Top ten facts about LED lighting – saving energy in the home

As the second day of the UK’s leading light event, Lux Live 2013 kicks off, in London here are top ten facts about LED lighting that help saving energy in the home.

1. LEDs use up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent lighting, saving energy in the home.

2. According to a report by Lux magazine, a typical home in the UK fitted with traditional lighting uses 2063.3kWh (kilowatt hours) a year in electricity. Fitting a typical home with LED lighting reduces electricity use to just 364.4kWh – saving £254.86 on bills.

3. Only 5% of the energy drawn by an incandescent bulb is converted into light. They are actually more efficient as heaters.

4. If you put an LED bulb in a new baby’s room now, it would probably not have to be replaced until the child goes to college.

5. The range of LED lighting has grown massively since its invention in the 1960s and today you can choose from energy-saving bulbs to spotlights and downlights, panels, tubes, capsules and more. We’ve tested literally hundreds of products over the past two years, picking the best, including well-known brand Philips, to ensure you get the highest quality and value. It’s the best way to save energy in the home.

6. LED light bulbs have no mercury – or other hazardous material used in manufacturing. Other than incandescent light bulbs, most of today’s lighting technology relies on mercury, a known neurotoxin listed by the World Health Organisation as: “One of the 10 groups of chemicals of major public health concern”. Manufacturing, accidental breakage, and disposal of these products have become an environmental concern of enormous proportion. LEDs on the other hand, emit electro-luminescence., contain no mercury, lead or other environmental toxins, LEDs are composed of non-toxic, nano-crystal layers, covered by a phosphorus coating.

7. “Warm White” LED bulbs are much less likely to attract and harm moths, flies and other insects, than traditional lighting.

8. Compact fluorescent tubes can operate poorly in colder climates and energy efficiency for other types of lighting also drops as temperature decreases. LEDs are designed to run at nominal temperatures so when exterior temperature drops, LEDs become very efficient, which results in increased brightness, while saving energy in the home.

9. High output LEDs move heat away from sensitive LED circuits, and into heat-sinks. Objects even inches away from (or in) super bright LED light beams, do not become warm to touch as there is no heat transferred along with the light, unlike incandescent bulbs. This greatly reduces potential of fire risk associated with traditional lighting.

10. The inventor of the high-brightness blue LED, Shuji Nakamura of Nichia Corporation in 1994 was paid £140 by his Japanese employer. The technology made white light possible for the first time. Professor Nakamura left the company, sued and won £6 million through his legal action. He now lives in the United States.

If you want advice on how to use LED home lighting to cut your lighting energy bills by up to 90%, repaying your outlay many times over, why not call us on 0333 123 5464 or browse through our online shop if you have a good idea what type of LED lighting you need.