History of LED lighting:
The use of Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology in the lighting industry is a relatively new phenomenon. This is primarily because it is only in recent years that high intensity devices have become available.
LED can not produce white light at this time, the white light come from the mixture of red, green and yellow LED light. The concept of mixing the light output of LED’s was probably first implemented in 1979 by Jerry Laidman at a company called Sound Chamber. The product named “Saturn” involved a spinning propeller. Each of the three wings of the propeller was constructed of circuit boards fitted with red, green and yellow LED’s. (Blue LED’s had not yet been invented!)
The next technology jump occurred in 1993, with the invention of the blue LED by Nichia.
In early 1994, Artistic License prototyped what is believed to be the first full color mixing design using red, green and blue LED’s.
The lighting techniques:
This new phenomenon is being used today more and more in different areas of our lives such as; Residential, Commercial, Art installations, Telecommunications (cell phones lights), Entertainment (most Las Vegas Strip), Medical, Dental, Forensic Light Sources, Transportations (cars), Traffic Signals, Pedestrians lights, and Street lights.
LED luminaries can be used for Step lights, Down lights, In ground fittings, Cove lighting, Strip lighting, and Wall & floor panel.
LED’s have two different lighting control systems, one is the sideline wall plate lights, which is stainless steel plates control panels suitable for in and out door, entry ways, walkway lighting and step lighting. The other is the battery operated LED’s which are used for decorative candles, scuba diving flash lights and toys.
Costs:
In California, lighting accounts for approximately 28% of home electricity use, and almost 40% of commercial use. As a nation, we spend about one-quarter of our electricity budget on lighting, or more that $37 billion annually.
LED’s are one of lighting and electrical technologies available to help companies cut energy costs. The longer lifespan and reduced energy consumption and maintenance costs allow LED’s to provide an excellent return on investment. Along with energy rebates, tax exemptions and energy re-evaluation, these options are worth exploring when attempting to reduce energy costs.
If every U.S. house hold replaced just one standard 60 watt bulb with a CC Vivid LED bulb, we could save 24,184,400,000 watts or 24,184.4 mega (million) watts per day. These figures were based on 103,000,000 households with an average use of 4 hours per day per house.
Codes and Standards:
According to LED Magazine, it is unclear under the current California Title 24 guidelines how LED’s apply to the new standards. There seems to be a fine line determining whether they qualify as high or low efficacy.
As discussed in the 2008 California Building Energy Efficiency Standard – Initial Key Topics Areas, LED’s do posses a few advantages that apply to code. They do have dimming abilities and are compatible with motion sensors.
Also found in LED Magazine, is a temporary allowance for decorative LED’s such as residential lighting fixtures and ceiling fan light kits, but only if “total wattage does not exceed 5W, the average LED system efficacy is at least 201 M/W and the LED is used to supplement a primary light source that meets all of the applicable performance characteristics outlined.”
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Energy efficiency, Long life, Reliability (LED’s are virtually unbreakable), Economy (initially high priced, but LED’s offer a significant saving in the long run), Environmentally Friendly (LED’s have lot less impact on environment), and Better safety & security (less heat, no glass to break, no hot filament or noxious fumes), are some of the advantages of LED’s.
Lack of availability (LED’s are new phenomena and are still developing in the lumen package per unit and per watt), Poor standardization (replacement parts availability), Costs (LED’s are expensive, a single AC bulb will cost about $40.00), Light field (LED’s do not radiate light in 360 degrees like incandescent lights), Eye damage (Ultra bright and Ultra-Violet LED’s can damage your eyes from prolonged exposure), are some of the disadvantages of LED’s.
___________________________
Due to energy shortage and global warming, this fairly new phenomenon, the LED lighting is taking over the residential homes as fast as the commercial industries in the U.S. and other contents.
GILDA N. BAHADORI
SCIDC (Saddleback College Interior Design Club)
PUBLIC RELATIONS