LED’s have been around for several years actually but they were actually more commonly found as components of toys. Then they began to work their way into electronic gadgets, then into outdoor signage and most recently they’ve become the ‘next big thing’ in energy savings in homes.
Businesses are getting heavily into LED fixtures now because of the money they can save by using them. Of course, businesses have always had more of an incentive to look into such things because they’re clearly ‘profit’ motivated. But in recent years the homebuilding industry has started to take LEDs seriously too because they’re very cost effective, give a better living experience and more practical to use too.
Home owners can get the same saving that businesses do by using LED lighting fixtures. The precise savings depends of various factors but can be as high as 41% compared to fluorescent lighting and homeowners are often very pleased to discover that these new LED fixtures fit right into most existing fluorescent lamp holders.
Another nice feature of LED fixtures is that they work with all the automated ‘on-off’ controls that so many home use now. And there’s no flicker or buzz as the lamp turns on either…it’s CLICK! It’s ON. There’s also slightly less heat even as compared to fluorescent and of course a LOT less heat than incandescent bulbs.
Another nice factor about LED lamps is that they’re not actually made of glass, like incandescent and fluorescent lamps, so there’s no danger from broken glass harming a child or a pet. And they’re totally recyclable too (as is almost everything nowadays).
Energy analysts estimate that the country could save the equivalent of 210 power plants. Considering how hard it is to get a power plant built nowadays and the fact that our nuclear plants might be shut down, that’s reassuring too.
Philips, long a leader in this industry, is the primary manufacturer of these devices presently. The lamps look just like a regular T8 fluorescent bulb but they’re not. Philips called their brand the “InstantFit LED”. It’s rated at only 14.5W, consumes about 41% less power, and is up to 50% more efficient. It install in a regular socket. Plus it has NO mercury so its disposal is not a problem.
So it’s no wonder that these remarkable lighting tools are making a big ‘splash’ in not only the commercial market but also the home market right now.
Full light output in spaces with temperatures down to -22˚F (-30˚C). Seems like nothing, but it’s kind of world-changing. So while this might seem like just a small thing, the fact that there are 12 billion of these fluorescent sockets in the world, with more being added all the time, means that there are pretty huge savings to be made by switching to this kind of more efficient and safer LED technology. Philips estimates that if all 12 billion of these lights were changed, savings in energy and maintenance costs would be $57 billion (€42 billion), or the energy equivalent 210 medium sized power plants. That’s the killer app. Just replacing the lamp, no need to rewire anything, change the fixture, etc. By the way, kudos to those who got the Magritte reference!