Benefits of LED: 10 reasons why LED lighting is on the rise

The LED lighting market was estimated to have grown by 50% between 2010 and 2011 according to a recent report by the Clean Revolution, which estimates that the industry will be worth more than $16 billion by the year 2014.

LED Car Park lighting on display in Sheffield

And if the recent showing at the LuxLive exhibition was anything to go by (read our account from the show back in November here), LED lighting is quickly becoming the most talked about new technology in the market.

Each lighting installation may be different, but here we explain why LEDs are superior in many ways to more traditional lighting solutions, and just why the LED lighting industry is one of the few bucking the current economic trend and growing year on year.

Efficiency

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, and is a technology that is said to date back as far as the 1920s, with the Russian Oleg Losev. LEDs as a light source are far more efficient than incandescent or fluorescent sources, due to their better use of power. The total power output of a light does not just include the visible light emitted, but also takes into account factors such as the amount of base power that is converted into excess heat. When it comes to replacing traditional light bulbs in the home for example they are difficult to handle because of the temperature - an example of how excess heat is to the detriment of the user. Now imagine that on an industrial scale and already one benefit of LED becomes clear. LED in fact operates best in cooler temperatures, and lighting manufacturers often design fittings with as minimal heat loss as possible in mind. LED lights are often better positioned than traditional alternatives also, and this is due to the fact that it is a directional light source, so minimal light pollution is caused by using LEDs and the targeted area receives the maximum amount of light. More on this in the environment section below.

Longevity

Hotels are just one of the industries utilising LED lighting

The long lifespan of LED lighting is down to its robust nature, as a solid-state light source the output of its light will degrade over time like any other, however with LEDs that amount of time can be as much as 80,000 hours. At this point the power of light emitted from the LED will be at around 75% of its total capacity but will continue at this level for another 20,000 hours before the light needs replacing. That works out as more than eleven years’ worth of light output, or based on an average day running lighting for twelve hours, more than 22 years’ worth. This is assuming that the lighting is installed in optimum conditions whereby factors such as temperature has been taken into account. This longevity also means the frequency in which LED lighting need be replaced is dramatically reduced when compared to CFL or HPS lighting, making further savings for the user on maintenance bills. Read more below on the savings LED can make.

Durability

Despite their compact size, LEDs are made to a high specification and good quality products are made to last. As well as their aforementioned longevity, LED lights are also durable with no filaments to burn out or overheat. High quality designs, particularly that of a UK manufacturer such as Gemma Lighting, make their fittings to a high specification that stands up to heavy scrutiny, and offer products with protection ratings of IP66, making them dust proof and resistant to heavy weather such as high winds and heavy downpours. In circumstances where lights are on a tall column, such as LED Street Lighting for example, the problem of vandalism regarding the actual light fitting may not seem such an issue. However for pathways and ceiling tiles this could play a part in a company’s decisions not to invest in a new raft of lighting solutions. But with the high standards of production LED lighting is actually quite safe from such hooliganism, and users can feel quite safe about installing LED lighting solutions. Due to all these factors combined, the maintenance om/index.html UK LED Lighting Manufacturer costs usually set by to replace faulty or flickering bulbs and repair or replace vandalised lights can be a thing of the past for lighting users switching to LED. Reductions in the tens of thousands of pounds have been achieved by those who have already done just that, and the rewards pay off from day one of the new installation.

Eco-friendly

LED lighting has drastically improved
this car park in Portsmouth

As well as being kind to the bank balances of users, LED lighting is far more environmentally friendly than traditional lighting setups. As mentioned already in this blog, LED lights emit less wasted heat energy and therefore reduce light pollution significantly when compared to other lighting choices. Take LED Street Lighting for example, where bright white light is directed in the appropriate angle enabling less light to overspill into neighbouring areas, particularly useful in this application as nearby residents do not suffer from intrusive light glare. Those who have made the switch to LED lighting have also seen dramatic reduction in their carbon emissions, saving tonnes of carbon waste every year. This, in fact, is the main driver for some making the change to LED, as new directives and policies are drawn up in line with national and global environmental policies. With no mercury involved in LEDs, as explained below, the disposal of LED lighting is also better on the environment.

