LED lighting technology is popular worldwide because of its superior efficiency and life span compared to other light sources. LED lights provide benefits ranging from increased energy savings to reduced environmental impact that can transform how the world uses light. Based on these and other LED benefits, many individuals and organizations are exchanging their incandescent or compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) for LED bulbs. LED lighting is the world’s leading light technology, comprising over 50% of global lighting sales.
If your facility or venue is considering switching to LED lighting, understanding the advantages of LED can help you decide whether this lighting technology is the best. Learn more about the benefits and uses of LED lights below.
LED lighting is a type of lighting technology that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to create light. LED products contain semiconductors that emit visible light when an electric current flows through them. This reaction releases energy in the form of heat and photons, which are light particles. The process responsible for producing LED light is called electroluminescence.
An LED light has several components working together. These parts include:
The color of LED light is determined by the energy required for the electricity to pass through the semiconductor. To create white light, multiple semiconductors are used in the LED light. Manufacturers can also apply a layer of phosphor, a light-emitting substance, on the semiconductor to produce white light.
LED lights were first used in expensive laboratory and test equipment. These early LED lights were extremely expensive and impractical for widespread use. Eventually, as their design was refined, these replacements for incandescent bulbs became more affordable and widely used across various applications.
LED lighting provides many advantages to organizations compared to other types of lighting technology. Consider these advantages of LED lights and how this technology can benefit your facility:
Using LED benefits companies that want to reduce energy costs, as this lighting technology is much more energy efficient than alternative lighting sources. Energy efficiency is measured in luminous efficacy or useful lumens. These terms describe the amount of light a bulb emits for every watt of energy it consumes. LED lighting produces more useful lumens and wastes less energy than other light sources.
The energy savings you can expect from LED lights depends on your facility’s existing lights and the specific LEDs you install. For example, switching to LEDs from incandescent bulbs could result in an efficiency improvement of 90%. Better energy efficiency translates into greater savings.
One of the most significant LED advantages is the longer life span of the bulbs. An LED bulb can last three to five times longer than a CFL bulb and up to 30 times longer than an incandescent bulb.
Depending on how you use your lights, you may be able to use them for thousands of hours longer than other light sources. You may be able to keep using an LED light for years after you would have had to replace an incandescent one. This difference in life spans of these light sources significantly reduces your facility’s maintenance and replacement costs.
Companies and organizations realize the importance of reducing their environmental impact. Using environmentally friendly lighting sources can help companies comply with governmental regulations, reduce their energy use and attract environmentally conscious customers.
The reduced energy use associated with LED lights has a significant positive effect on the environment. According to the International Energy Agency, LED lighting is the most efficient of any light source available on the market, producing an average of 11 lumens per watt. Many countries worldwide are phasing out less-efficient technology in favor of LEDs, and increased adoption of LED lighting is necessary for achieving Net Zero Emissions.
LED lights emit most of their energy as visible light, a small amount in the infrared spectrum and hardly any in the ultraviolet spectrum. Because LED lights don’t emit UV waves, they are ideal for safely illuminating sensitive items like artwork that could become damaged if exposed to this emission.
LEDs also hardly emit any heat, especially compared to other light sources. For example, incandescent lighting releases 90% of its energy as heat, leaving only 10% of its energy for light production. This contributes to the low energy efficiency of incandescent bulbs.
The benefits of LED lighting on the environment also include better safety for people and the planet. Two traditional light sources — mercury vapor lights and fluorescent lighting — contain mercury in their bulbs. At the end of these bulbs’ life span, they require special handling to avoid mercury exposure or release, which can be toxic to human health and the environment.
LED lights don’t contain mercury in the bulb because they produce light using semiconductors. Using LED lighting eliminates the need to worry about safely disposing of the bulbs.
If your facility is looking for a lighting source that can work in several different applications, LED lights are the solution. LEDs are small, about the size of a flake of pepper. There are countless ways to use these tiny LEDs to enhance almost any environment. The versatility of LED lights gives them tremendous flexibility in their uses. LED lights work just as well in small devices as illuminating massive sports arenas.
Traditional light sources emit light at 360 degrees around the bulb, lighting every direction equally. However, your facility may need directional lighting to illuminate a specific area, like a stage, sign or piece of artwork. You’ll have to invest in additional devices to reflect or redirect the light to obtain directional lighting from an incandescent or CFL bulb.
