As LEDs have become a staple in households and businesses across the world, the acronym itself has become a common descriptor for anything related to energy-efficient lighting. Let's dive in and learn about lighting, its origins, and why LED lighting coupled with lighting controls, is the superior choice.
If you are a little tech-savvy, you probably already know that LED is the catchy acronym for "light-emitting diode." The concept itself is akin to an incandescent bulb. Just like a filament in an incandescent bulb lights up as electricity passes through it, a diode will glow when electricity passes through it. That's where the commonalities end, though.
Incandescent Bulbs
To understand where we are now, we must first know where we came from. You may be familiar with the adage of Thomas Edison and the light bulb, but did you know that history credits twenty-two people before Edison with the same achievement? Edison was the one to make it work reliably. One historian references it in this manner:
The lamp was a small component in his system of electric lighting, and no more critical to its effective functioning than the Edison Jumbo generator, the Edison main and feeder, and the parallel-distribution system. Other inventors with generators and incandescent lamps, and with comparable ingenuity and excellence, have long been forgotten because their creators did not preside over their introduction in a system of lighting.
— Thomas P. Hughes, In Technology at the Turning Point Source: Wikipedia
Incandescent bulbs actually have a lot going for them.
They are cheap to manufacture; thus, they are available in a multitude of shapes and sizes.
They have been around for a long time, so plenty of places still create and supply them.
Due to their low costs, consumers still purchase them, therefore keeping them in demand.
Able to work off AC as well as DC makes them easy to use in a wide array of situations.
This is where the steep drop off occurs for these lights. They are fallible in many ways including:
Short life expectancy - on average, 1000 hours. This pales in comparison to a LED bulb.
Poor energy efficiency - on average, this type of bulb converts only 5% of the energy it uses into visible light. This causes high operating costs.
They are fragile; glass bulbs break easily.
In air-conditioned buildings, incandescent bulbs can increase the load on the AC system. Increasing the inefficiency of these bulbs even further.
In recent years, significant efforts have been put forth to increase the efficacy of incandescent lamps. There have been multiple prototypes that ultimately never made it to production. Numerous reasons have been cited, including the fact they could not reduce the energy usage levels as much as intended. While better efficacy has been achieved using different bulb styles, coatings, and other methods, the simple fact remains that these will never be efficient as LEDs.
Let's Talk About LEDs
Oleg Losev, a Russian inventor, is credited with the creation of the first LED in 1927. Unfortunately, at that time, the technology never really went anywhere. Oleg passed away in 1942 and never saw his invention adopted into practical uses.
In the early '60s, LEDs started making their appearance in electronic components. In the beginning, they were just small IR diodes that released a minute amount of red light. As the years passed on the technology has grown and been adopted into a plethora of practical uses. Televisions, lighting fixtures, communication devices, and so much more now utilize these as energy-efficient lighting sources.
So, where does that leave us in comparison with incandescent tech? In our eyes, there are absolutely ZERO cons when you go with LED technology. Here are a few of the many benefits:
Efficiency - Using up to 90% less power than a comparable incandescent bulb while producing the same light output.
Longevity - How often are you replacing your incandescent bulbs again? Most LED bulbs boast a life span of 20 years.
Strong - A diode is more robust than a filament. Not being prone to oxidation, the bulb is often made up of plastic, which is also sturdier than glass.
Safety - Less heat produced reduces risk of burns and reduces fire hazards.
Sensors and IoT ability - Gives them the ability to be controlled at the device level via integrated sensors or on a larger scale as part of a network of things, further increasing efficiency.
Environmental impact - Aside from being recyclable, the reduction in energy has a considerable impact across the board.
Source: Efficiency Maine
That's just naming a few! There are so many beneficial reasons to switch that goes above and beyond what we've discussed. There are a few other fixtures that are often used in industrial applications such as fluorescent or metal halide derivatives, but all fall short to the superior choice of the LED. If you are currently running fixtures such as these, you should check out how we can help you save money with a turnkey lighting project!
Controls Make The Difference
So you've made the leap and decided that LED is the way to go. We couldn't agree more! If you utilize lighting controls in conjunction with your retrofit, you will further your efficiency while also reaping other benefits.
Source: Facility Executive
Just like the incandescent bulb lighting controls have been around for quite some time. There was a massive push for energy efficiency in commercial buildings in the '80s. Lacking the technology we have now, they achieved lighting control via ballasts and dimmers. These could be controlled from a primary source. Unfortunately, early systems like this required expensive cabling and were not easily adopted due to their high cost and intricacy.
As time went on, we moved from analog to digital controls. Moving to digital helped to simplify the wiring while increasing functional control. Furthering technology has supplied us with a multitude of options. Wireless controls have allowed us to collect data and explore the possibilities of our lighting systems in ways we were not able to with prior systems.
How To Proceed
Any industry with any sort of layout can and will benefit from a conversion. Are you worried about the overhead costs, or concerned about having the capital to fund such a project? The energy savings alone will pay for the conversion over time. Additionally, there are programs such as our Savings as a Service that can get you started with no upfront capital.