Safety

The volatile nature of elements such as mercury can mean disposing of old lighting is a major problem, particularly for business users. Shedding several units of large, outdated lighting fittings is time-consuming and a poor use of funds for many companies already feeling the strain in current economic times. Disposals such as this must be done though if previous lighting contains high levels of mercury or lead, as they can be harmful if they are not dealt with correctly at the end of their life span. LEDs are far safer and more environmentally friendly as they contain no mercury and increasingly small amounts of lead. They can be disposed of and recycled more quickly and easily, but with their longevity you won’t have to worry about that for many years after installation.

Power

This Portsmouth street was vastly improved
in an LED Street Lighting council-backed trial

It is a myth attached to LED lighting that all these benefits surrounding lower carbon emissions and cheaper running costs must mean a weaker light. Many homeowners will be familiar with the patience required to wait for a domestic energy saving light bulb to power up to full brightness for example. However this is not true of LEDs - as well as an instant strike-up time, more on this below, they in fact have a very high lumen output, which means their power is equal to, and often greater than, similar lighting solutions available. The amount of lumens per watt on LEDs are also increasing, with some industry big-hitters claiming to have topped 250 l/w in the labs at the recent LuxLive exhibition. This was previously thought to be an area of weakness for the LED but progress in production and software design has meant this is no longer the case with high-end products on the market today.

Adaptable

LED is probably best known for televisions and mobile device backlighting. But with the increased 

specifications now available LEDs are being used in a variety of ways by a variety of people. You can find LED lighting in street lights, car parks and pathways, as well as in warehouses, cold stores and offices. Hospitals, universities, housing developments, police stations, supermarkets, restaurants – they are all seeing the benefits of LED. Available in a range of different fixtures and fittings, LED lighting now comes in all shapes and sizes and is ready for almost any application. Some weird and wacky ideas are being dreamt up too, but these shouldn't detract from what LED lighting is really about, a great way of keeping costs down and reducing the impact on the environment. Gemma Lighting offers high uniformity across many of its ranges, making the switch to LED as simple as possible.

Improved clarity

LED Street lighting can be found in Egypt,
the Falkland Islands and shown here in Dubai

As well as a high lumen output LED lighting also provides excellent colour rendering, making it ideal for instances where colour definition is crucial, such as shop windows, stalls and supermarkets. Hotels and restaurants can also benefit from this characteristic when attempting to set a certain mood in a particular room. The same is also true of security requirements, as the visual acuity of LED lighting is excellent, improving the clarity of pictures from CCTV cameras, again a perfect application of LED in areas such as warehouses or exterior storage facilities needing LED Flood Lighting.

Instant

Unlike the common energy saving light bulbs found across many homes today, as mentioned beforehand, LEDs do not take any time to get going. In fact that is a literal statement; LEDs have an instant strike up time of 100 nanoseconds. As well as adding to their energy efficiency this also means LEDs are excellent contributing partners to motion sensor technology – they will light as soon as movement is detected, and switch off as soon as that movement ceases. This reduces the effect that some current security systems are suffering from, whereby activation at the slightest movement becomes part of everyday life to home owners, defeating the object of having them as warning systems against crimes such as burglary. LEDs are making homes and business premises alike more secure.

Aesthetically pleasing

LED Flood lighting was chosen in the
re-design of the River Hull tidal barrier

An increasing amount of LED control technology is being produced to complement LED lighting, and that includes dimmable switches. This appeals further to those wishing to create a mood, as previously mentioned, or those with particular requirements to the level of lighting in any given room. Adding to their adaptability, this feature also shows the design benefits LED lighting can bring. LEDs are being used more and more for aesthetic measures as well as cost-cutting projects, and companies in the broadcasting and marine industries are among those putting this to good use. The more powerful, clear bright white light of LEDs is often the ideal companion to buildings of a more modern design, and with its durability and reliability LEDs are less likely to cause eye-sores and irregularities such as faulty bulbs or dim lit corridors.

So there we are - ten reasons why LED lighting is quickly becoming the norm across a range of applications. With the word spreading across the globe, and demand for high quality LED lighting products on the increase, the future is certainly bright for the world of LED lighting.

What are your thoughts on LEDs when compared to other lighting options? Let us know via the comments box below.

The Energy Bill: How to offset the rising cost of renewable energy with LED lighting

As the fallout from chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement begins today, many in the energy and lighting community are still discussing the details of the Energy Bill announced late last month.