LED lights are ideal for applications that require directional lighting. These bulbs emit light in a specific direction, eliminating the need for adding light reflectors to your lighting system. This characteristic makes LED lights more efficient than light sources that require redirection. LED lighting also saves your facility the cost of installing accessories to your lighting system.
Fluorescent and metal halide lights require a couple of seconds before they turn on fully. This warm-up time delays your lighting and will eventually degrade the light source if you frequently switch them on and off. Whether you want your lights to turn on instantly after a power surge or when an employee opens the door, traditional light sources aren’t the best solution.
In contrast, LED lights turn on and off instantaneously and can withstand frequent switching without losing efficiency. This feature makes LEDs perfect for light installations that switch colors, like LED walls or flashing light displays.
Sometimes facilities need to dim their lights, whether to create a specific ambiance or conserve energy during certain times of the day. Traditional light sources like metal halide lamps perform less efficiently when dimmed and may not dim at all.
LED lights perform well at any percentage of rated power, anywhere from 5% to 100%. The efficiency of these lights isn’t negatively affected by dimness. In fact, you can increase the efficiency of your LED lights by dimming them. An LED light’s dimming capability enables facilities to extend each bulb’s life span and reduce energy costs.
In certain situations, such as in geographic locations where your facility could become flooded, having lights that operate on low voltage can be a significant benefit. Low-voltage light systems can protect anyone inside the building from harmful electric shocks if the building is flooded.
LED lights are ideal for these areas because they operate on low voltages. This means your bulbs can help protect employees and customers who may be inside during a flood. Their low voltage also makes LEDs ideal for use outdoors when other types of lighting don’t meet building codes, such as in flood zones.
Some traditional lighting sources don’t do well in cold temperatures. Incandescent lights, for instance, require a higher voltage to power on if they become too cold. This characteristic isn’t ideal for illuminating cold spaces like freezers and meat lockers. The intensity of incandescent light also diminishes in colder environments, making this light source less efficient.
LED lights work well in a wide range of temperatures, making them ideal for applications in cold and hot areas. LEDs work efficiently in areas such as parking lots, building perimeters and refrigerated display cases.
A light’s color rendering index (CRI) is its ability to illuminate the colors of objects compared to natural light. Some light sources have a better CRI than others. For example, sodium vapor lamps have a low CRI and tend to create almost a monochromatic environment around them, washing out the nuances of color. In comparison, LED lights tend to have a high CRI, clarifying the distinctions between the colors they illuminate.
Now that you understand the advantages of LED lights, you may be wondering whether those advantages apply to your industry. Understanding what LED lights are used for can help you visualize how to utilize the technology in your facility. Here are the various uses of LED lights:
One of the most common LED uses is in theaters. A theater’s lighting system is critical for bringing to life the movements, dimensions and moods on stage. Performances may use color, patterns and movement in their stage lighting to help create the effects needed for each scene. Theaters also use house lights and performance-dimmed lights in the audience.
Efficient lighting is essential in sports venues, where spectators and players must see the game in action within the stadium. Stadium lights must be bright, dependable and efficient. Sports venues must also be well-lit in other areas, including restrooms, vendors and parking lots. These venues often choose LEDs over other light sources. The energy efficiency, sophisticated controls and color rendering that LED lights provide make them an excellent choice.
There are many uses for LEDs in corporate spaces. From company headquarters and retail centers to hotels, all kinds of corporate spaces use lighting to enhance their brand, send a message to customers and enhance productivity. LED lighting provides the energy efficiency and versatility businesses need in their light installations. For example, a company may create ambient lighting with LEDs, install accent lighting or use LED walls to display completed projects for those who enter the building.
From city halls and courthouses to post offices and historic locations, government buildings need efficient lighting that sets a tone and operates reliably. Whether a government facility needs office lighting that encourages productivity or outdoor lighting that provides high levels of visibility, LEDs are the solution. LED lights allow these facilities to save energy, set the right tone and enhance security.
Museums use audio, visuals and lighting to create an ambiance for visitors and help enhance their exhibits. LED lighting installations are valuable for helping galleries and museums bring their exhibits to life. LEDs are ideal for illuminating artwork and artifacts that are sensitive to UV waves. LED lighting also provides plenty of design flexibility so museums can create unique lighting installations that engage patrons and emphasize the characteristics of various exhibitions.
