Every lighting installation has a primary purpose: To provide illumination so the people in the area can see during whatever activity they’re engaged in. When that activity is relaxation, or even light reading at home, the type of fixture is important but not necessarily crucial. However, when it’s time to plan for illuminating a workspace, it’s essential to invest time and funds to make sure the lighting is sufficient for safety and for efficient production.
This dual purpose is especially true for industrial lighting fixtures. As some veteran observers of the commercial and industrial arena have stated in the past few years, the incandescent bulb and the traditional fluorescent tube will be replaced gradually by light-emitting diode (LED) technology. Workplace design professionals and management personnel will provide for the use of this new technology for a couple of reasons: 1 – costs are decreasing; 2 – illumination is better.
A Specific Example
Corporations, government agencies, and some non-profit organizations are making the transition to LED industrial lighting fixtures for energy-saving reasons. This technology provides unequalled, long-term performance, with many installations delivering 50,000 hours of maintenance-free use. It’s a wise choice for factories, warehouses, and office environments, as well as for street lighting, parking lots, and outdoor-storage areas.
The noticeable growth in LED use, especially for industrial lighting fixtures, can, in most cases, be attributed to one factor: decrease in power consumption. Initial comparisons have shown that with LED technology, companies can deliver the same lighting level to the work area and use 20% less electricity. In medium-size and large commercial and industrial operations, this is a significant reduction. In fact, for some installations, the difference is even more remarkable.
For example, the Energy Information Administration in the U.S. (www.eia.gov) reported four years ago that the average efficiency (in lumens) of LED fixtures exceeded that of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) by 30%. The numbers are even more impressive today. Classic incandescent bulbs fall well short of that level on the lumens-per-watt scale. When the objective is safe and efficient production in a business setting, industrial lighting fixtures using LED technology are definitely the wise choice.
Longer Life
The second factor to be considered in this discussion, after energy efficiency, is the excellent life-expectancy of LEDs. In addition to saving on energy costs at the source, companies and organizations will save on bulb-replacement costs. Not only will there be lower expenditures for the bulbs, your company can save on labor costs because maintenance personnel will devote much less time to replacing the bulbs and repairing industrial lighting fixtures. This is a serious factor in settings with high-ceiling installations, such as factories and warehouses.
Commercial and industrial operations must also consider toxicity when planning for lighting installations. LED technology does not introduce toxic materials into the work environment, as do CFL fixtures using mercury gas. Whether you are planning for commercial or industrial lighting fixtures, you’d be wise to look at the array of options offered. You’ll find LED food lamps, linear retrofit kits, refrigerator lights, and many more, all designed to deliver outstanding efficiency and excellent illumination.