The UK government announced the details of the long-awaited bill aiming to set down the plans and schemes that will help Britain be more reliant on renewable energy sources in the future.

he Bill was met with a mixed response from 
political and environmental commentators alike

Met with a mixed response from political and environmental commentators alike; although the bills motives have been widely applauded, many have cited the lack of a target for a reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 as a large downfall.

And the news that energy companies will be able to charge over £7.5bn extra to household bills by 2020 has not gone down well with many homeowners either.

Plenty has been made already of the profits being recorded by energy suppliers when the average cost of vital services such as electric and gas are on the rise, and the news that suppliers will charge between £75 and £110 extra every year to go towards renewable energy will not sit right with struggling households.

But the need for the UK to become less reliant on fossil fuels and foreign imports of fuel has been widely documented, and the necessity to put plans into motion for the development of technologies such as solar, wind and nuclear energy are vital.

Under the Climate Change Act, signed in 2008, the UK is legally-bound to reduce its carbon emissions by certain amounts at landmark dates. The key point of the 2008 act is that by 2050, Britain’s carbon emissions should be 80% less than they were in 1990, and 34% of this reduction must be achieved by 2020.

The bill does leave room in 2016 for the Committee on Climate
Change to make a recommendation on a decarbonisation target

Many were expecting a similar target to be set for 2030 in last week’s Bill announcement, but none was forthcoming. The bill does leave room in 2016 for the Committee on Climate Change, an independent government advisory body, to make a recommendation on a decarbonisation target - but clearly this is a few steps short of the giant leap many hoped this bill would become in shifting towards greener energy in the UK.

Perhaps reflected by the coverage of the bill and the number of parties who came out in the press to criticise the lack of a decarbonisation target - a vote on the Guardian website initially showed 58% of people would be willing to contribute more towards greener energy the day after the bill was announced - by the time the Guardian had closed the pole, that figure had dropped to just 31%.

Although the goal may be for 30% of electricity by 2020 to be supplied via renewable energy sources, such as solar energy and wind farms, the downside of many greener technologies is the high capital cost, but more and more schemes and funding resources are becoming available for those wishing to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Organisations such as Salix offer the public sector the opportunity to invest in carbon reducing technologies by partly funding the capital expenditure through an interest free loan. Many manufacturers of these same technologies also offer their own financing options, such as Green Lease for LED lighting.

www.gemmalighting.com

LEDs are becoming more and more prolific with businesses and authorities wishing to reduce costs and lower carbon emissions, and with the payback time of many lighting solutions numbering just a few years, organisations are realising that regardless of what the future holds for renewable energy, savings can be made with LED lighting right here and now in the present.

Replacing traditional light fittings with LED lighting has seen a range of businesses around the world make those savings, and the reduction in carbon emissions can be emphatic. In the case of security and CCTV systems provider Evolution Security for example, switching to LED lighting saw them save 100 tonnes of carbon every year.

Along with the other advantages of LED lighting, such as the savings in maintenance costs, better energy efficiency and lifespan of up to 100,000 hours, LEDs are one of the many green technologies that can see users hit their own targets in carbon reduction in years to come.

Consumer groups such as Which? have voiced concerns about an increase in household bills, with the current average at £1,249 a year according to the government, but what about the cost for businesses who have longer hours of operation?

LED provides these companies with the ideal chance to avoid serious hikes in their energy costs whilst cutting back on the amount of carbon waste they emit, giving them peace of mind in knowing whatever the next step for environmental government policy is, they will be doing all they can to make the world a greener place.

What did you make of the Energy Bill details? Let us know through the comments box below.

How LEDs can make blackouts a thing of the past

Hurricane Sandy recently plunged New York, one of the biggest cities in the world, into total darkness as power outings hit the Big Apple in one of the biggest storms to hit the east coast in years.

New York residents make their
way through the blackout

The super storm flooded tunnels, streets and subway lines, cutting the power supply in the city and its surrounding areas as President Obama declared a state of emergency in New York as even now it continues to recover.

In the UK meanwhile, safe from the effects of such tropical weather patterns, local authorities up and down the country are facing a nightmare of a very different nature – the choice between making vital cost-cutting measures and ensuring the safety of local residents.

