Solar Technology is a specialist in solar power and is one of the largest producers of solar panels in the UK; the company has launched two new solar powered products designed to provide eco-friendly lighting in mains free environments.

Each Solar Mate lighting kit from Solar Technology is quick and easy to install, requiring no special tools and is ideal for UK weather conditions, featuring high power solar panels designed to absorb sun light even on dull, cloudy days.

When installing the new Solar Mate lighting kits there is no need to comply with Part P of the new building regulations introduced in the UK in 2005, whereby, a qualified electrician must complete all outdoor electrical work.

The Solar Mate Point 5 in our picture, is an efficient and easy way to provide lighting where mains power is not available and ideal for garden lights, or in buildings such as; summer houses, sheds and stables, or even for camping/festival trips. RRP £19.99.

The Solar Mate Point 5 features a Solar Panel using thin film solar cell technology, which powers three internal rechargeable batteries during the day, to provide power for 10 super bright LEDs, powerful enough to illuminate up to 9 Sq Metres for 3 hours.

Solar Technology has also designed a movement-activated security light, The Solar Mate Secure I features an integrated PIR movement sensor, which can be easily adjusted both for sensitivity and time.. RRP £24.99.

Web: http://www.solartechnology.co.uk.

Tel: (01684) 774000

Marmitek, specialists in the field of X-10 home automation, has introduced the CM15Pro computer interface, which along with the supplied ActiveHomePro software enables you to control and operate affordable home automation on your computer.

Marmitek brings comfort and safety to your home in an innovative manner, using the very latest techniques in the field of multimedia, video surveillance, home automation and security:

Once your settings are programmed in your computer, you can save them in the memory of the CM15Pro and it can be turned off:

• Your lighting and appliances are easily switched on and off with the CM15Pro and appropriate receivers.

The choice of settings is limited only by your imagination – random switching of your lighting, create a home movie theatre, control your exterior lighting, or have your coffee ready when you wake.
 
Using macros you can programme your preferred environment e.g. the main lighting in the living room only switches on when someone enters the room, its dark outside and the atmospheric lighting is off.
 
Furthermore the CM15Pro has more extended programming possibilities and a memory for about 1400 macros/timers, with which you can expand your home automation almost without limitation.

• The mutual compatibility of Marmitek products is one of the main benefits, allowing you to construct your own ideal system, adding the latest user options at any time in the future.

The recommended retail price for the pioneering CM15Pro (Computer module + ActiveHomePro Software) is £59.95 incl. VAT.

Web: http:// www.marmitek.com
 

When he created Motorlight, designer Jake Dyson felt that contemporary home lighting –uplights in particular – had been neglected; functionality had been sacrificed for form; most designs were sculptural and the choice was somewhat limited.

After two years of development, Jake has realised his vision that a light can be versatile as well as beautiful, resulting in Motorlight, the world’s first variable angle uplight.

Motorlight enables you to adjust the angle of the beam from 8 degrees to 60 degrees wide, from a focused spotlight to a broader ambient light, in a striking modernist design.

It is possible to alter the angle of the beam with Motorlight’s unique focusing mechanism, which enables you to vary light angles to suit different environments and needs - from ambient light through to spotlighting.

The angle can be fixed or switched to continually cycle through the angles, using simple controls at the back.

Derived from Jake Dyson’s belief that function and form go hand in hand, Motorlight boasts a striking modernist design that would sit well in many styles of interiors.

Motorlight retails at £495 and available in five different colours; Red Glow, Blue Glow, Black Gloss, White Gloss and Clear Glow.

Motorlight is available online as well as The Conran Shop, The London Lighting Co., Twentytwentyone and Central Oxford.

Web: http://www.jakedyson.com

Tel: (0207) 713 0188

Together.com is independently approved by The Climate Group, which is an international charity dedicated to working with big business and government to help solve climate change.

Climate change can seem like an overwhelming problem, however doing something, even a small something, can help reduce emissions and your impact on the climate.

The Together Community believes that reducing emissions should be easy and have partnered with some top household brands, to produce a great range of products and ideas to help you do just that:

• From low-cost eco car insurance and budget energy-saving light bulbs, to free energy-saving kits and simple household tips, to help you save energy and money; each solution, idea, tip or tool on their website has been chosen because it really can make a difference.
• Some are easy.- some are a challenge, but even if you commit to just one or two, you’ll be well on your way to saving a tonne of CO2.
• If you join in today, you can use the website to add-up all the CO2 savings you’re making – every day!
• You can also join the website Community – and show people what you’re doing; share tips, keep track of your savings and get inspired by the ideas.

Don’t stand on the sidelines. We’re in this together and only together can we hit our targets and make our efforts count.

Web: http://together.com

Together.com is a consumer engagement campaign, which has helped UK households reduce CO2 emissions by one tonne over three years.

Many of the UK’s favourite brands are united behind the campaign to provide millions of customers with a growing range of new products and ideas that make it easier to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Switching to energy saving light bulbs would save UK households £1.2 billion every year; almost two thirds of the UK’s consumers are still in the dark, about how much money switching to energy saving light bulbs could save them.

The National climate change campaign Together.Com has released research revealing that 30 million people across the UK are unaware that they could shave £55 off their annual energy bills by replacing their inefficient bulbs. (At a time when household bills are rising steeply)

Statistics compiled by Together suggest there are still around 440 million light bulbs in the UK that could be switched to energy saving ones, which would cut nearly 5 million tonnes of CO2 from the UK’s annual footprint, equivalent to taking nearly two million cars off the road each year.

