LEDs have become a staple in new construction, commercial buildings, retail spaces, residential homes, and so much more. This quick paced shift to LEDs in recent years has sent the entire industry ablaze. According to Strategies Unlimited, Packaged LEDs should see a 7% increase in compounded annual growth rates over the next few years, with majority of that directly from lighting revenues. This transfer away from traditional lighting like fluorescent and halogen lighting solutions is only expected to continue as new technology makes LED lighting increasingly more valuable.
Safety
LEDs are incredibly safe when sourced from reliable manufacturers, be sure to check that their products are UL , CSA, or ETL listed and conform to required UL standards and local electrical codes. LEDs can do not contain harmful gases or chemicals and can be disposed in a landfill. LEDs. are also safe to handle as they are cool to the touch, and run on low-voltage minimizing the risk of injury from live electrical lines. Fluorescent lights on the other hand contain mercury gas (when heated reacts with a phosphor coating to produce visible light) which requires the CFL bulbs to be disposed of and handled properly to avoid mercury contamination. They last longer the incandescent lights while using 75% less energy. However, most fluorescent operate on a delay timer and take several minutes to reach full output and become dangerously hot to the touch. Halogen lights are another upgrade to the incandescent, is created by evaporating tungsten from a heated filament which mixes with halogen gas inside the bulb. Similar to fluorescence, halogen lights produce a lot of heat once at full power and emit IR and UV radiation that can be harmful to fabrics and artwork.
Efficiency
LEDs have advantages over their predecessor: lower energy consumption, longer lifespan, improved physical condition, smaller size and faster switching. Almost phasing out the comparable fluorescent; though more expensive, LEDs are considerably more cost efficient and have less environmental issues. CFLs have a life span of 8,000-12,000 hours, halogens have a 985-1250 hour life span, and in comparison LEDs have a 15,000 25,000 hour life span (these numbers reflect BULB spans, not Inspired LED Flexible Strip Lighting or Panel Products). Beyond lasting longer, LEDs use significantly less watts than CFLs and Halogens, without compromising light output and lumens.
Tech & Beyond
Technology is ever-changing, as is the future with LEDs. 2016 saw an immense change in the use of home automation from new Lutron systems, to a surge in consumers purchasing items like the Amazon Echo to incorporate into their everyday lives. Companies like Nest revolutionized the way we control the temperatures within our homes, not to mention introduced fire alarms, and home security to their product line. Smart LEDs are currently on target to have the largest growth potential in the next 5 years. With a little help from the IoT , there are now so many more options allowing LED lighting, and customized programmable systems to be more readily available. We recently partnered with Igor, Inc. who specializes in PoE lighting systems which allow for multiple and complex low voltage lighting systems to be controlled and customized through their software. Together we see the future of large office and commercial buildings to be run on PoE Systems with the future integration of intelligent networks that control lighting, security, and so much more!
To learn more about LED lighting, be sure to follow the Inspired LED blog, and be on the look for more projected LED lighting trends to come. If you have specific questions about our products and services, you can visit our website, contact us directly through email at orders@inspiredled.com, or give us a call at 480-941-4286.
Sources:
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/light-bulb-guide,review-1986.html
http://www.ledinside.com/intelligence/2016/8/led_specialty_lighting_market_to_post_30_cagr_in_2016_2020_says_ledinside
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2483488,00.asp