[ Spotlight: LED lighting ] T
he lighting industry has experienced signifi cant change over recent years. At the very heart of this activity is light emitting diode (LED) technology, and its long life, low carbon emissions, greater
energy effi ciency and quality of light are features of a solution that clearly has a bright future.
In and out
The need to lower the global carbon footprint was central to the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs, and in 2011 the European union fi nally outlawed their production.
Although compact fl uorescent lamps (CFLs) have since become commonplace, critics claim that they do not give off enough light and cast everything in an unattractive yellow glow. The Spectrum Alliance, a group that represents various health charities, also believes that around two million Britons could be adversely affected by this type of bulb, which emits ultraviolet light. Attention has since shifted to LEDs, with their higher quality light output, and this has created a level of change not seen since gas lamp manufacturers witnessed the introduction of the carbon fi lament lamp. Commenting on their impact, Giuliano Digilio, head of Technical Services at the ECA, says: ‘An extremely long lifespan, a technology that’s free of hazardous material and increasing light output all suggest a winning combination.’
Effi ciency drive The targets for carbon reduction in the UK are deliberately tough. The long-term framework outlined by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) sets out plans for achieving the objectives stated in the Climate Change Act 2008 – which, when compared to 1990 levels, equates to a reduction of at least 34 per cent by 2020 and at least 80 per cent by 2050. Lighting is an obvious way to help meet
these
targets. It is estimated that a building’s carbon footprint from lighting can be reduced by up to 80 per cent by exchanging all incandescent bulbs for LEDs. Duncan Chamberlain, director of trade at Philips, states: ‘Lighting is one of the easiest ways to save energy and, therefore, money on electricity bills. In hospitality and retail environments, where lighting is often on 24/7, there is a real business case for making the switch.’ Thorn Lighting’s marketing director, Kelly Herrick,
adds: ‘Energy effi ciency is driving the technologies we’re seeing in the market today and LED is changing the way we all think about lighting. But to be truly effi cient, it is important to use the technology that is right for the application.’
Taking the plunge Perhaps the biggest barrier to widespread adoption of LED lighting is its price. Although production costs have fallen dramatically in the last few years, it is still a major issue.
Simon Fisher, general manager, EMEA indoor luminaire solutions at GE Lighting, believes that a long- term view is required. He says: ‘There is no denying the cost penalty, but the brave leaders taking the plunge
About the author
Rob Shepherd Rob Shepherd is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to ECA Today. He has worked in the electrical contracting industry for more than 12 years.
Switching to LED lighting signifi cantly reduced energy consumption at Manchester University
Kick off
Osram installed LED technology in four stadiums used for the UEFA European Football Championship, with The National Stadium in Warsaw the highlight. Its lighting solutions were applied in the Stadium’s façade, which was used as a gigantic screen. ‘In a stadium, a range of very different lighting situations must be catered to in a small space, and these require individual solutions.’ says Klaus-Günter Vennemann, CEO of the General Lighting Business Unit at Osram. The National Stadium uses 1,700 LED luminaires from the Osram subsidiary, Traxon, which lit up the shell of the stadium in Poland’s national colours of red and white, creating atmospheric light that was visible from far away. The segments of the interwoven shell of the building were fi tted with dimmable Linear XB 36 LED luminaires, anchored by specially developed holders, permitting uniform illumination of the individual panels. ‘We have successfully transformed the façade into a giant screen, on which were displayed a range of light patterns, match scores and the names of players and goalkeepers on the outside of the structure,’ explains Bogumil Stepan, managing director of Osram in Poland.
into LED technology now will reap the rewards in future years.’ The return on investment argument for using LEDs involves a number of considerations, including energy, maintenance, life, colour quality, colour consistency and using best available technology. In today’s economic climate, convincing end users to look long-term may not be easy, however. Tridonic’s LED business manager, Matt Caygill, comments: ‘All large end users and retailers have been made to look closely at energy savings within their estates. Doing so makes the payback costs easier to bear when making the decision to switch to LED.’
Cost effective
The cost issue was brought into sharp focus recently when Philips launched its L Prize LED bulb. Hailed as the ‘most technically advanced LED bulb’, it consumes only 9.7W while giving off the same amount of light as a 60W incandescent lamp. It produces more than 900 lumens, a colour rendering index (CRI) of 90 and 2,700 kelvin colour temperature – features
July 2012 ECA Today 57
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