Places of worship rely on lighting to draw worshipers into the service, create a welcoming environment and enable recording and livestreaming of the service. LEDs are used in stage lighting, accent lighting, scenic lighting and classrooms to serve different purposes and appeal to the right audience. LED lights are a great option whether a church needs performance lighting to highlight its speaker and band or ambient lighting to create a sense of quiet reverence.
Performance venues strive to create immersive experiences for the audience, whether the performance is a comedy show or a heavy metal concert. Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the scene and engaging attendees. A performance venue needs different lighting arrangements to cater to the needs of various performers, from dancing groups to musicians. A custom LED lighting system can help a venue attract performers, engross audiences and enhance the viewing experience.
For K-12 schools and higher education institutions, an auditorium is an important place where students and educators gather for learning, entertainment and informational events. A K-12 auditorium can use LED lights to enhance student performances, debates, public speaking events and more. A well-designed LED lighting system at universities enhances the campus’s value.
Themed entertainment centers like theme parks, nightclubs and restaurants use LED lighting to influence actions and emotions in the audience. Lighting helps coordinate a seamless and immersive experience for guests. Themed entertainment centers benefit from LED lighting’s versatility, efficiency, long life spans and ability to switch and dim lights as needed.
Lighting is crucial in healthcare settings, providing visibility and creating an ambiance that can help calm patients. LED lighting has numerous uses in healthcare facilities, from illuminating MRI rooms to providing visibility in hospital cafeterias. LEDs can meet the modern efficiency and design needs of places like clinics and urgent care centers.
LED lighting provides several significant benefits to companies and organizations that use it and to the environment. LED lights can reduce your facility’s energy expenditure, enhance safety and enable directional lighting that accurately illuminates colors. LED lights are also safe, have a low environmental impact and are extremely versatile. With applications ranging from hospitals to theme parks, LED lights have many uses.
At Illuminated Integration, we design, integrate and install audio, visual and lighting (AVL) systems for facilities in various industries. We work with you to determine your facility’s needs and create an original design that fulfills your vision. For help with your facility’s lighting project, contact Illuminated Integration.
A captivating interior tree design with dramatic Trace Vertical linear LED from Tivoli Lighting brings elegance to the Broadway Lounge overlooking Times Square. Photo courtesy of Tivoli
The technology behind LED lighting has been around for decades, but only recently has it become affordable and reliable enough to rise in popularity so dramatically. From energy efficiency to having a long lifespan, LED lights are both environmentally responsible and budget-friendly.
Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are a solid-state lighting solution that use a semiconductor to convert electricity into light, according to the US Department of Energy. This means LED lights do not require a breakable glass bulb like traditional lights.
Plus, LED lights can be used anywhere—from sports arenas to industrial settings to residential projects. They perform reliably and safely in various design applications.
LED stands for light emitting diode. LED lighting products produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs, according to energystar.gov.
LED lights work by passing an electrical current through a microchip that illuminates the tiny light sources we call LEDs, which rarely burn out.
The first LEDs were created in the 1920s and have evolved dramatically to the lights we know today. do not “burn out” or fail. White LEDs for residential use came on the market in the early 2000s and quickly became popular in schools, offices, and health care environments, too. By 2019 LED lighting had become the most popular source of lighting, as designers continue to discontinue their use of halogen and fluorescent lighting.
Common Areas to Use LED Lights
LED lighting can be used in any area of a residential project. Many designers and homeowners are turning to LEDs to set a tone in a space while also providing extra light. Here are just some of the areas where people are using LED lights:
Under cabinets. LED strip lighting is popular under cabinets and in other potentially dark areas, both to provide better lighting over counter space and also to provide a feeling of luxury, like in a showroom.
Within shelves. Lighting in shelves brings light and warmth to dark offices or helps you find that hidden book.
In the bathroom. LED lights are popular along vanities and mirrors.
Dark hallways. Bring light to dark hallways or staircases with LEDs.
Behind the TV. Add color and light and set the tone in the bedroom or living area.
Many types of LED lighting exist today, whether you want to choose an LED lighting strip, lighting in a fun shape, or a specific bright color. LED bulbs themselves come in four primary categories: A-shape, reflectors, decorative, and specialty, according to GE.
