Specialty and Architectural Lighting — LED

Before LED replacements arrived on the scene, CFL pin-based lamps were preferred for commercial downlights. Because of lower energy and demand costs compared to incandescent or halogen, CFL recessed downlights became a common feature in commercial, retail, hospitality and similar spaces. How does LED compare now?

We've written here before about one of the toughest problems for manufacturers of LED replacement lamps: achieving light intensity comparable to halogen in the MR16 form factor - particularly for narrow beam distribution. The initial blog post was written in 2014, then updated in late 2016. The update concluded by stating that new breakthroughs in GaN on GaN technology had allowed the manufacturing of single point source LED MR16's – an important step toward replicating...

The effects of power quality on LED lighting performance generally receive little attention prior to installation for most commercial building applications. Power quality issues such as dips, harmonics, interruptions, transients and surges can result in expensive, early replacement of damaged or failed LED lighting equipment. While facility managers involved with smaller commercial projects may be able to ignore power quality without much consequence, larger industrial LED lighting projects, such as the replacement of existing HID...

When comparing LED troffers and retrofits to fluorescent troffers, the most LED fixtures will either exceed or match the specifications of the fluorescent fixtures. LED lumen output often matches that of various fluorescent configurations but it, along with control compatibility, requires careful consideration to ensure the LED installation will meet the needs specific to the application.

One of the fastest growing segments of the LED commercial lighting market is site, area, street and parking lot lighting. Owners of commercial property and municipalities in particular are looking at LED solutions for new developments or to replace HID fixtures in existing applications. In this post we will look at occupant perceptions of safety, security and visibility in parking lots. Specifically, we will review a study that uses LED parking lot light fixtures to...

The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has conducted a field research project evaluating installation issues and performance of a high bay retrofit where the existing metal halide bulbs have been changed to LED. High bay fixtures that use metal halide lamps in warehouses, shops, sports facilities and big box retail offer an opportunity for significant energy savings with LED HID replacement lamps. The high wattages for metal halide range from 175 watts...

Photocontrol devices use photocells to determine ON/OFF status of outdoor lighting based on the ambient light level. While generally understood as responding to visible light, some photosensors also respond to infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Normally used for roadway, area, parking, flood and security lighting, photocontrols automatically control the ON/OFF cycle to optimize the effectiveness of the lighting and maximize energy savings. In daylight harvesting applications, the photocontrol is mounted inside the occupied space...

LED light is inherently directional. Most traditional light sources - incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent and HID - emit light in all directions. For these light sources to have specific directional characteristics, the lamp is made with a reflector and sometimes a lens to modify the illumination so it becomes more focused, or directional. For example, PAR halogen lamps are available in a range of beam angles from 60°, a wide flood, to 8° a narrow...

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 sectors of LED lighting over the last few years (2014 - 2017) has been LED outdoor roadway and area lighting - a type of lighting...

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. Some of the earliest dedicated LED lighting fixtures were for outdoor area lighting applications. By 2017, LED area lighting has matured to the point that...

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 for these downlights has been the incandescent BR30 (3.75" diameter) or BR40 (5" diameter) reflector floods. Unlike architectural grade downlights, the typical small commercial and...

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 T8 fluorescent lamps now available with 35,000 to 50,000 hour LEDs. From a low risk perspective, not to mention low up front costs, current generation...

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 downlights are found, but contemporary homes may use them throughout the house. Traditional recessed downlights consist of several pieces: a housing with socket and wire...

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 filament lighting (incandescent / halogen) virtually every light bulb operating on AC can be dimmed effectively by simply trimming the voltage. Lower voltage produces less...