The incandescent light bulb is rapidly becoming outdated. In recent years, advances in lighting technology have given us new options when it comes to both indoor and outdoor lighting, and the best choice – for several reasons – is LED lighting. LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes, and while not a new concept, the latest examples of LED’s have some imposing properties.
Many towns and cities now have LED streetlights, as a replacement of the commonly-used fluorescent bulbs that were once popular. That is not just for the economic reasons – as we will explain, LEDs are far more efficient than other forms of lighting – but also because it is the most environmentally friendly form of light available.
We are talking about upgrading a parking lot lights to LED, and it is a recommended upgrade in every way. If you have a dark parking lot, you need to go with LED lighting, so let’s have a look at the reasons.
Why LED is the Way to Go
The latest examples of LED bulbs are very efficient. One of the problems with most other forms of lighting – including the traditional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs – is that they generate a lot of heat. That is wasted energy, as you want to be able to produce light. The LED light deals with this problem.
In fact, in any LED light, 95% of the energy used becomes light, with just 5% being wasted as heat. That is as near-perfect as we can get when it comes to a light source. Let’s compare that to a fluorescent bulb, which is probably lighting your parking lot right now: with that sort of device, only 5% of the energy becomes light, with 95% wasted as heat! We’re sure you’ll agree that it is quite an alarming statistic!
A further advantage of such lights and one that will appeal to you is that it uses far less power to do the job. For example, an 80 watt fluorescent light could be replaced by an equivalent 34 watt LED bulb and provide the same level of brightness. So, not only does LEAD to waste less energy, it uses far less and reduces the strain on the power stations that generate electricity.
Non-Toxic Materials
We live in an era where we understand the need to be eco-friendly. It’s not just a trend these days but a necessity, and each of us – on an individual and a corporate level – has to do all we can to help the environment. As we have seen above, switching your parking lot to LED lighting will certainly help in terms of cutting back on wasted energy – and also on energy usage – so what other benefits do LEAD bulbs have over the fluorescent alternative?
A standard fluorescent bulb relies upon many elements to make it work. It includes mercury, a metal that is very dangerous and harmful to the environment. Mercury is tough to dispose of safely, and your used fluorescent rays will most likely end up in landfills, where the substance will pollute the earth.
Unlike traditional glare, such bulbs do not hold any harmful or dangerous substances. They rely, quite solely, on an electrical charge which – when applied correctly – lights up the diode. Think of it as a switch that, when it is ‘on,’ it allows the current to flow; when it is ‘off,’ it blocks it. There are no chemicals involved, unlike all other types of light. That makes these lights far more environmentally friendly than your current light system, especially fluorescent outdoor lights.
Longer Lifespan and Direct Light
As this type of lighting is becoming more prevalent – thanks to the people appreciating its cost-saving ability – so the market grows, and more suppliers are coming on board with a wide choice of products. One that may be able to help you with commercial installations such as your parking lot is Total Lighting LLC who are a Minneapolis-based company with a range of commercial lighting solutions and can help with all types of such lights.
Another aspect of LED is that the lights will have a longer life than your standard lighting. LED lights are known to last as much as six times longer than your standard fluorescent or incandescent lamps. Not only does this save you the cost of regular replacements, but it has even more significant implications in terms of manufacturing and the use of materials and energy in the manufacturing process. Longer life means less is needed, so you are helping the environment again.
Furthermore, the LED light is direct. What do we mean by this? Picture a typical fluorescent strip light. When working, it emits light in all directions. That is another form of wasted energy, as you do not need – for example – to light upwards from a ceiling light. These lights emit light in one direction only. Hence, it is more focused and energy-efficient. That’s further cost savings for you when lighting your parking lot.
You will also find that, because of the facts listed above, fewer lights are required than if you were using traditional bulbs for the same area. So, it is more efficient and environmentally-friendly, and as it offers equivalent brightness at a far lower cost.
Upgrading to LED
The facts listed above should provide you with more reasons to switch to these lights. Of course, there will be an initial cost involved, as it is the case with such developments, but consider the fact you will be using far less electricity to power the lights. Your lower energy costs will soon recoup the cost of installing LED lighting where you need it. If you have commercial premises, you should also benefit from changing any interior lighting to LED too.
Have a closer look at what this lighting is all about, and start saving money on your energy bills as soon as you can.
