Everyone is interested in doing what they can to reduce the cost of energy these days. From obtaining better rates, to reducing energy demand, everyone is seeking ways to cutting energy costs.
Lighting optimization solutions is considered a "low-hanging fruit" as they often yield the most rapid transition to energy demand and cost savings.
An effective lighting optimization solution involves the replacement of obsolete fixtures and converting to energy-efficiency lighting fixtures with:
• high-efficiency ratings – substantially reduce energy load.
• longer bulb-life – less maintenance costs.
• less carbon emissions – better for the environment.
• special task lighting – improved quality control.
• motion sensors – elimination of manual controls within designated areas.
Lighting systems that utilizes LED bulbs are designed to use less energy than any other lighting available and provides the best high-efficiency ratings in lighting optimization.
What is an LED?
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a very small light source, made from a very tiny chip of semiconductor material, which emits a single color of light when connected to a small DC voltage. These solid-state lighting components have no moving, fragile parts and can last for decades. Encased in virtually unbreakable high strength optical grade resin, LED light sources are perfect for rugged or demanding environments or installations where access is difficult.
Current Lighting Technologies
The incandescent lamp is the least energy efficient of today’s lighting technologies. These light sources contain a very fragile filament that requires a significantly high amount of voltage to heat up the filament to produce light. Incandescent bulbs are also made of glass which can be broken; the filament inside the bulb is also easily broken by sudden shock or “soft drop”. The incandescent light bulbs is being phase-out by law, beginning with the 100-watt bulb in 2012 and ending with the 40-watt in 2014. All light bulbs must use 25 percent to 30 percent less by 2014.
Next up on the list is the fluorescent lamp which is a gas-discharge lighting technology that uses an internal electrical source to excite mercury atoms, which produce short-wave ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light causes the phosphor coating in the inside of the lamp to fluoresce, producing visible light. While fluorescent lamps are considered to be energy-efficient, its efficiency is lost due to the more costly ballast required to regulate the current through the lamp. For most T-8 fluorescent fixtures, the ballasts typically where out every 8-12 months and require the services of an electrician for replacement.
High-intensity discharge "HID" bulbs are a type of incandescent bulb which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent tube. HID’s are actually a type of arc lamp where the tube is filled with metal and gas salts which forms a plasma to increase the intensity of light produced by the arc and reduces its power consumption. HID lamps make more visible light per unit of electric power consumed than fluorescent and incandescent lamps since a greater proportion of their radiation is visible light as opposed to heat. Different types of chemistry such as Mercury vapor, Sodium vapor, Metal Halide (MH), Ceramic MH and Xenon are used in the arc tubes of HID lamps depending on the desired characteristics of light intensity, correlated color temperature, color rendering index (CRI), energy efficiency, and lifespan.
Often argued to be the most energy-efficient lighting technology, induction lamps are basically fluorescent lamps with induction coils wrapped around the tube. Light is produced in the same manner as typical fluorescent lamps except that the mercury atoms are not excited by an internal current. High frequency energy, from the electronic ballast, is sent through the induction coils (inductor) produces a very strong magnetic field which travels through the glass and excites the mercury atoms in the interior.
LED Technology
LED on the other hand, is a true green energy-efficient lighting technology and unlike the above:
• LEDs produce more light with less wattage.
• Contains no harmful environmental materials
• Contains no hazardous waste (disposal required by law)
• Eliminates harmful green house gases and reduces carbon footprint
• Have no glass to break or no poisonous fumes
• Increase the directional control of the produced light
• Reduces light pollution and wasted energy
• Reduces load on HVAC due to low heat output
LED light bulbs are designed to last between 35-55,000 hours for dim, and 20-60,000 hours for non-dim which eliminates the constant maintenance and replacement of bulbs and ballasts.
Why should I invest in LED bulbs now?
LED bulbs are a great investment and provide an average return on investment for industrial and commercial use of only 24-34 months through energy use alone. With have an average life span of 15-20 years (based on 6 hours a day use) LED will to continue to pay for themselves multiple times over. All of this coupled with the Federal, State, and Utility company rebates that are available to offset the cost of converting to energy efficient lighting; makes the choice to choose a LED lighting system, a clean business decision.
Things to consider before purchasing any LED lighting system:
• CRI – Color Rending Index
• Projected life span
• Color Temperature
• Beam Angle
• Warranty
EPSSC Group are experts at providing lighting optimization solutions utilizing the best in high-efficiency LED lighting systems that are:
• Competitively priced on equal quality products
• Higher brightness than most competitors
• Stricter design standards to meet American desires
• Thorough testing of our own designs and testing of the designs of our partners
• Short lead time on most products. Immediately - 4 weeks.
• Assembly in USA
• 99% compatible with every triac dimmer on the market including Lutron, Leviton, Crestron, Vantage, Centralight, and Control4.
Contact us to schedule a complimentary lighting optimization audit of your organization’s facilities. Don’t forget to ask about our “positive cash flow” energy project financing to start putting money back into your pocket immediately.
By Konrad M. Rowe
Principal Consultant, EPSSC Group
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