Specialty and Architectural Lighting — LED

Years ago, LED bulbs were often advertised as having 100,000 hours of rated life. However, that has largely disappeared in favor of the 25,000 hour bulb. Some manufacturers even make 11,000 hour LEDs. Learn what's changed in how we measure the rated life of LED bulbs, because of the unique nature of solid state lighting technology.

LED lighting excels in cold temperature environments. At Pegasus Airfield near McMurdo Station Antarctica, the runway is illuminated with LED lights. Temperatures range from a high of 12°F down to 0°F and lower. Large commercial cold storage facilities are often illuminated with LED lighting. Finally, one of the fastest growing...

A significant contributor to electrical energy use in the U.S. is outdoor area lighting. Street and roadway lights, walkway and park lighting, surface parking pole mounted fixtures and building mounted wall packs are all designed to illuminate space at night to provide safe passage and security for vehicles and pedestrians....

The number of recessed downlights in small commercial and residential environments often exceeds all other types of light fixtures in the building. Tucked neatly inside the ceiling, these fixtures manage to be both an unobtrusive and an effective source of illumination for many types of spaces. The traditional light source...

One look at the LED T8 retrofit lamp and installation options can quickly make you want to run for cover - or give up and live with fluorescent. The later approach, while not as forward-looking as LED, makes some sense especially if you are comparing the 30,000 to 40,000 hour...

Recessed downlights are a common lighting fixture found in most commercial and residential buildings. Lobbies, hallways and conference rooms often take advantage of the clean ceiling look of a recessed downlight to provide ambient or accent lighting in these spaces. In homes, kitchens are the most common location where recessed...

Many LED lamps and fixtures on the market today include a dimming capability. While certainly a beneficial feature, often a necessary one, dimming LED lamps can be an adventure unless some basic steps are taken to ensure compatibility between the LED lamp and dimming control. In the world of tungsten...

Within the lighting industry, LEDs become more popular and versatile by the month. But with the bulb-buying public, LED has forced a change in how consumers think about light. From too many options to color temperatures to the rated lives of LEDs, we look at the challenges people currently face when switching from traditional lighting to LED.

Over two years ago, when we wrote this original post, there was general angst from lighting designers, contractors and owners about the usefulness of LED MR16 bulbs as viable replacements for halogen MR16 in commercial display lighting applications. At the time, we cited a USDOE report from 2014 that showed...

Effective lighting for retail stores focuses on two concepts: entice shoppers to enter the store and, once they are in the store, direct their attention to the merchandise. This basic formula gets more complex, depending on the store, with the need to find a balance with other important issues such...

Facility managers faced with a lamp replacement project may want to consider the LED option but worry about the reliability of the technology, higher initial costs and a predictable return on investment. Bosses may require convincing that now is the right time to adopt LED lighting for their facility. While...

Learn about the benefits and considerations of switching from metal halide and HID lighting systems to LED. While the energy savings and maintenance costs are better with LED HID replacements, does the technology live up to the promises of LED lighting manufacturers?

Lighting, one of the key components of the overall customer experience when dining out, provides the restaurant owner with the benefits of aesthetic appeal along with the hassle of ongoing maintenance requirements and potentially high energy costs. The emergence of LED lighting offers restaurant owners an opportunity to maintain or...

Learn about LED downlights, modules, and arrays. Before buying a fancy new LED light fixture, it would be a wise idea to find out how easy replacing the LED array will be. And with how rapidly LED technology is changing, find out how big a concern this really is.

A study by Rutgers University indicates that cheaper, more efficient lighting may lead to more lighting being used by consumers and institutions. One likely result -- people will use more lights if they are cheaper to operate, which won't reduce the overall energy usage. According to an article from InsideClimateNews...