When designing a building, or renovating an existing one, one of the most important things to think about is the lighting which will be installed. Lighting can have a huge impact on the ‘feel’ of a room – too bright and the room can feel cold and stark, but too dim and the room can often feel dingy.
There are hundreds of possible lighting options to choose from, but recently, the use of LEDs is being much more common. There’s a really useful infographic from The Lighting Superstore which lists all the reasons. Below are just a few:
Energy Efficiency
It’s a well known fact that LED lights use up to 50% less energy than standard fluorescent or halogen alternatives. The way in which the bulbs are designed – hemispherically rather than spherically like standard halogen bulbs – means that all the light is emitted in the correct direction and no light is wasted.
Durability
As LED lights don’t have a filament or glass housing, they are fairly resistant to breakages. The circuit board on which the light is mounted is very durable and the plastic casing which surrounds it is much stronger than glass used in traditional bulbs.
Safety
According to official tests, less than 10 percent of the power use by traditional lights is transferred into light. The remaining power is converted in to infrared or ultraviolet radiation. The level of heat which is emitted by halogen/incandescent lights is not only a waste of energy, but also a safety hazard. High levels of heat in roof spaces is a common cause of fires in domestic and commercial dwellings. LED lights emit virtually no heat and all power is transferred into visible light.
Control
Unlike a lot of traditional light bulbs, LEDs are semiconductor devices, thus making them controllable by dimmer switches. Having the ability to dim a light down to as little as 10 percent of its optimum output can help create a much softer light.
Extended Life
A typical incandescent or halogen light has a lifespan of approximately 1000 hours and will burn out. LEDs don’t suffer from this problem and will eventually dim over time. The expected lifespan of an LED light is as much as 30,000-50,000 hours!
Not only is installing LED lighting good for your finances, it’s also better for the environment and a great deal safer.
