Viewpoint
Tom Harrison, Managing Director of MHA Lighting, discusses the importance of independent verification.
The Carbon Trust reports that energy efficient LED lighting can save UK businesses £700m a year and cut more than 10 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Other research puts the savings closer to £1.4 billion. There is no doubt that the switch to energy efficient lighting such as LEDs can really pay off, but when making the switch how do you avoid the pitfalls that have previously been associated with the LED lighting market? Professional LED manufacturers have been working hard to ensure that their products are able to achieve the photometric performance of fluorescents and halogens and to develop luminaires that are as pleasant to look at as fluorescent. However, the benefits of LED technology are completely dependent upon longevity in the fitting. This longevity in a LED light engine is completely dependent upon three crucial factors: the LED itself, thermal management of the junction temperature and the driver used. The purchasers of any lighting solution
are totally entitled to ask LED manufacturers to provide thorough documented evidence and certification for each of those three elements. As a pioneering company, MHA Lighting identified that independent verification was essential in getting our product to market. Institutions like the NPL, the UK’s National Measurement Institute, is
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supporting new energy efficient lighting technologies by providing unique measurement facilities, and these measurements are essential for lighting manufacturers to justify claims of efficiency and quality.
The LED lighting industry is still
relatively immature and there are horror stories aplenty regarding quality failures. When selecting LED technology, care needs to be taken to ensure highly reliable products are installed. Responsible LED lighting suppliers will have independent test data and proper photometric evidence for the light distribution of each of their products. In order for solid-state lighting
products to succeed further in the marketplace, their manufacturers must provide reliable, unbiased performance information including measurement of energy consumption, light output and distribution and colour consistency. This independent data not only provides the credibility LED lighting suppliers need with potential customers, but also reassures us as manufacturers that the data we have for our products is correct.
Contact
MHA Lighting T: +44 (0) 1942 887400
www.mhalighting.com
www.a1lightingmagazine.com
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