Architects and engineers that design and construct industrial buildings, including manufacturing spaces and warehouses, have historically chosen to illuminate those buildings with high-intensity metal halide or fluorescent fixtures. A third option of LED industrial lighting is now becoming more available and more economically reasonable. When considering among the three available options, most building architects and engineers will see more benefits to choosing LED industrial lighting than other available lighting solutions.
LED Lighting for Industrial Use
Contrary to many expectations, LED lighting is a cost-effective and economical option to metal halide and fluorescent lighting. Initial equipment and installation costs may be slightly higher, but LED operating and maintenance costs are lower and LED systems have a longer lifespan than other lighting options. You’ll make a larger investment when you choose LED lighting, but your returns on that investment will be greater and will extend over a longer period of time.
Technology objections to LED lighting are often based on misunderstandings or misinformation. For example, LED industrial lighting is not a new technology which Benefits of LED Industrial Lighting. Rather, it has been available for many years, but only became widely available for industrial applications as LED manufacturers have developed better and more cost-efficient production techniques to expand the LED market. Moreover, LED lighting systems require no magnetic ballasts that need to be serviced or replaced. LED lights use electronic drivers that manage power and control the efficiency of the lighting fixture. Manufacturers have integrated sensing, dimming, and rapid on-off capabilities into those drivers to optimize the capability and efficiency of LED lighting systems. A well-designed and engineered electronic driver will provide more than 50,000 hours of use before requiring replacement, which is twice as much, for example, as ballasts for fluorescent fixtures.
Industrial LED Lighting Investment
The initial costs of industrial LED lighting has dropped over the past several years, but it is unlikely to continue dropping as demand for LED lighting increases. Building designers who are considering lighting options can save costs and expenses by opting for LED lighting now, rather than waiting to retrofit existing fixtures to LED fixtures at some later date.
The tone, temperature, and intensity of LED lighting is ideal for industrial applications. Newer LED fixtures produce “cooler” light that is intense enough for demanding manufacturing environments. They work in a range of temperatures with no degradation in performance or efficiency. Control systems allow micro-adjustments for brightness or dimming, and unlike metal halide fixtures, LED lighting can be turned on and off almost instantaneously.
Lastly, LED industrial lighting is ecologically-friendly. LED fixtures contain no mercury or other heavy contaminants. They do incorporate certain earth elements in their construction, but those elements are not rare and they require no special disposal permits when the fixture has ended its lifespan. Further, LED lights use up to 50% less power than traditional lighting fixtures, which facilitates reduced carbon dioxide emissions from gas- and oil-powered electrical generation plants.