LED Lighting Benefits

LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are fast becoming the globe’s number one lighting choice. From traffic lights, vehicle brake lights, street lights and TVs, LEDs are used in a so many applications because of their unique characteristics. They’re compact in size, very low maintenance, durable and they have the ability to focus the light in a single direction, meaning less wasted light.

Alongside this, LEDs provide immense energy saving benefits, money saving benefits and environmental benefits. Let’s break these down…

Energy saving benefits

The energy saving benefits of LEDs are, of course, the number one reason why people and companies the world over are turning to them as their chosen lighting solution. With this, the financial savings and environmental benefits follow naturally. LEDs can be around 6 to 7 times more energy efficient than conventional incandescent bulbs, cutting energy use by up to 80%.

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But what is it about them that makes them so efficient? For starters, LEDs pass electrons through a semiconductor and subsequently have no filament to wear out, meaning that they don’t get as hot. Traditional lighting loses almost 95% of its energy, simply just by producing heat. With LEDs, this figure drops to just 5%. Overall, LED bulbs can last 25 times longer than traditional bulbs. That’s a lifetime of more than 3 years if they run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Environmental benefits

A study undertaken by the Energy Department study determined that LEDs have a much smaller environmental impact than incandescent bulbs – an impressive 4 times less in fact. They are pollutant-free, with no mercury, lead, glass or toxic materials, making them 100% more recyclable, leading to a reduction in toxic chemicals deposited into our globe’s landfills and reducing waste costs.

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LEDs are also helping to tackle light pollution. It’s in no way a solution, but it’s certainly the safer option when it comes to lighting the outdoors. A lot of our outdoor lighting is inefficient, overly bright, poorly targeted and improperly shielded, resulting in huge amounts of it wasted and turning into skyglow – scattered light particles suspended in the atmosphere. LEDs are easy to focus in a single direction, meaning light can be shielded and directed into target areas and only at times when it is truly needed.

Money saving benefits

The financial savings that come with LEDs are a huge driver. LED lighting has the potential to reduce lighting costs by an amazing 90%. Apply this to a business for instance – something as minor as a 20% reduction in energy costs can add the same benefit as a 5% increase in sales for the business. Not only do LEDs use energy more efficiently, meaning lower bills, but they are significantly more durable than other bulbs. Their lifespan is longer and they are incredibly durable, meaning maintenance costs are next to nothing.

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INUI’s LED lighting calculator brings the numbers to life to help you realise your possible savings. Let’s say for example that in your home, you have 8 lamps, all at 40 wattage. Based on a typical £0.1 kilowatt per hour, your existing electricity consumption stands at 2.576 kWh, leaving your running costs per year at £94.02. By switching to LED lighting, your new electricity consumption, (based on an 80% reduction over your current lighting installation wattage required for domestic use), would be 0.52 kWh, with your running costs at a much lower £18.80. As a result, your total annual savings would be an impressive £75.22, with your CO2 emissions savings left at 323.44 (based on a conversation factor of 0.43kgCO2/kWh).

Lightbulb moment

We could go on and on about the benefits of LEDs, but we’ll leave it at the main three; good for the environment, good for the bank balance and energy efficient. LED bulbs are far from gimmicky – they are a modern and suitable lighting solution for every resident or business owner.

Need anymore persuading? Try out INUI’s LED lighting calculator for yourself and work out how much you could be saving!