This month Together.com has helped bring about an unprecedented series of initiatives that will result in an estimated six million energy saving light bulbs going into Britain’s homes, including Tesco’s current buy-one-get-one-free promotion across their entire range.

Visit the website to discover quick and easy things you can do TODAY to help fight climate change. Best of all, you can save money and track everything you do to see the difference you’re making – live!

Web: http://together.com

X10 has been used since the 1960’s and is now a world wide standard for sending a signal over your existing mains circuitry to enable home automation.

Domia Ten is the latest incarnation of the original X10 system; no messy wiring is required, you simply plug your lamp or appliance into a Domia Ten module, which then plugs into your wall outlet.

Each Domia Ten module can have its own unique address to control individual devices so that multiple devices can be used.

Whilst Domia Ten retains full backward compatibility with the original X10 systems, it now offers a much improved range and greatly increased reliability; in particular it has better filtering capabilities, which makes it more robust in ‘noisy’ environments.

There is a variety of Domia Ten products available catering for many of your home automation needs. They are ergonomically designed, easy to program and offer visible feedback of activity through LED lights.

There are 13 individual modules - not all are necessary for the system to function – but are available only to expand the system capabilities.

Should you wish to control the appliances or lights in the home from your PC, just obtain and install the Harmony software plus the X10 interface and you’re ready to go.

Also the Harmony Media Center software will enable you to control your home through your TV, PC or remotely via the Internet.

With Harmony and Domia extensions, you can integrate your CCTV, use remote controls to dim your lights, include motion sensors to turn appliances or lights on when you walk into a room; set up a chain of commands triggered by an event, such as a security alert - the possibilities are almost endless!

Web: http://www.simplyautomate.co.uk

Tel: (08450) 644 3330

BC Designs offers a comprehensive range of contemporary home lighting, including bathroom lights and splash proof wall lights.

Their new ceiling lights will provide additional style, whether your bathroom has a contemporary or classic design.

With an IP44 splash proof rating the Aquarib3, measures 350mm width x 120mm depth priced around £82.00, whilst the Aquaclassic2 in our picture, measures 330mm width x 160mm depth also priced around £82.00.

Both lights take two 18-watt low energy lamps and are available from stockists nationwide.

Web: http://www.bcdesigns.co.uk

Tel: (01206) 827100

The Flindt collection is a result of a partnership between Louis Poulsen Lighting and Christian Flindt – a young Danish designer who has, through his original and highly expressive design expression, quickly made a name for himself in Denmark and internationally.

The new collection of home lighting - two pendants and a floor lamp, display a refreshing and novel idiom in innovative materials; the utterly simple geometry uniting with a high degree of visual complexity.

The dual shades consist of a cylinder and a truncated cone, both woven in matt white vinyl string; the weaving technique creates a three-dimensional, transparent style and the patterns change when the lamp is viewed from different angles.

The Flindt lamps primarily generate direct down-light and the matt white strings prevent glare; the lamp appears as a shining, transparent cylinder emanating diffuse and soft light into the room.

The two pendants are 220mm and 475mm in a diameter and the floor lamp featured here is 1.39 m high and 220mm in diameter.

Their airy design makes the lamps ideal for a wide range of interiors and the pendants can be used for general room lighting or be hung low above tables and seating areas.

The Flindt collection will, through its complex yet pure expression appeal to everybody interested in superbly designed lighting.

View the charming ‘Philosophy Of Light’ at:

Web: http://www.louis-poulsen.co.uk

Tel: 00 44 20 83974400

Ikea’s Christmas 2007 Glansa lighting collection leaves no gloomy corners indoors, let alone gardens and balconies; with chandeliers, drapes, stars, light chains and hanging decorations, creating the right festive setting and mood.

With a winter that lasts 4-5 months and a need to lighten up their homes, the Swedes have always valued and cherished good lighting and employ candles and lighting decorations to create a very cosy and inviting atmosphere.

The Glansa Lysa lighting pictured here, has a snowball theme and includes a huge chandelier (90cm white £99.50), hanging lights/drape (48 bulbs- indoor, assorted colours £16.99) and a light chain (48 bulbs –outdoor white £16.99), which you can put on the ground.

Glansa Diamante bright electric stars (electric 27cm assorted colours £7.99) are traditionally hung in windows in Sweden.

Glansa Filt are novel felt cylinders with LED lights, which you can roll out into a table mat; also available as hanging star shapes (electric 40cm assorted colours £10.99).

The entire Glansa lighting series was designed by Ola Wihlborg, to inspire you to brighten up your home in warm and welcoming new ways this Christmas.

Web: http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB

Tel: (0845) 355 1141

Domia Lite is a simple home automation solution, enabling control of lighting and other electrical home appliances at the touch of a button.

The system is an uncomplicated plug and play system, which doesn’t need any rewiring; it is RF based, which allows it to communicate with each individual module from a distance of up to 30 metres.

Controlled by a range of remote controls and motion sensors, this system offers a wide range of possibilities:

• Switch lights on and off in your driveway, porch and garden.
• Open or close sun blinds, roll-down shutters and automatic gate.
• Increase safety with the motion detector for lights.
• Switch on and off - lights, air-conditioning, radio, or TV, or dim lights to create atmosphere.

Domia Lite’s system is made up of 6 individual items, all of which are not required to begin with.

It’s really simple to install and even easier to develop and expand, with a range of compatible products to provide you with limitless expansion possibilities. For example:

Control and monitor your appliances wherever you are. Lights, cameras, motion detectors etc. may be controlled and monitored via the Internet, or your mobile phone, allowing interactive energy management.

Domia Lite is affordable, easy to use and install, for immediate use.

Web: http://www.simplyautomate.co.uk

Tel: (08450) 644 3330