A-shape LEDs are the most common and often seen throughout homes. These are conical in shape and cast a more defined beam. A-shape LEDs easily fit in most lamps and are commonly used there or anywhere you might find a traditional light bulb. They instantly offer full light upon switching on, according to Philips, and they’re great for decorative and ambient lighting in retail outlets, hotels, restaurants, multi-unit residences and government buildings.
Reflectors are often used for outdoor lighting and commonly called flood lights or spotlights.
Reflectors are quite literally defined by the LED reflectors that sit over the LED to alter the beam of light. They are an affordable and easy-to-use solution for many areas, though they don’t offer as much control as LED lenses, according to RS Online.
Decorative LEDs can bring life and personality to wall sconces, chandeliers, or virtually any exposed-bulb fixtures. Often decorative LEDS are smaller in order to fit within a fixture, but designers can find them in a wide variety of styles, whether you want a classic globe or vintage vibe.
Specialty LED lighting is a catchall for the remaining, more special type of lights. This includes everything from antique style bulbs to lighting for very specific fixtures.
LEDs last longer, are more durable, and offer better lighting control than incandescent lights. LEDs also use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting, according to energy.gov.
Design flexibility is another major benefit of LEDs. LED lighting can allow an architect’s design to take center stage, blending in or bringing particular elements to life.
Incandescent lights cost less than LED lights, but they will need to be replaced more frequently.
Halogen vs LED
Halogen lights may provide beautiful color but at a short lifespan, according to Dan Kohnen, director of commercialization at H.E. Williams, a more than century-old lighting company.
“The best lighting tools are the ones an architect can apply to show off the architecture, versus the product as itself,” Kohnen said. He’ s been working with Williams since 1999 and has watched the design world evolve to incorporate more LED lighting and human-centric design.
Halogen bulbs also consume more power and get warm fast compared to LEDs. LEDs emit much more light using much less energy.
LEDs are basically tiny light bulbs that fit into an electrical circuit. They don’t have delicate filaments that burn out like incandescent bulbs do, and they don’t get super hot. They also use less energy, reducing the cost of that electricity bill.
LED lights are illuminated by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material. According to How Stuff Works, a semiconductor is made of a positively charged and a negatively charged component. The positive layer has openings for electrons, and the negative layer has free electrons floating around in it. When an electric charge strikes the semiconductor, it activates the flow of electrons from the negative to the positive layer. Those excited electrons emit light as they flow into the positively charged holes.
The benefits of LED lights are many, from saving homeowners money in the long run to being able to provide stronger light in a variety of colors. These are just some of the top benefits of LED lights.
LED lights use up to 85% less energy than traditional bulbs, according to The New York Times. This means LEDs produce savings in electricity costs and simply do well by the environment.
In 2007 Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which helps the US stay on track with the global shift toward LED and other energy-efficient lighting solutions for everyday light bulbs.
As LEDs become more common, individuals and the US as a whole will notice significant energy savings. According to the US Department of Energy, “Switching entirely to LED lights over the next two decades could save the US $250 billion in energy costs, reduce electricity consumption for lighting by nearly 50%, and avoid 1,800 million metric tons of carbon emissions.”
E3 used Energy Focus LED lights to retrofit the Big Sandy Independent School District in Eastern Texas in 2016. “Cost was a major component for Big Sandy. The LED’s use 15 to 18 watts per lamp as opposed to the 32 to 36 watts per lamp used by the fluorescents. So it saves the schools money and they get a good return on investment,” Tim Evans, vice president of E3, told gb&d.
LEDs use dramatically fewer watts than traditional bulbs to produce bright light, which means they also last much, much longer.
Most LEDs last a minimum 25,000 hours, according to NOPEC—a nonprofit energy supplier in Northeast Ohio. NOPEC says if you were to keep your LED bulb on all day every day it would be about 15 years before you’d have to replace the bulb.
Among the benefits of LED lighting is the fact that they radiate very little heat—particularly compared to CFL and incandescent lights.
According to the US Department of Energy, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat and CFLs release about 80% of their energy as heat in comparison to LEDs. This makes LED lights less hazardous, particularly in terms of fire safety.
Another exciting new development in LED physics is the concept of running LEDs in reverse to create a cooling effect, says Robert Pullman, a lighting industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in every aspect of the lighting industry. Pullman previously shared some of his expertise with gb&d. “Recently it was demonstrated that if you run LEDs backward—rather than doing nothing, as one would expect from a diode—you achieve a very short-range cooling effect to the tune of 6W/m2,” he says.
