There’s no denying that the lighting trends have shifted quite a bit in the past few decades. The newest option, although the first modern light source of this kind is over 40 years old, is the LED or Light-Emitting Diode technology. Since LEDs’ rapid development gained speed in 2009, there’s been an almost constant discussion on whether they are the best and the most eco-friendly option for lighting. Although we shouldn’t deal in absolutes, it’s safe to say that they’re pretty close to the tittle. Let’s take a closer look at what makes them “the greenest” option.
Why even bother?
As we all know by now, the Minimum Efficiency Regulations (MEES) issued in 2018 banned any new leases of buildings with efficiency ratings below E (as shown on an EPC) in an effort to lower the UK’s carbon emissions. It’s worth noting that the government aims to reduce them to zero by 2050. This means that some older generation light bulbs are no longer considered valid light sources for any new building. So why not take a step further and replace all of your lights with better options?
Environmental benefits of LED bulbs
Changing your lighting system is one of the easiest and readily available ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are five key benefits of switching to LED lights – both for you and the environment.
Longevity – more years with less money
Although the initial cost of a LED bulb is higher, it can save you a lot of money throughout its lifespan due to far lower maintenance costs. How? LED light bulbs simply last for way longer – a decent model can shine for up to 25 000 hours, while the higher quality ones can easily double that. That’s about 20 times longer than typical incandescent bulbs, which go out after 1 500 hours tops. LEDs can even beat CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) – the best of them can provide light for about 35 000 hours. So you’d have to buy far fewer bulbs to keep your home lighting going for years to come. How is it environmentally friendly? Fewer bulbs mean less waste and lower production of new lamps (including transport and packaging) which can greatly lessen the impact on the environment from a long-term perspective.
Efficiency is vital
Going by the energy efficiency alone should be a good enough reason to switch to LED light – they simply have no equal on this field. Even a moderately good LED bulb converts about 90% of intake energy into light, while the better ones can convert 95%. That makes them about 80% more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent and fluorescent lights, which convert most of the intake energy into heat, wasting it irreversibly. Therefore, LED lights consume far less energy, keeping your electricity bills nice and low. So, if we change our lights to LEDs on a greater scale, we can lower the amounts of energy that power plants have to produce regularly. And that would be extremely beneficial for the environment – especially in countries that produce most of their electricity from fossil fuels.
A variety of LED bulbs and lamps can be found at https://lucasled.ie/.
Say no to toxicity
Setting aside the debate whether CFLs still contain mercury (as they did in the past), LED lighting is completely free of any toxic material. This means that it doesn’t require a special disposal method and can be thrown out just like any other electrical waste. So switching to it will save money and lessen the amount of toxic substances seeping into the environment.
alt=”A Variety Of LED Light Bulbs”
Better illumination with fewer lights
In addition to lower energy consumption, LED lights can be way brighter with far fewer Watts of power. It’s also worth noting that their brightness isn’t measured in Watts, but in Lumens. A modern, super-bright LED lamp can reach the brightness output of a whooping 100 lumens per watt. The old filament and halogen lights pale in comparison with their output of roughly 12 lm/W. Thanks to this, you’ll need far fewer bulbs to illuminate your personal space, which can save money and lower your home’s energy intake at the same time.
Recyclable, as all things should be
Despite being treated as any other electronic waste, most of the materials used in LED lighting can be recycled. According to GreenTech Solutions, up to 95% of a dead LED bulb’s materials can get recycled. So although you still shouldn’t put your used LEDs into regular recycle bins, they can get recycled later on instead of being added to the landfill waste like all the other burned-out bulbs.
In addition to lower energy consumption, LED lights can be way brighter with far fewer Watts of power. It’s also worth noting that their brightness isn’t measured in Watts, but in Lumens. A modern, super-bright LED lamp can reach the brightness output of a whooping 100 lumens per watt. The old filament and halogen lights pale in comparison with their output of roughly 12 lm/W. Thanks to this, you’ll need far fewer bulbs to illuminate your personal space, which can save money and lower your home’s energy intake at the same time.Moreover, you can also grow your plants inside with the help of LED grow lights. They mimic the sun and have a wider spectrum of both blue and red light that promote vegetative growth and flowering, respectively.