That’s how many see the decision to switch off thousands of street lights in order to save money on energy bills.

Many local residents have experienced a blackout usually in the early hours of the morning, as the cost of keeping the street lighting network running all night is proving too much for local councils already under pressure to trim costs due to diminished government funding.

A Daily Telegraph investigation that took place on the day the clocks went back an hour found more than 3,000 miles of motorways and trunk roads were completely unlit, and a further 47 miles of motorway have their lights switched off between midnight and 5am.

Earlier this year Nottinghamshire County Council announced it would turn off 90,000 street lights in order to save an estimated £1.25m, following Derbyshire County Council’s similar decision to save more than £400,000 a year by switching off street lights in rural areas between midnight and 5.30am. An investigation by the Daily Mail in fact found out that 21 out of 27 county councils in England were turning street lights off at certain times, or in some cases entirely, back in February.

Jupiter LED Street Light www.gemmalighting.com

More than the convenience of having light through to the early hours, there is an argument that local road users will not feel safe when councils plunge them into darkness in order to save money.

Pedestrians are at particular risk - according to governmental crime statistics the number of personal robberies occurring in England and Wales has fallen progressively in the last four years but in 2009/10, the most recent year available, there were still nearly 80,000 cases recorded by the Police. The same can be said of sexual offences, with over 50,000 incidents reported to Police between July 2011 and June 2012. With pedestrians highly likely to be targets for both these crimes, effective and reliant street lighting is clearly vital to ensure their safety.

But how can councils balance the need for this safety with their tighter budgetary requirements and rising energy prices? By changing the type of lighting these authorities use, their street lighting could in fact remain on throughout the night whilst seeing their energy bills reduced thanks to more efficient LED street lighting.

LEDs convert more power to light, as opposed to traditional lighting sources that lose power through excess heat, and with no filament to burn out they are more reliable and can save users money on maintenance bills.

With a life span of up to 100,000 hours LED street lights offer long-term solutions for financially conscious councils. Schemes, such as the Green Lease for LED lighting, are even available whereby purchasers can offset the capital expenditure of LED replacement lights by making repayments through the savings they make in energy costs.

As part of the Telegraph investigation the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "The presence of lighting not only reduces the risk of traffic accidents but also their severity. Surveys have shown that the public are in favour of street lighting as a way of improving road safety and that, if anything, it needs to be improved in some areas. There are economic and environmental reasons why some organisations may wish to reduce the amount of lighting. However there are safety reasons why lighting needs to be available."

With new LED technology, road safety and cost-efficiency need no longer be separate considerations for hundreds of authorities up and down the country, and the blackouts that are concerning so many, can be a thing of the past.

Have the street lights in your area been switched off? Give us your thoughts in the comments box below.

NEW: Green Lease - LED Lighting

Gemma Lighting’s ‘Green Lease’ for LED Lighting

With lighting accounting for up to 80% of a facility's energy consumption, the switch to LED lighting can result in energy savings of 60-90%... Not to mention the resulting 70-90% savings in maintenance costs during the life of the lights!

LED Lighting 'Green Lease'

However, we understand that quality LED lighting is more expensive than traditional fluorescent and metal halide options, forcing many companies to delay the change to LED until they have the ability to pay for it.

Until now…

Gemma Lighting is proud to announce the launch of their ‘Green Lease’ for LED lighting.

A ‘Green Lease’ from Gemma Lighting allows your business to switch to our ultra efficient LED lighting without utilising the capital expenditure budget or tying up valuable cash flow.

Gemma Lighting can offer a truly independent, tailored solution which is based on the merits of each individual client that we work with. Utilising our network of lenders we will find the best solution to meet your needs whilst highlighting the significant tax benefits that come with leasing.

We can supply our LED lighting to you and the repayments are made from the energy saving and maintenance reductions generated. In fact we can even structure the ‘Green Lease’ so that the monthly payments are LESS than the energy and maintenance savings. YES, we can put money back into your business every month!



LED Ceiling Tile





Furthermore Gemma Lighting is the UK manufacturer. We are confident in the high quality of our products and will offer a factory warranty for the length of the lease*

With viable commercial leasing now readily available, now is the time to go green!

For further information on our ‘Green Lease’ please contact our sales department on 0844 8565 201.

*Subject to a maximum of 4 years.