Many business offices are looking to cut costs, particularly in the down economy. One of the ways theyre achieving this is by using LED office lighting.
What is LED Office Lighting?
LED, or light emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that converts electricity into light. Although LED lighting has been around since the early 1960s, it has only recently been introduced into the residential and office markets for space lighting. It wasnt until 1993 when Nichia created a blue indium gallium chip with a phosphor coating that a single diode could be used for lighting. Before that time it took a group of three LED´s (red, blue and green) to yield an overall white light.
Where Can LED Office Lighting Be Used?
Previously, LED´s were rarely used for more than overhead lighting and desk lamps, but they are now being used in a large variety of ways. Looking around an office, youll find LED lights used in office shelf lights, recessed lighting, reading lights, track lighting, picture lights, emergency lighting (such as Exit signs and step lighting), and cabinet, cove and showcase lighting. LED lighting is also used in many of the large screen televisions now found in many businesses.
Why Use LED Office Lighting?
There are many reasons to use LED lights in an office setting. Not only do they burn brighter and provide more direct light, they also use much less energy, are more durable and long-lasting (100,000+ hours), are cool to the touch and emit significantly less heat (which saves on office cooling costs), are smaller in size, dont flicker like traditional lights, and are especially useful in hard to reach places. For workers who spend a lot of time reading or working at computers, the brighter white light will also help to ease strain on the eyes.
Who is Switching to LED Office Lighting?
Private as well as government companies around the world are switching to LED lighting throughout their offices. Cree, a North Carolina company that specializes in solid-state LED lights, converted their offices to 100% LED light. They state that the new bulbs consume 48% less energy than the fluorescent lights they previously used and photos show the LED´s are producing a full-spectrum light, changing the yellowed look to a very bright, clear office. Companies like Cree are just starting the trend towards switching completely over to LED office lighting. They made the change because they want to demonstrate that LED lights are a viable option for all buildings.
The decision of whether to replace older bulbs with LED bulbs despite the initial high cost is one that many managers and business owners are contemplating. The fact of the matter is that this initial cost shouldn´t be a deciding factor since the whole point of installing the lights in the first place is to save money!
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