“Projections forecast cooling capacity in the realm of 1000W/m2. This could be achieved in the future by actually using the LEDs themselves to draw heat away from the processor which opens the door to improved heat performance in wearables, mobile devices, and more,” Pullman says.
LEDs do not compromise brightness or intensity for energy efficiency. They compete with incandescent and CFL bulbs in terms of brightness, making them a good addition to workspaces where bright light contributes to productivity.
LED lights have less warmup time compared to other bulbs, brightening rooms and outdoor spaces from the moment the switch is flipped.
The structure of LED lights allow them to be used both functionally and artistically. In spaces of all kinds LED lights offer design flexibility. In the Yotel NYC, Focus Lighting utilized LED lights in all kinds of applications, from pin spotlights to floor lamps to lit ceiling panels, to adhere to the hotel’s strong brand identity.
In the Broadway Lounge in the New York Marriott Marquis, Tivoli delivered two 15-foot light “trees” with branches reaching out from 21 feet to more than 46 feet using an exquisite inlay of linear light.
Many LED lighting options offer a very high Color Rendering Index (CRI), which means they reveal the true color of whatever they illuminate.
Philips, one of the leading LED lighting companies, makes LED lights with a CRI of at least 80 compared to natural light’s 100. This allows consumers at home to predict how their outfit will look when they step outdoors, for example.
The high CRI of LEDs is also useful in broadcasts, where bright and color-accurate light allows nighttime sports games to look vibrant and real, even on television.
LED lights can be made to dim just the same as incandescent and CFLs. This increases energy savings and allows the light to adjust to suit the needs of a space throughout the day.
LEDs come in many colors, with surprising and increasingly impressive accuracy in terms of color matching. In one of the rising wellness design trends of today, LEDs perform a crucial role. In accordance with people’s circadian rhythms, LEDs can be programmed to adjust in color and warmth throughout the day.
Tivoli‘s Litesphere True RGB+W can be used to illuminate public spaces with over 16 million color choices. LEDs have come a long way since 1976, when electrical engineer Thomas P. Pearsall invented a bright, high-efficiency LED optimizing transmission wavelength for optical fiber, Tivoli’s Pullman says.
He says the invention changed the design world.
“Pearsall’s LED is not only useful in communications, but Fiber Optic Drops or Star Curtains have also been used by the entertainment and event industries for decades. These industries use CYM (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow), color mixing wheels, and DMX-controlled illuminators to create breathtakingly realistic, simple star fields as well as custom patterns, graphics, and logos. Finally, in 2014, Japanese Nobel laureate and co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics Isamu Akasaki invented the world’s first efficient blue light-emitting diodes using gallium nitride.”
LEDs utilize semiconductor material rather than a filament or neon gas.
The light-emitting diode is a tiny chip enclosed in a plant epoxy, which makes LEDs far sturdier than traditional incandescent bulbs or neon tubes, according to the Department of Energy.
Because LED lighting provides bright light at such low wattage and can therefore last a very long time, they are a great solution for emergency lighting.
LEDs do not contain mercury, and if their aluminum heat sinks were recycled, their life cycle impact would be noticeably reduced.
Overall their energy savings and basic construction allow LEDs to win the ticket for most environmentally friendly light, according to a three-part Energy Department-funded study.
Particularly in cold environments, LED lights perform exceptionally well.
Recently they have progressed to perform in hot, humid environments as well. Industrial spaces are often not climate-controlled, but Flex Lighting Solutions is one company whose LEDs are a leading option for industrial lighting because of their impressive thermal management technologies.
By their very nature, LEDs emit light in one direction instead of all around them.
This 180-degree illumination allows the light to be more precise and useful—perfect for recessed and task lighting—and contributes to energy savings because no light energy is wasted or trapped.
Again, the basic technology behind LEDs has been around for years and years.
Although the bulbs dim toward the end of their very, very long lifetime, their performance overall is reliable and trusty across spaces, even in conditions with inclement weather or frequent impact.
“Advancements in every disciple and technology—including robotics and AI—are geometric, and the LED is at the core of it all—supporting communications, human-centric environments, responsible power consumption, and conservation all the while proving the tools for creativity, and of course, style,” Pullman says. “Onward and upward for those involved in the green building and design landscape, who can now turn their vision into reality.”
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