last 35,000-50,000 hours.

5.  Make sure to power your lighting with the appropriate transformers and wiring. If you are thinking about adding to your outside lighting system, choose power sources that will accommodate the additional fixtures.

6.  Automated timers and motion- or heat-sensitive controls make your home appear occupied during the night and save on energy costs. Locate timers and controls in areas where they are easily accessible.

7.  All outside lighting fixtures and accessories must be selected to withstand the elements, including sun, humidity, rain, ice and snow.  Check that all items are waterproof and UL-approved for outdoor use. Copper, brass and composite fixtures are excellent for homes near the seashore where salty air may be a factor.

8.  Think about landscape lighting as part of your planning and construction in a new home environment.  Outdoor lighting designers should coordinate with landscape architects and electricians.

9.  Traditional wall lights such as wall lanterns bracketing main entryway doors help you to identify visitors and ensure their safety.  They are also appropriate for rear and side entrances and over garage doors. Be sure to select post lanterns and wall brackets that are proportional to your home.  When in doubt, size up.  Fixtures appear smaller from curbside viewing than most people would imagine. * *

10.  Take care to avoid glare and pointing fixtures into your neighbor’s property. Curb “light pollution” with shielded fixtures that focus illumination downward.  Most outdoor fixtures may be easily focused to light the environment for safety, security and aesthetics while protecting other areas from unwanted glare and profuse light. * * *

**Rule of thumb for sizing outdoor wall lanterns:  The height of the lantern should be based on the height of the door.  If brackets are to be installed on either side of the door, they should measure about one-fourth the height of the door.  If using only one lantern, size up to about one-third the height of the door.

***“Dark Sky” Compliancy and light pollution:  A man-made culprit, due mainly to poor lighting design, is a phenomenon called “light pollution.”  Light pollution is any adverse effect of artificial light, including sky glow, glare, light trespass, light clutter, decreased visibility at night, and energy waste.  Many of Capitol Lighting’s trusted manufacturers offer “Dark Sky” versions of their outdoor lighting products, which “collar” the light bulb around its base to block superfluous upward emissions of light.

Capitol Lighting’s professional lighting consultants will help you in selecting everything from timers and outdoor hanging pendants to path lights and post lanterns.  Work with the experts to devise fabulous landscape lighting designs and prepare your outdoor environment with quality security lighting customized to enhance the beauty of your home.