If you've got an existing office space you could be saving money and doing your bit for the environment by switching to LED lights. These days to run a successful and well-respected business, it's important to think about the impact your practice has on the environment as well as providing a good service for your clients. Whatever type of lighting system you have, it's simple and straightforward to retrofit LED's and give your business premises the advantage of cheaper energy costs and improve your carbon footprint at the same time.
1. No Harmful Substances
Incandescent bulbs often use harmful substances such as phosphors and mercury in their manufacture, which means when they get thrown away they can be harmful to the environment. LED's are not made with harmful substances and last for 50,000 hours, compared to normal bulbs which last just 1000, so they won't end up in landfill as often either.
2. No UV
Over time, UV rays and infra-red heat can have a damaging effect, for example they can cause fading to paintings. In addition conventional bulbs shine with a slightly yellow or orange light that makes objects look a different colour. LED lights don't produce infra-red heat or UV rays and the light they produce has a natural effect that shows the actual colour of the object being illuminated. LED's produce very little heat so they don't cause damage to close by objects or pose a fire risk. They can be used in places where normal bulbs wouldn't be suitable, for example inside drawers and cupboards or close to soft furnishings such as blinds and curtains.
3. Retrofitting
It's possible to use pre-existing controls, power circuits and light fixtures to install LED lights which means you won't have to spend money rewiring or create waste ripping out walls and ceilings. LED lights also work faster than regular bulbs and are ideal in places where quick light is needed. In addition they work well in different temperatures, for example in cold storage units.
4. Landfill
Whilst an incandescent bulb lasts a relatively short time, an LED bulb can least for more than a quarter of a century, so there's less need to manufacture bulbs and less bulbs end up in landfill. Reducing your carbon footprint is all about how much waste you produce, both in terms of CO2 and rubbish, so any way you can find to reduce the amount of rubbish you create is a bonus.
5. Upgradable
LED lights are designed to be easily upgraded which means if you want to install something more up to the minute you can easily do so without creating more waste. Although once you've installed new LED lights it's unlikely you'll need to alter them for several decades.
Lee McIver invites you to save a little money and do your bit for the environment by replacing all of your traditional light bulbs with energy-saving LED light bulbs.
